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A tale of four pedals

A rear-view mirror look at notable Mercedes-Benz models that grew up with motorists in the 1990s and 2000s has opened in the car-maker’s home town of Stuttgart.

The display of almost 30 immaculate examples of the period is on show through 2025 at the Mercedes-Benz museum under the title of ‘Youngtimers’ to reflect its target of enthusiasts who were young at the time.

Among the display cars is a R170, the folding hardtop two-seater based on the C-Class platform and one that soon after launch was the donor for the Chrysler Crossfire. Mercedes’ parent Daimler had just married Chrysler (to create Daimler Chrysler) in a short-lived, torrid relationship that ended in tears and a multi-million dollar divorce settlement only a few years later.

The Hollywood-style coupling, and subsequent uncoupling, was witnessed by the launch of the R107. I remember it as the time a silver Mercedes-Benz SLK230 Kompressor rekindled my lost affection for the brand; lost as the cars through the 1980s subjectively became more cumbersome in their styling and almost matronly in their road stance.

By contrast, the R170 was — and is — pared back to follow the lithe lines and impression of lightness of the coupes that came before it, notably the SL190 and SL300. It looked light, agile, sporty and desirable.

Mercedes-Benz Australia launched the SLK in 1997 with a 2.3-litre supercharged engine with five-speed manual or the 5G-Tiptronic five-speed auto from Mercedes’ parts lot.

The roof was a folding metal art form that delighted onlookers with its transformation as much as it would horrify a mechanic to fix any fault.

Seating for two to share the sensation of sitting practically on the ground with the driver holding an oversized wheel (by modern standards).

The appearance in the carpark, prior to collection for a route that wriggled through Victorian hills and ended in a small town so pretty it could make one weep, was impressive.

The word ‘was’ is important. Dousing the party started with a firm driver’s seat and that biggish wheel, then compounded by the four pedals on the floor.

In keeping with its huge US market, the SLK came with a foot-operated park brake (press the ‘pedal’ to the left of the clutch pedal to engage, pull a dash lever to release).

If this didn’t confuse the driver brought up on a diet of manual transmissions and hand-operated park brakes, it was traumatic for one other driver who was a card-carrying exponent of left-foot braking — you know, the right foot does the accelerator and the left does all the rest, now including a double shift of engaging the park brake on a hill while holding down the clutch pedal.

The SLK isn’t the only Mercedes of that era with a four-pedal system, but it was hardly common. Most buyers of the brand chose an automatic transmission, probably commensurate with the age of the owner but more likely because an auto is expected in a luxury car.

Mercedes may find the four-pedal system a bit of a blight (it’s not designed with safety or ease of operation as considerations) but it hasn’t prevented the 1996-plus (when the R107 was released in Europe) model from disappearing from memory.

It is one of the early ‘Youngtimers’ models to become the focus of a static display on for most of the 2025 year at the Mercedes-Benz Museum in Stuttgart.

The company said it was showing “characteristic Mercedes-Benz automobiles of the 1990s and 2000s” in the exhibit from April 11 to November 2 this year.

It will allow visitors to revisit the period and think back “to when we were young: Cars from our childhood and youth evoke experiences, memories and emotions – they have dream potential.”

The ‘Youngtimer’ exhibition is themed, showing ‘Easy Life’ as the 1990s with the SLK (170 series) and CLK Cabriolet (208 series) which it terms “two icons of the product initiative.”

‘Supersonic’ exhibit has the 190 E 2.5 EVO II (201 series), E 500 Limited (124 series) and SLR McLaren Roadster (199 series) which all stand for “the harmony of performance and the joy of innovation.”

The E 60 AMG power saloon (210 series) is the centrepiece of the individual and creative ‘Subculture’.

The CL 600 (215 series) and CLS 350 CGI (219 series) demonstrate luxuriously elegant sportiness in the ‘Refinement’ section.

Then there is the ‘Space’ exhibit that focuses on “visionary approaches in technology and design with the SL 500 (129 series) and Vision R 320 CDI (251 series).”

The museum also shows large glass cubes in the attached multi-storey car park as giant model-car boxes to showcase five more young classics.

These are the 160 ‘Häkkinen’ (168 series), CL 500 (140 series), ML 500 (163 series), Vision CLK 320 CDI (209 series) and C 55 AMG (203 series).

Another young classic will be on display on the ‘Classic’ island will be the A-Class HyPer concept car (168 series).

“Each of these young classics tells its own exciting story,” Mercedes-Benz says.

“The CL 600, for example, is the premiere vehicle of the C 215 series at the Geneva Motor Show in 1999 and boasts exceptional equipment features.

“Concept vehicles such as the A-Class HyPer, Vision R 320 CDI, Vision CLK 320 CDI Cabriolet and CLS 350 CGI show drive innovations important at the time.

“The A 160 ‘Häkkinen’ is one of only 125 vehicles built with the name of the famous racing driver on both sides and also bears his signature on the bonnet and steering wheel.

“The ‘Youngtimer’ special exhibition offers fun and entertainment at several interactive stations supported by artificial intelligence, such as the arcade racing game in the style of the 1990s or the creation of a short music clip.

“With the ‘Face Swap’ tool, visitors can use artificial intelligence to integrate their face into existing images, and at the ‘Refinement’ station they can create a dream image with a young classic.

The four-pedal layout of the SLK (et al) isn’t particularly hard, just initially daunting. Ahead of a hill start, engage clutch, select neutral as the car slows to a stop, engage brake (right foot) and then foot brake (left foot). Move ahead by engaging clutch, selecting first gear, then brake (right foot), and then release the park brake (right hand). — NEIL DOWLING

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