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Melbourne – The Mercedes-Benz SLK-Class Roadster has come up trumps in the
inaugural Prix de Marie Claire awards, announced last night in Sydney, picking
up half of the automotive awards on offer.
The SLK-Class Roadster was judged “best car - splurge” by the magazine in the
lifestyle category as well as “best car – splurge, readers choice” by Marie
Claire readers.
The two remaining automotive awards, “best car – steal” and “best car –
steal, readers choice” were split between Volkswagen’s Golf and Peugeot’s 307 CC
respectively.
Marie Clare editor, Jackie Frank, together with Sydney Morning Herald
motoring editor, Joshua Dowling, announced the winners at a black-tie function
in front of a star line-up of guests.
Commeting on the award the judges said: “Mercedes-Benz revolutionised the
sports car market in 1996 when it introduced a compact convertible -- the SLK --
with a folding metal roof. It went on to win more than 40 international awards.
Mercedes effectively created two cars in one which could provide the security
and comfort of a hard-top coupe as well as top-down exhillaration.
“So successful was this formula that the original SLK set the wheels in
motion for a host of rivals with similar roof designs. But no-one does this sort
of car as well as Mercedes and, with its all-new, second-generation SLK,
released late last year, it raised the benchmark even further.
“Not content with just creating a clever and practical roof, with the new
model Mercedes even invented a system that blows warm air on the neck of the
driver and passenger, so they can enjoy top-down motoring in cooler weather.
With its sleek lines, superb engineering, and luxurious yet sporty driving
dynamics, the SLK is the ultimate splurge car,” said the judges.
Managing director of the Mercedes Car Group in Australia, Horst von Sanden,
welcomed the result: “The Mercedes-Benz SLK is enormously successful in
Australia and is a deserving winner in the Prix de Marie Claire awards, which
celebrate the very best of fashion, beauty and lifestyle.”
“It is very satisfying that Marie Claire readers agreed with the opinions of
the Marie Clare judges and also voted the Mercedes SLK best splurge,” said von
Sanden.
Since its release last year, the new Mercedes-Benz SLK-Class Roadster has
outpaced many of its rivals in the luxury roadster segment, selling over 780
units in just nine months.
The new Mercedes roadster has attracted 320 per cent more customers in the
first nine months on sale than the previous generation SLK-Class Roadster,
released late in 1996.
So far this year, sales of the svelte Mercedes roadster are twelve times
higher than for the same period in 2004.
Whilst the bulk of roadster customers are men, women are clearly attracted to
the new Mercedes roadster with the proportion of female SLK customers slightly
above the average for the remainder of the Mercedes-Benz passenger car range.
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