Mercedes-Benz says goodbye to the SLC Convertible

Mercedes-Benz has officially announced the last production batch of its SLC convertible series, titled the Final Edition. The small roadster premiered in 1996 as the Mercedes SLK, but was renamed to “SLC” with the arrival of the second generation. The company gives no comment on whether we will be seeing a successor to the discontinued series any time soon.

Overall, the decision to drop the SLC line appears quite well-grounded in reality, since the sales have dropped dramatically over the course of the past few years. Fewer than 5,190 units were sold in Europe in 2018, as opposed to around 35,000 in the best times. Additionally, only 1993 units were sold in the USA last year, representing a sharp dive from the annual 10,000 units or more in the preceding years.

The main distinguishing feature of the SLC Final Edition will come in the form of a Sun Yellow paint referencing the original SLK from the 1996. That said, lower trims will ship with a choice of three different engines rated at 156 hp (116 kW), 184 hp (137 kW) and 245 hp (183 kW). If you don’t like yellow, you may order any of these trim versions in grey or black instead. The top trim will pack a 390-hp (290-kW) engine and ship in Sun Yellow only.

By default, every Mercedes-Benz SLC Final Edition gets the full AMG Line package including performance brakes with perforated discs, lowered suspension, and aggressive-looking bumpers.

Nappa leather combo will adorn the seats in the limited series, accompanied by occasional carbon inserts and numerous badges and logos pointing to the exclusivity of the vehicle in one way or another. The headrests will also be heated.

You can pre-order your Mercedes-Benz SLC Final Edition in Europe startin in late February. Prices begin at €41,500.

Photo: Mercedes-Benz