Confessions of a Car Addict: Mercedes SLK 230 Kompressor

I had high hopes for the Pedal Commander. Perhaps this was the device to shake a fairly light, 193bhp supercharged car out of its fun-dampening indolence. If you have a Mercedes-Benz of a certain age, this device might be of interest. Essentially it sharpens the car’s throttle response, by increasing the rate at which horses are unleashed per millimetre of accelerator travel.

Many is the Merc whose throttle pedal undams power with the reluctance of a pope granting audiences. You have to press it a long, long way to get real power. Sometimes there’s not much to be found, as with an early 1980s diesel, but most Benzes deliver ample urge if you’re willing to drill your right foot forward to release it.

And so it is with this 1996 Mercedes SLK 230 Kompressor. It’s easy to conclude that this car is no more than a languid cruiser, its lazy deportment matching a mind’s eye amble along sunny coastal roads. When actually, it will run to 62mph in a brisk-ish 7.6sec. It’s just that the pedal layout requires you to awkwardly thrust your right leg a long way forward to find it.