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Prices for the Mercedes SLK55 AMG roadster have been announced. Starting at £54,950 and sitting at the top of the SLK range, the SLK55 is a product of Mercedes' in-house tuner AMG. It's differentiated from lesser versions by an AMG body kit, which includes unique alloy wheels, uprated performance brakes and AMG-specific sports suspension.

As with most current AMG models, it's endowed with an abnormally large 5.5-litre V8 engine, which is enough to see this compact convertible reach 0-62mph in 4.6 seconds and on to an electronically limited top speed of 155mph.

The engine is mated to a seven-speed automatic gearbox, which has three settings: 'controlled efficiency' for economical gear changes, sport, and manual, which allows drivers to take full control of gearshifts via paddles behind the steering wheel.

Despite the huge engine, Mercedes claims fuel efficiency has been improved by 30 per cent over the previous model, boasting a combined fuel economy figure of 33.6mpg and CO2 emissions of 195g/km.

This has been achieved through the addition of AMG's cylinder management system, which can shut off selected cylinders when not needed, effectively halving the size of the engine and reducing the amount of fuel consumed. The SLK55 also features automatic stop and start, which aids fuel economy and emissions further.

Enthusiasts will be pleased to hear AMG hasn't forgotten its roots. A performance package, including bigger brakes and retuned suspension is available as an optional extra for £4,105, as is a 'driver's package' (£2,755) which raises the car's top speed and allows the owner attendance at an AMG driver event.

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