atch back ▁based ▁on ▁the ▁M K 3 ▁V W ▁G olf ▁in ▁the ▁Aut umn ▁power ed ▁by ▁ 1 . 6 , ▁ 1 . 8 ▁and ▁ 2 . 0 ▁pet rol ▁engines ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁the ▁ 1 . 9 ▁tur bo - d ies el . ▁ ▁A ▁new ▁addition ▁to ▁the ▁Mer cedes ▁range ▁was ▁the ▁SL K ▁– ▁a ▁two - se ater ▁sports ▁car ▁with ▁a ▁fol ding ▁convert ible - style ▁steel ▁roof ▁and ▁a ▁super charg ed ▁ 2 . 3 ▁lit re ▁engine ▁capable ▁of ▁ 1 5 0   m ph . ▁It ▁was ▁designed ▁as ▁a ▁direct ▁compet itor ▁to ▁two ▁new ▁rival ▁sports ▁cars ▁that ▁have ▁recently ▁come ▁from ▁Germany ▁– ▁the ▁Por sche ▁Box ster ▁which ▁launched ▁in ▁the ▁same ▁year ▁and ▁the ▁B MW ▁Z 3 , ▁due ▁for ▁a ▁European ▁launch . ▁ ▁Spain ▁SE AT ▁moved ▁into ▁the ▁multi - pur pose ▁vehicle ▁market ▁with ▁the ▁Al h amb ra . ▁It ▁used ▁the ▁same ▁design ▁as ▁the ▁Volks wagen ▁Sh aran ▁and ▁Ford ▁Gal axy , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁the ▁same ▁engines , ▁and ▁was ▁built ▁alongside ▁these ▁cars ▁in ▁Portugal . ▁Sales ▁began ▁in ▁June ▁ 1 9 9 6 . ▁ ▁Japan ▁H onda ▁launched ▁a ▁new ▁version ▁of ▁its ▁P rel ude ▁sport ing ▁cou pe . ▁ ▁The ▁N iss an ▁Primera ▁had ▁its ▁second ▁generation ▁launched , ▁six ▁years ▁after ▁replacing ▁the ▁Blue bird . ▁Like ▁its ▁prede cess