VATH Gets Big Numbers with Supercharged Mercedes SLK: 565HP, €126,000+

Sure, the "styling" of the current generation Mercedes SLK leaves more than a little bit to be desired, but 565 ponies can make up for a lot of styling issues. Especially in a car this small (if not all that light). So leave it to a German tuning house to give Mercedes' small sports car the horsepower working over it deserves.

In this instance, we're talking about Vath, and they have just taken the wraps off a car they've dubbed the V58. It's based on the SLK 55 AMG, which is a good place to start. The stock slick already comes with a 5.5-liter V8 engine putting out a rather respectable 360HP and 510Nm of torque.

But Vath went all over the top, and punched out the V8's displacement to 5.8-liters. And then Vath added a compressor and a series of other "measures" such as a new exhaust system (natch) recalibrated the ECU (natch again), as well as a few other unspecified tricks. And now the little guy is putting out 565 horsepower and cranking out 770Nm or 568 lb-ft of grunt.

All this work, and resultant horsepower and torque upgrades now allow the V58 SLK to top out at 310km/h or 193 mph. Jaysus! That's not the only stunning number, the prices are pretty breathtaking too. The engine package alone costs a monstrous €30,785 or about US$42,045.

And there's more than just engine noodlings to spend your sheckles on. There's an optional a locking differential that goes for €5,224 and a "home-produced and patented fuel cooler" for an additional €2,070. No, I have no idea what a "home-produced and patented fuel cooler" is either.

More? Sure. How about 19-inch alloy wheels with 235/35 front and 275/30 rear tires, an adjustable lowering kit ( dropping the ride height by 20 to 65mm for a cool €3,677), a high-performance brake system (€6,009), carbon front spoiler (€1,404), rear diffuser (€1,952), an interior trim package (€2,975) or a Vath sports steering wheel (€1,416)?

If you go whole hog and get the full kit, you're talking about €126,257 (or around US$172,430 at today's rates). That's nearly €6,000 more than a new 2010 Porsche 911 GT3. Hey, it's your money, spend it however you want.

Source: CarScoop