Famed Mercedes tuner Carlsson’s solution to finding speed on the hillclimb? Take an SLK55 AMG, ditch the regular lump, and replace it with a Judd V8. As seen in one of the more interesting machines to ever grace the hillclimb, the Judd V8 is far from a tuned engine – it’s a race-bred, lightweight powerplant that revs ferociously and produces a monstrous 610 horsepower and a manageable 317 lb-ft of torque. With those specific engine specifications and a meager 265-pound weight, it makes for a tractable, pointy, hillclimber.

Campaigned by Reto Meisel, the SLK340 replaces his zany 190E hillclimber, and with a Hewland TMT transaxle six-speed, a mere 1,720-pound curb weight and sizable contact patches from the 10X18 inch and 13X18 inch front and rear tires, respectively, the potential is even higher.

A short wheelbase and excellent weight distribution make the SLK340 an effective tool in low-speed hairpins and quick sweepers alike.

The development of the car used two body-in-white shells, one of which is used to develop the carbon body panels like the one-piece removable front end, the rear wing, rear quarter panels and the underbody. So much of the car is new that the only original exterior pieces are the rear taillights and the handles. These pieces, in conjunction with the canards and front splitter, should amount to something like 1,500 pounds of downforce at 150 mph.

The final product is remarkably quick and capable. Without the slightest suggestion of wheelspin, the car exits corners effortlessly, and despite the low ride height, the car shows incredible compliance, thanks largely to the KW racing dampers. As ever, the car exudes class and precision – and will undoubtedly become one of the best all-around hillclimb racers ever seen on the mountain pass.