Mercedes SLK 250 CDI introduced

[Published at autoexpress.co.uk]First ever diesel SLK gets 204bhp and a headline-grabbing 500Nm of torque

These are the first official pictures of the all-new diesel Mercedes SLK Roadster. Available for the first time as an oil-burner, the new SLK 250 CDI gets a 2.2-litre, 204bhp four-cylinder engine with a healthy 500Nm of torque - making it the most powerful diesel in its class.

Official performance figures of 0-62mph in 6.7 seconds and a top speed of 150mph are impressive, as is fuel consumption of 57mpg with CO2 emissions of 128g/km. The SLK also features stop-start as standard.

Externally the SLK is the same as the petrol variants, and retains the twin-exhaust system. The model is available with a ‘Magic sky control’ vario-roof, which allows the glass to be changed from dark to transparent at the touch of a button.

Fitted with the standard 7G-Tronic Plus automatic transmission as standard, while a six-speed manual will follow in the second quarter of 2012. There are also three suspension versions available: a conventional steel set up, a sports suspension with stiffer springs and dampers or a suspension with an electronically controlled, fully automatic damping system.The Mercedes SLK 250 CDI goes on sale in September and although prices haven't been confirmed yet, buyers should expect to pay around £37,000.