Mercedes-Benz Unveils Redesigned SLK-Class

All-New Roadster Offers Aggressive Styling, Driving Performance and Sophistication

MONTVALE, N.J., Jan. 7 -- Mercedes-Benz today provided a first look at the totally redesigned SLK-Class roadster, which will make its retail debut in the U.S. in late 2004. The original SLK shook up the small roadster market when it was introduced in 1997, winning a number of prestigious automotive awards including North American Car of the Year.

The new head-turning SLK roadster incorporates design cues from Formula One race cars of the past and present. The sharp nose, long hood and steeply raked windshield emphasize the new SLK's more aggressive, dynamic character. Beneath the hood lies a powerful new 3.5-liter six-cylinder, four-valve engine, while a new suspension and braking system deliver a new level of driving performance. The retractable hardtop has been re-engineered to open and close faster than ever before, and incorporates a pivoting rear window for increased trunk space. The 2005 Mercedes-Benz SLK will make its official North American debut at the New York Auto Show in April 2004.

About Mercedes-Benz USA

Mercedes-Benz USA is headquartered near New York City in Montvale, NJ and is responsible for the U.S. sales, service and marketing of Mercedes-Benz cars and light trucks as well as the Maybach super-luxury sedan. MBUSA employs about 1,500 people in 20 different locations around the nation. In 2003, the company sold 218,717 vehicles through a nationwide network of over 300 retailers in the U.S., setting the highest-ever sales volume in its history.