Air Scarf

The new 2005 Mercedes-Benz SLK350 is a completely redone version of its SLK sports car, first introduced in 1998 with the SLK230 Kompressor.

One of its features - a $2,000 extra - is the new "air scarf," which Mercedes says is a world first.

It carries warm air through the seats and headrests to the necks of the driver and passenger when the car's retractable hardtop is down.

There are three levels of warm air intensity, and each seat's air scarf has its own separate controls.

Full disclosure: I bought one of the three 1998 models allotted to Charlottesville Mercedes-Benz.

In fact, I was first on the list.

It was fire-engine red, with whip-stitched red on black leather upholstery.

I had to put down a non-refundable $2,000 deposit in 1997 to guarantee I'd get the car.

It cost $40,000.

I kept it for about a year, at which time it became apparent that if I wanted to keep driving it along with my other car, I'd have to go back into the OR and give anesthesia real soon.

So I sold it for $38,000 to a guy from Pennsylvania, who sent a flatbed trailer to my house to pick it up and cart it back up there.

Thus, I was able to stay out of the OR for three more years, until finally the money ran out and I went back in early 2002.

FunFact: You can tell the 1998 model SLK from all the subsequent model years by the fact that it lacks an external AM antenna on the rear fender.

AM reception was so poor with the antenna built into the rear bumper that Mercedes put on an external one starting with the 1999 model year.

It totally destroyed the looks of the car, making it cheesy and ruining the unique lines.

I can't believe all those brainy engineers in Germany couldn't figure out something more elegant and less obtrusive.