Drop-Top - The scenic route with the Mercedes-Benz SLC

I'll be honest with you. When I first drove the revised Mercedes-Benz SLC, I wasn't very kind to it. I didn't like it at all and frankly, I was rather unkind to it in my First Drive Impression. I lambasted the harsh ride, the noisy engine, the seating position and the interior trim quality. For this, I would like to apologise. I still stand by some of my opinions of the model, but my mind was definitely changed after spending some more time in the machine.

It's quite amazing how, driving a particular car, in a particular environment, can change ones perception about things. In this case, it was a lengthy drive, on various roads, that allowed me to enjoy aspects of this car that few others can offer. A long drive to Clarens, in the Free State, along the R712 and around Blesbok Loop.

This picturesque part of the country is steeped in history and home to the Golden Gate Highlands National Park. With its caves, San rock paintings, diverse flora and the iconic Brandwag Butress, it is a National treasure that is best experienced with the roof down. The car for the job, the Mercedes-Benz SLC 300 AMG Line.

The SLK successor recently received a revamp and a fresh face with a new diamond grille and LED headlights. There's a revised interior and the model offerings have changed a little, with the SLC 200, 300 and AMG 43 now on offer. The pricing seems a little steep at first, and I was struggling to see the value in the 300 all the way down the N3 to Harrismith.

Exiting the N3 and cutting through Harrismith (and onto the N5), my earlier opinion of the firm and less-than-forgiving suspension remained intact. With the large wheels and low profile rubber, the SLC is quite firmly sprung. This is fine on the wide expanse of tar on the N3, but the rutted and corrugated roads in and around town centers have you wishing you had a little more meat on the bone.

The seating position that I criticised earlier no longer bothered me, I became used to it and actually found a nice sweet-spot that wasn't uncomfortable or tiring for the duration of the drive. The interior trim also, seemed less tacky and unfinished than I remembered, suitable for the price of the vehicle, even if still lacking a little of the class and luxury of its larger brethren, who cost more than three times as much – thus, to be expected.

With a 180kW and 370Nm, 2-litre turbocharged engine under the hood, I wasn't expecting amazing fuel consumption figures either, but I was pleasantly surprised to see that those numbers tumble down into the low-7's. It's a stretch from the low-5's that Mercedes-Benz quotes, but acceptable enough at altitude.

Stopping at the impressive Sterkfontien dam wall and admiring the view, we decided that this was enough capsule commuting and we needed to tap into the real reason that the SLC exists. In under 20-seconds, the Vario-roof was dropped, the optional AIRGUIDE deflectors set in place and off we set. With minimal wind in our hair, we were now exposed to the elements, the warm sunshine and fresh air as we entered the Golden Gate Highlands National Park.

The terrain changed before our very eyes, each and every kilometer offering new sights and an even  greater roads as we wound our way down the R712 and onto the picturesque Blesbok Loop.

It all started making sense. The firm, direct suspension, the drop top, the low seating position and the price. Suddenly I could justify the R756 136 (base) price. You pay for this sort of experience, this type of immersion in the drive and the surroundings. The road was beautiful, winding distraction from the sights and the landscapes, a brief escape before settling down on a straighter stretch to admire the view.

Yes, the interior is cozy and the boot hardly passable as a storage vessel. The engine note does sound strained when driven spiritedly but none of that matters when you place this car in this sort of environment. Many will say that buying a car based on one journey that you take a year is like buying a dining room table that hardly fits in the house because you have people over for Christmas. But when you buy that table, you will be inclined to entertain more, and the same goes for the SLC. You'll want to take more drives out in the country. You will long for mountain roads or the rush of a seas breeze on your cheeks. You will explore more, experience more, see more. It's then that you won't regret buying the SLC.