SLC 250 d

STORY

The SLC name was revived in 2016 for the facelifted third-generation R172 roadster, previously sold as the SLK. This brought the compact two-seater in line with Mercedes' updated naming (the C denoting C-Class dimensions). It kept the signature Vario-Roof folding steel hardtop that had defined the SLK since 1996, but got revised styling with LED lighting, a new nine-speed automatic on upper models, and updated interiors. The range ran from the four-cylinder SLC 180 and 200 through the six-cylinder SLC 300 to the flagship AMG SLC 43, whose 3.0-litre biturbo V6 replaced the earlier V8 of the SLK 55 AMG. Compact, comfortable and built for boulevard driving rather than the track, it competed with the BMW Z4 and Audi TT. Production ended in 2020 with a commemorative Final Edition, closing a 24-year SLK/SLC roadster line that Mercedes has not directly replaced.