2013 Mercedes-Benz SLK Class vs. Its Competition

Bengt Halvorson Senior Editor

You might think of luxury roadsters as one-trick ponies, but these are remarkably versatile vehicles, most with just enough cargo space for weekend trips, enough comfort for everyday commuting, the features of luxury coupes, and enough seat-of-the-pants thrills to satisfy all but the most die-hard track hounds.

The SLK's competition hits it from all these angles.

The BMW Z4 is right in its wheelhouse, and if anything, it's a little more evocative in its styling and its balanced performance.

The Porsche Boxster--and the hardtop Cayman version--are brilliant mid-engine performers with the steering and chassis dynamics of cars twice as expensive, and they're among our top choices in the segment.

For left-field alternatives, we'd look at the Infiniti G37 Convertible, a folding-hardtop affair with luxurious fittings and good, if not great, performance.

And reaching upward in price, there's always the suave Jaguar XK convertible, a pavement-rippling performer as a base coupe or convertible, or a throaty growler in supercharged XKR form.