Vehicle Type: Roadster

Price: $39,700 to $45,000

Transmission: 2.3 liter , 185- horsepower supercharged I4; Front Engine/ Rear Wheel Drive

Safety Features: Driver and passenger air bags; anti-lock brakes are standard

Fuel Economy: 22 mpg city/30 mpg highway

Special Features: When Mercedes builds an affordable car they still deliver amazingly well-refined features -- Great technology in engine, top and safety features.

Kitt's Peak, Arizona--What can you do to make a Mercedes SL better? Well, you could cut the price in half -- and that's just what Mercedes Benz did with the SLK.

It's hard looking at the SLK to determine just where the scrimping took place, since the car has most of the features we have grown to expect from MB. Only when you look closely and directly compare to a $80,000+ SL do you see minor details missing. None are items that would be noticed by anyone but a previous Mercedes owner.