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22 - The Oakville Beaver, Wednesday July 23, 2008 www.oakvillebeaver.com FAMILY OWNED & OPERATED You'll Love Our Service! 905-335-4080 BURLINGTON LINE Spirited SLK350 two-seat roadster gets big boost in power By Neil Moore METROLAND MEDIA GROUP With the Vario-roof, the SLK350 can go from weatherproof coupe to a sleek, two-seat roadster in a matter of seconds. photo credit Russ Bond Agency LIFE IS BETTER LIVED TOGETHER OUT WITH A VO LVO 'S 2008 MODEL YEAR S E L L D OW N FIRST MONTH'S SECURITY $0 DOWN $0 DEPOSIT $0 PAYMENT PAYMENT ANG B LEASE PER MONTH d y safety an r legendar enting ou Volvo o. Complem -efficient n, to e fuel so you ca cluding th e streets road trips models--in have hit th on more aining '08 of the year (HWY) , go on all rem s best offers ing offers r 100 km nd pe Our are outsta essive 7.0L ian design ith an impr Scandinav ive, and w ly. 0. Sign, dr ly in Ju Volvo V5 ailable on S40 and d. Offer av had planne than you JULY ON LY 1.49%* $ 429* LEASE PER MONTH 0.99%* $ 399* LEASE APR FOR 48 MONTHS LEASE APR FOR 48 MONTHS 2008 VOLVO S40 2008 VOLVO V50 VOLVO OF OAKVILLE, 770 Pacific Road, Oakville (905) 825-8088 WWW.VOLVOOFOAKVILLE.COM *Limited time offer through participating Volvo of Oakville and Volvo Car Financial Services Canada on approved credit to qualified retail customers only. Vehicles may not be exactly as shown. Offer available on a 2008 S40 2.4i M/V50 2.4i M; $398.30/$428.21 per month; 48 month term with $0 down and $0 security and $0 first month. Taxes, up to $1,995 freight and PDI and up to $54.55 PPSA are due at lease inception. Lease APR 0.99%/1.49%. Total lease obligation $18,720.10/$20,125.87 taxes, license, insurance, retailer charges and new tires duties (in Quebec) are extra. Lease has a 80,000 km allowance ($0.16 per km on excess). Payment and security deposit may vary by choice of extra equipment. Purchase at end of lease for $11,696.40/$12,236.40 plus taxes. Offer subject to availability. Offer ends July 31, 2008. Volvo of Oakville may lease for less. Some terms/conditions apply. See your Volvo of Oakville for full details. 7.0L per 100kms (HWY)/10.5L per 100 kms (city). Based on 2008 Fuel Consumption Guide ratings published by Natural Resources Canada. Transport Canada test methods used. Your actual fuel consumption may vary. ©2008 Volvo Cars of Canada Corp. "Volvo. for life" is a registered trademark used under license by Volvo Cars of Canada Corp. Always remember to wear your seat belt. Visit volvoofoakville.com. Living in an era of $1.40 a litre fuel and at a time when even a gentle prod of the pedal elicits a frown, can driving still be fun? At a recent press event that showcased Mercedes' 2009 SLK and SL-Class roadsters, and the four-door CLS coupe, that point was addressed aptly by product planner Chris Goczan. "When we talk about the 'culture of driving', it's really about taking pleasure in the act of driving instead of just traveling from point A to point B. In the classic sense, it's more about 'motoring', than 'driving'." It's a concept that harkens back to a gentler time when couples and friends would take to the road for the simple joy of driving, with no pressing destination. Although this mindset has sadly been replaced by one that is generally humourless and utilitarian, I hoped to revive it that day while behind the wheel of two sleek convertibles and a flashy coupe enroute to cottage country. We've recently tested both the SL and the CLS on these pages, which is fortunate, because as much as I enjoyed driving these vehicles, it was the SLK350 twoseater that grabbed my attention. I had the opportunity to drive one last year, but was eager to get some seat time in the '09, which has been enhanced both inside and out. Immediately noticeable is the restyled front bumper, with modified air intakes and a more pronounced Vshape. The rear gets diffuser-look styling and new exhausts. With the Vario-roof up, the SLK is a sleek, weatherproof coupe. Pull back on a single, console-mounted knob (no latches or releases above the windshield), and that coupe becomes a sweet-looking roadster. Probably its most significant change is a big boost in power for the SLK350's potent V6. Thanks to a major overhaul, the same 3.5-litre displacement now generates 300 hp at 6,500 rpm ­ 32 more than last year. Torque has also been bumped by another 7 lb/ft to 265 at 4,900 rpm. To get there, Mercedes-Benz engineers have raised the rev limit to 7,200 rpm, increased the compression ratio, fitted a new intake manifold and have made extensive modifications to the valvetrain. The icing on the cake is the car's exhaust note, which is made even more delicious with the top down and a wall of trees on either side, reflecting its raucous tones as you climb through the gears. The SLK350 comes standard equipped with a six-speed manual transmission, however my tester had the optional 7G-TRONIC seven-speed automatic. In this kind of car, I wouldn't typically choose an autobox, much less pay a $1,500 premium for it. Still, the 7G-TRONIC, with steering wheel shift paddles, is no slouch as it provides extremely quick gear changes and even blips the throttle during downshifts for a much sportier feel. Continued on Page 23