Merc’s New Year makeover

Like every good fashionista, the Mercedes SLK has had a New Year makeover. It's a subtle one, mind - a couple of visual tweaks here, a modicum of engine fettling there. 

Due to go on sale in the UK from April, the revised SLK gets new bumpers front and back, bigger door mirrors - all the better for checking one's coiffured locks, darling - and AMG-style darkened tail lights. Told you they were subtle changes. 

The SLK's three engines have been tweaked, too, for greater economy and a smidge more power. The 3.5-litre V6 in the SLK 350 has been upped to 305bhp and 265lb ft of torque, while the SLK 200 now puts out 184bhp, up some 21bhp. While the SLK 280's power remains the same, fuel consumption and carbon emissions are down. 

The V8 in the SLK 55 AMG remains untouched, however - in fact, the only alterations to the mental roadster are the same cosmetic enhancements as the stock SLK, a new steering rack and a mildly revised instrument cluster. 

No matter - brute pace and the ability to rearrange even the most sedate haircut into an Amy Winehouse-style beehive never go out of fashion.