HAIRDRESSER’S toy or a proper sports car? The Mercedes-Benz SLK hasn’t exactly enjoyed the most positive of reactions since it was introduced here in 1997, but that can never detract from the basic cleverness of the design, nor the stylistic balance of this very versatile, two-seat coupe/convertible. Early four-cylinder versions may have been slightly agricultural and relatively pedestrian in terms of performance, but the 3.2-litre V6 changed all that when it came in 2000. Tested here in Special Edition guise - which adds new sports seats in Nappa leather, exclusive 16-inch alloys and polished alloy exterior touches - the SLK320 is a genuinely fast, genuinely fun to drive sports car that has plenty of reasons for being in a market that includes such cars as the Porsche Boxster and BMW Z4.