The new aerodynamics programme’s style is as sportive as it is elegant. It fits seamlessly into the design language of Mercedes Benz SLK R171. For the cult Roadster’s front, Piecha developed a complete bumper including LED daytime headlights, a wide central spoiler sword and additional brake air channel, integrated fog lamps and lateral double gills. The grille keeps its traditional Mercedes star and is also equipped with polished stainless steel lamellae at the much wider grille bars that reach far to the sides. Rounded side skirts with large air intake channels at the rear end ensure a wedge-shaped looking deeper profile. Optional LED skirt lamps make for gigantic night-light effects. They come on automatically when the vehicle is opened in the dark and indirectly light the area of the side skirts. The striking tear-shaped sports mirrors are attached to two hinged arms and make the SLK look like a true sports car. The re-designed mirrors can be set and heated electrically and folded manually. Piecha Design delivers them completely painted and mounted. For the rear area, Piecha developed a completely new design for the rear skirt. It has a wide grille insert, diffuser and additional under-floor wings. Optionally, the rear skirt is also available with cut-outs for the serial exhaust system or 4-pipe-exhaust systems. An unobtrusive rear spoiler lip integrated flush into the rear lid and reaching all the way to the outer edges provides additional output. The popular Piecha QUADRO exhaust systems were reworked completely and are delivered as a half system from the catalytic converter. It is mounted to the original flange connections without any cutting. The 6-cylinder models are equipped with a flow-optimised X-pipe-adapter and the 4-cylinder version with an adequate connection pipe with V-flange adapter.
The complete aerodynamics programme fits all SLK R171 models incl. facelift and the SLK 55. The only thing to be observed is whether or not the vehicle is equipped with a parktronic (PDC), and, if so, if it is pre- or post-Facelift 2008.
Matching wheel/tyre combinations are 19 inch and 19/20 inch combination Piecha dp2 Phantom wheels. The 19 inch ones are ideal from a driving-dynamics point of view, at the front in 8.5 x 19 with 225/35 ZR 19 and at the rear in 9.5 x 19 with 255/30 ZR 19 tyres. An optical treat, however, is offered by using 8.5 x 19 with 225/35 ZR 19 tyres in front and combining them with 9.5 x 20 drop-centre rims at the rear axis and 265/25 ZR20 tyres. A special drop-centre rim version with a gigantic 100 mm stainless steel outer rim was developed particularly for the 9.5 x 20 rims. This version perfectly emphasises the SLK Roadster’s wedge-shape and fits under the serial body with only little reworking. A basic prerequisite for this, however, is that the car is lowered by about 30 mm – not only for the perfect visual impression, but also to ensure the required wheel cover.
To top everything off, the SLK R171 Performance RS programme must of course include popular accessories such as the aerowings for the hood, the comfort vario roof module with “one touch function” and the possibility of opening or closing the roof at up to 60 km/h, the “must have” power converter for perceptibly improved acceleration and a more dynamic reaction and small attributes such as door pins with high-quality aluminium. The real glass wind deflector with perforated inserts for the roll-bar are necessities as well, since it not only enables a clear view to the rear but also reduces air vortices in the interior to a minimum and offers an optical contribution to the overall package.
