Carlsson US lives in a single garage, shared with a mechanic who fashions turbo-charged, three-rotor RX8�s (I love the sound of waste gas dumping in the morning. Sounds like� 400hp). I was a bit skeptical about Claude�s ability to piece together an AMG-beater in such humble surrounds. The SLK provided immediate reassurance. Its silver paintwork was stunning� as you might expect from the man once charged with re-painting the black Ferraris given to Miami Vice. The fit and finish was flawless. The Carlsson car looked as fundamentally sound as an AMG product.

Normally, I�m not a big fan of cosmetic modifications. That goes double for cars with cosmetic modifications without performance upgrades. If you look faster, go faster. Driving the Carlsson car around Palm Beach, I changed my mind. For one thing, there are no corners. (This picture was taken at a rotary inside a housing development.) For another, there are plenty of police. A true hot rod SLK would be both pointless and provocative. But a faux hot rod makes perfect sense� especially when you consider the enclave�s extraordinarily high SLK-to-well-groomed-women-of-a-certain-age ratio. If you�re a straight guy, live in a poser�s paradise like south Florida and want to drive an SLK, you need this car.

From most angles, a stock new-shape SLK looks distinctly French, with its ass is up in the air atop skinny little tires. Carlsson fixes the convertible�s prissy image problem by lowering the chassis by an inch, stuffing 20� wheels in the wells, adding low profile tires and testosteroning wherever possible (e.g. the front splitter, side skirts and rear wing). The Carlsson steel exhausts could stand a bit further proud of the body work and I�m not so sure about those glittering rollover hoops, but the overall effect transforms the SLK from a chick car to a chick magnet. 

The Carlsson interior goes for the Burberry effect, repeating the brand�s logo ad infinitum on leather (for those who don�t quite get it). The little horsie logo that adorns the glove box falls flat, coming across like a weak reply to Maranello�s mighty steed. The Carlsson kick plates add a touch of bling: a welcome signal to owner and passenger alike that there�s an additional $30k in the Carlsson mods.

All in all, I can see the Carlsson brand going places. But not where they think they should go. I reckon they�re more likely to sell $30k�s worth of mods to young kids driving $15k Mercs than rich middle-aged white guys shelling out $50 - $60k for a box-fresh, fully-waranteed Mercedes-Benz. Will today�s Japanese import modifiers �graduate� to Mercedes and buy Carlsson? Perhaps. Meanwhile, the Germans should invest more heavily in their US operation. The brand needs a proper showroom, website, US catalogue and three or four official demo models. Carlsson�s got some great products, but they�ve got to push them a lot harder if they want to succeed.