In a recent article, Forbes compared the ostentatiously feminine Lexus SC 430 to the racy new Mercedes-Benz SLK-Class.  The reason for the comparison is that last year, the Lexus dominated Mercedes, outselling the SLK in the first eight months by 141%.  But that was last year, the year of the old and decrepit SLK that's been haunting us since 1997.  This year my friends, it's an entirely different story.  Mercedes, finally realizing that SLK fans deserve more, completely redesigned the SLK class, giving them a McLaren-inspired vehicle worthy of their affection.

And the sales numbers prove it.  This year, in it's first eight months, the SLK-Class has outsold the Lexus by 38%.  In addition to the new design, one of the primary factors when comparing the two models is price.  Although the top of the line SLK 55 AMG comes in at $62,275, only $3,000 less than the Lexus SC430, the base SLK model costs about $22,000 less, weighing in at $43,675.  In my opinion, this was a very wise move by Mercedes.  The bigger the price range, the more potential customers you can reach.

If price isn't a factor for you, let's discuss power. The SLK 55 AMG, which, let me remind you, still costs less than the Lexus, posesses significantly more power than it's sushi-eating competitor.  While the Lexus is powered by a 4.3-Liter V8 producing 300 horsepower, the SLK is powered by a hand-built 5.4-Liter AMG V8, pumping out an impressive 360 horsepower.  That's 34% more horsepower per pound than the Lexus, for $3,000 less.  You do the math.

If I had to choose between the Lexus and the Mercedes, the choice would be clear.  The Mercedes has more power, better styling, and costs less.  That's all there is to it.  Now, if you compared the SLK to the Porsche Boxster... we'll save that story for another day.


You can read Forbes' full comparison here.









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