In addition to an SLK 280 7 speed auto, I have a Honda S 2000. Actually, the 280 was my wife's pick, and I have been surprised at how fast it actually is. Now, my S 2000 is an '01 with only about 29K on the odo. I've been driving it for over six years and know how to operate the six speed. So wife (in the SLK) and I (in the S 2000) decided to have a little 0 to 60 drag race. Wife in SLK 280 only had to hold the shifter to the left for a second, then floor it. I had to get the S 2000 into the 6K to 9K rpm range as fast as possible and keep it there. In spite of my experience in doing so, shall we say, the S 2000 did not win.
There are no losses when you own both cars. But I have stop-watched the S 2000 in 0 to 60 at 5.2 seconds. The SLK 280 is manufacturer rated at 6.1 seconds in such a run. Now, I know that the car magazines have tested the 55 AMG and 350, and have obtained 0 to 60 runs in times much less than manufacturer's ratings. But no car magazine has ever done a road test on the SLK 280. So I took the 280 out and stop watched it at 0 - 60 in 5.1 seconds. It couldn't have been that, but it was.
