Colin Chapman's Lotus car company created the Elan in 1966. It was a minimalist roadster bereft of any comfort with the singular purpose: to provide the most scintillating driving experience. Based on a race-bred 1500cc Ford engine (the famed Lotus twin cam), it had a stiff backbone chassis and a fibreglass bodyshell. The car weighed 1,500lb and had 120 horsepower.

Mercedes in 1981 decided to put a toe in this market. The SL they always had; power, handling that was just a little too soft for the hard-core car nut. A true GT. But the razor's edge eluded them until they brung this car in '97. It wasn't exactly minimalist, but it was finally hard-core: SLK. Sportische, Leichter, Kurz. Sporty, light, short — according to the nomenclature, it is the short version of the SL. And, it represents a return to what makes cars so much fun.

features

Our tester has the standard drop-top metal roof, four-cylinder 184hp, 1800cc compressor engine, five-speed manumatic tranny with dual-exhaust tips. Its interior is flat black plastic, with COMAND user interface complete with hard drive, 6.5" colour screen and a 4GB 'music register' for holding mp3s and such. You can talk to this car as well - LINGUATRONIC voice-control system processes voice commands for operating audio, telephone and nav systems. And its Bluetooth capable, to boot.

SLK isn't for everyone. Its interior is 'crampy' for folks much over 5'8". And the wide sills that are mandatory for chassis strength when the roof is — ahem — not 'deployed' make ingress and egress difficult for those who are more than pleasingly plump. The seats are marvellous, though, and give a wide range of height adjustments. The driver can choose to sit in the car or on it; when at its lowest level, the top of the door — the part where most drivers rest their arms while driving — can be at chin height or even lower. Our tester had no power seats — it is such a chore to do stuff without motors. It was hard for me to find the ideal driving position. I like my arms straight when they contact the top of the wheel, a position I could not get to in this car.

Mercedes' baby SL also suffers from a nasal-sounding four banger - tuneful its not. And its hard to get inspired when an engine has no soul. And the 184 horses seem a little wimpy - on paper.

It has the handling characteristics of a dragonfly. It does exactly what is needed when its driver needs it. The steering has a voice and communicates wonderfully the goings-on at the front end - and there is enough prod under your right foot to make the hustle down to the next bend glorious, g-laden fun. But it is the brakes that provide the pièce de résistance - binders that can be modulated, with 'right-now' stopping capability. SLK brakes will produce bloodshot eyes in less experienced hands.

draws crowds

And then there's that top. One button is all it takes, and it can also be activated by the key fob outside the car — while the car is visually stunning, activating the mechanical ballet sequence will draw a crowd every time.

Today's safety standards and options have caused SLK's weight to balloon to 1,410kg (3,102lb), yet under all that weight, a little roadster screams to be driven on our Jamaican roads. Colin Chapman wouldn't have it any other way.