The most powerful version of Mercedes-Benz's small hardtop roadster, the 2012 SLK 55 AMG, will receive its world premiere at this year's edition of the Frankfurt Motor Show in mid-September, but the first photos of the V8-powered model have already sprung up on the German car site Autobild.
Visually, the AMG treatment adds a new aero kit with bespoke parts up front and at the back along with a smoked out lights and larger set of light alloy wheels finished in black. Inside, you'll find a pair of sports seats and plenty of surfaces covered in stitched leather And while this is the first time we get to see the new SLK 55 AMG in the flesh and without camouflage, Mercedes-Benz recently shared details on the roadster model's mechanical hardware.
Power for the roadster comes from a new naturally-aspirated AMG 5.5-liter V8 engine that delivers 62 more horses and 30Nm more torque than the previous model's eight-cylinder unit, at 422-horses and 540Nm in European-spec, and 415-horses at 6,800 rpm and 398 lb-ft at 4,500 rpm in North American-flavor.
The aluminum V8 engine also features the AMG Cylinder Management system that can shut off four-cylinders from 800 to 3,600 rpm to improve fuel efficiency.
A 7-speed AMG Speedshift automatic transmission featuring three modes (sport, manual and efficiency) transfers power to the rear wheels.
According to the Mercedes, the new SLK 55 AMG completes the standard 0-100km/h (62mph) sprint in 4.6 seconds and reaches an electronically limited top speed of 250km/h (155mph).
The roadster returns a combined fuel consumption of 8.5 lt/100 km, which is 3.5lt or 30% less than that of the preceding model with the 360HP V8.