Where Mercedes engineers must truly be applauded is the exhaust note. It’s said that for the original Mazda Miata, much effort went into just making the exhaust sound just right. Mercedes did that with the SLK. It’s almost impossible to describe the liquid tenor of the 3-liter V-6’s exhaust except to say that it’s the kind of thing that makes a driver seek out stone walls, overpasses, tunnels or anything to reflect the note.

Pedal placement aside—and that won’t matter in the SLK350 or to those who select the automatic in the SLK300—the SLK-Class at least in our opinion meets the dynamic requirements that turn a two-seat convertible into a sports car. The final proof? At the end of our test, we were reluctant to return it to Mercedes-Benz. From sports car enthusiasts such as us, there’s no greater praise.