Used 2009 Mercedes-Benz SLK-Class Pricing

So you've got yourself a dilemma. You're in the market for a high-end roadster, but your country club's parking lot is so full of Boxsters and 911 Cabriolets, it makes you wonder if Porsche owns the place. Not that you'd really consider those cars anyway -- they're soft-top only, and besides, they sound like lawnmowers. But what should you buy instead? Here's an unconventional answer: a 2009 Mercedes-Benz SLK55 AMG.

Why unconventional? For one thing, the SLK55 is stuck with an automatic transmission. Not an automated-clutch manual, mind you, but an old-fashioned slushbox that doesn't even blip the throttle on downshifts. Most competitors offer stick shifts, and Porsche's new dual-clutch PDK tranny punts the Benz's slow-witted seven-speed into the Schwartzwald. Furthermore, Mercedes isn't exactly renowned for making world-class sports cars, though this AMG drop top does corner athletically when you give it the crop.

But the SLK55 has more than just a slick retractable hardtop to lord over its Porsche compatriots. In a deliciously vulgar rejection of the "less is more" approach, Mercedes has gone and wedged a gigantic hand-built 5.4-liter V8 under this Miata-sized hooligan's hood. That's the same displacement as the top-of-the-line V8 in Ford's F-150 full-size pickup; what's more, the F-150 would actually benefit from an engine swap, as the SLK55's mill makes 45 more horsepower and 11 more pound-feet of torque. In other words, this is one bad little Benz. Put your foot down at any speed and the SLK55 hurtles forward like a runaway locomotive, quad exhaust tips belting out an intoxicating eight-cylinder symphony.

When you're not feeling felonious, the SLK55 makes for a surprisingly civilized companion, boasting well-shaped seats, a tolerably firm ride and a refined top-up demeanor marred only by intrusive road noise over coarse surfaces. It's an adroit double act that recalls the SLK55's big brother, the SL63, which costs twice as much. The SLK55 still doesn't come cheap, but our nicely optioned tester's $72,545 sticker isn't entirely unreasonable for a wickedly fast V8-powered luxury roadster. Lackluster transmission notwithstanding, we strongly recommend asking the Lord to buy you this Mercedes-Benz.