Mercedes SLK250 CDI (2011) the diesel roadster revealed

Mercedes has revealed the latest addition to its little roadster line-up – the SLK250 CDI. It’s the first time the Mercedes SLK has been offered with diesel power; the new oil-burning convertible will be officially unveiled at the 2011 Frankfurt motor show in September.

As well as this being the first ever diesel Mercedes SLK, the 250 CDI is also the most powerful car in its class to fill up at the black pump, usurping the 168bhp Audi TT 2.0TDI Roadster. What a claim to fame!

The SLK250 CDI uses the same twin-turbo 2.1-litre motor that you’ll find in the C- and E-class and CLS. That means 201bhp and 369lb ft, and mated to Merc’s 7G-Tronic auto ‘box, it's is enough to propel this roadster from 0-62mph in a respectable 6.7 seconds and on to 151mph.

Being Stuttgart’s greenest version roadster, the Mercedes SLK250 CDI puffs out just 128g/km of CO2. It will also apparently deliver 57.5mpg – not only is that better than any other SLK or that TT TDI (51.4mpg) but is also enough, Mercedes claims, to take the SLK250 CDI from the North Sea to the Mediterranean without refuelling.

Nothing actually. The diesel variant of the SLK remains cosmetically unchanged, and can still be specced with the full range of clever Mercedes gizmos, including the Magic Sky Control roof (which can switch from dark to transparent at the touch of a button) and Dynamic Handling package (which includes sharper steering and a brake-based torque vectoring system).

By Alex Michaelides