News Source: topspeed.com

Mercedes  announced the SLK  back in 1996 and dropped it into showrooms in 1997. Since then, more than 600,000 units have been sold, but the roadster’s reign has come to an end – at least as the SLK anyway. Set to be launched in spring of 2016, the Mercedes-Benz SLC-Class  replaces the SLK, but only in name and not in spirit – the SLC will continue the SLK’s reign, sharing at least some of the C-Class DNA.

As Daimler AG Board of Management member Ola Kallenius put it, “In 1996, Mercedes-Benz redefined the roadster  with its innovative vario-roof, and combined open-air driving pleasure with uncompromised comfort in poor weather. The renamed compact  roadster remains an ideal combination of passion and common sense, appealing to both the heart and the mind.”

What you’ll find as you browse the official pictures of the new SLC is that it carries a lot of the same design queues of the SLK  it replaces. But, the SLC also has its own design characteristics, such as redesigned bumper covers and body trim, as well as new technology. On the U.S. market the SLC will debut in two trims, at least at first, with the SLC300 being the entry level model and the SLC43  being crowned as the high-performance variant. So, what will we see when the new SLC-Class hits showroom floors? Keep reading to find out.

Updated 12/16/2015: Mercedes dropped the official details on the new SLC-Class - aka the facelift version of the previous SLK.

Up front, the new SLC has a freshly designed front end, with notable differences to the front splitter, bumper air vents, headlights, and grille design. The daytime running lights are of the LED kind and have been integrated into the headlight assemblies, giving the headlights an eyelid of sorts. In comparison to the outgoing SLK, the front fascia has a sportier design that gives the SLC an aggressive look, almost like it is snarling at you. On the base model, the front grille is finished in black with chrome trim and an iridium silver louver. When adding the “Sport” package, the diamond grille will be finished in chrome, as seen in the images. With the “Night” package, the center louver comes in high-gloss black. The hood itself is quite similar to the outgoing SLK, but the design of the front grille makes it look like the hood actually folds over the front of the car, like the hood and grille are one piece.

To the side, there are only subtle differences when you compare the SLC to the SLK. To the front, you’ll notice that the SLC doesn’t have that small body opening on the fascia, and fascia is smooth as opposed to having that wrap-around body line. Moving back, that fender vent appears unchanged, but you’ll notice that the center louver actually terminates inside the vent, giving it a much cleaner look. The small body line underneath the vent runs a little farther back on the door and still comes to a sharp point. The body line above the fender vent starts near the top of the wheel arch, but comes to a sharp point about half way across the door. On the SLK, this body line traveled all the way to the door handle.

Down below, the side skirts have been refined a bit. On the SLK, the side skirts protruded from the body at the front and rear wheel wells, but on the SLC, the side skirt gradually protrudes more as it moves toward the rear of the car. Behind the rear wheel well, the bumper is almost completely smooth except the wrap around, sunk in body line. The taillights retain the same shape but offer a different design that keeps the reverse lights to the rear, with only the reflectors and side markers wrapping around onto the corner panel.

The rear deck appears almost the same, but that arch that incorporates the LED high-mount brake light looks to be a little less pronounced. The LED bar, however, is a bit longer, with the points more rounded. As it was with the side, the taillights carry the same design as the SLK, but the reviews lights have been moved to the bottom of the taillight assemblies and look to be LED. Instead of having one large red section on the light, the SLC has two, slanted rectangles that will serve as tail and brake lights. It really is a much cleaner design.

The rear fascia brings a lot more style to the table on the SLC. There is an air vent sunk in at each corner, with a body line that wraps around the vents, giving a real 3D appearance. A reflector has been added above each exhaust pipe. Those exhaust pipes, by the way, are more slanted, a bit wider, and a little shorter than what we saw on the SLK. The rear diffuser is also of a simpler design, garnishing the lower side of the fascia and the inner sides of the exhaust pipes. The diffuser also has a chrome finish.

All of these differences make the SLC its own model, but are subtle enough to be reminiscent of the outgoing SLK.

The interior of the SLC is also refreshed in comparison to the SLK, but the differences here are subtle as well. The same four-spoke vents are located on each side of the infotainment screen, and at the corners of the dash. The door trim panels, center console, and seats all carry a similar design, but are different in their own way, further distinguishing the SLC name. Even the instrument cluster has two primary gauges with a secondary gauge on the lower, right side of each main gauge. A small display screen sits between the two primary gauges.

New aluminum trim inserts garnish the interior and have a carbon fiber finish. On the instrument cluster, the gauge surrounds feature black dials, and the gauge needles are red. An analog clock in the center of the dash is available as an option, as it was on the outgoing SLK. On the SLC, the coloration has been changed to match the gauge pods of the instrument cluster. The infotainment screen, while in the same place, but is now measures seven inches as opposed to the 5.8-inch screen on the SLK. The steering wheel itself has been upgraded with perforation in the grip area, and on the SLC 43, a new wheel can be optioned, wrapped in Nappa leather and DINAMICA microfiber. The Nappa leather seats have also been upgraded, now featuring perforation at the shoulder areas and contrast stitching. Additional leather colors now include saddle brown and platinum white.

If opting for the ambient lighting package, the lighting has now been extended to the foot wells and is available in solar red, polar blue or polar white – the latter of which are new for the SLC. All of these updates to the cabin give the SLC a cleaner look on the inside. I always thought the SLK’s interior seemed a little cheap for a Merc, but from the looks of things, the SLC will prevail in that area.

The SLC will continue on with an electrohydraulic roof. On the SLC, however, the roof can continue functioning at speeds of up to 25 mph if the car must be moved once the opening or closing process has taken place. The trunk separator is now automatic, and will automatically move down when the roof is opened – if something is blocking the separator from moving, the roof will not open, and a message will display on the driver information center. Optional features include heated seats, and “AIRSC  ARF,” which is a neck-level heating system for both passengers. The rear, side windows can now be operated independently, even if the roof is open.

The COMAND infotainment system is on par with other infotainment systems in the SLC’s segment. Bluetooth connectivity, integrated apps, voice operated control, and interface for iPod and iPhone are all standard. There is also 2 USB ports and an SD card reader. Navigation data is stored on a hard drive as opposed to a DVD or SD card, meaning the system works much faster. Three years of navigation updates are also included with the purchase of the SLC.