Mercedes-Benz SLK

There have been three versions of the Mercedes-Benz SLK since its launch in 1996, but in 2016 it’ll be renamed the Mercedes-Benz SLC.

Upon launch, the first generation was known internally as R170 and appeared at first as the SLK 230 Kompressor. It aimed to take on the Porsche Boxster and the BMW Z3. Powered by a 2.3-litre supercharged petrol engine with 191bhp, you could pick between automatic or five-speed manual gearboxes.

It was incredibly successful in its first year and featured what Mercedes-Benz called the Varioroof. This was a hydraulic system which also moved the bootlid and allowed the roof to fold neatly away at the touch of a button.

In 2000 this car was facelifted and an entry level 200 Kompressor was added along with a V6 called SLK 320 and a high-performance model called the SLK 32 AMG.