Mercedes-Benz's in-house tuning department, AMG, is turning 40 years old this year, a milestone that it is wasting no time in marking. Consider it a perfect opportunity to round out the AMG product range with a new car - the CL 65 AMG.
With a 612 horsepower, biturbo 6.0-liter V12 engine, the supercoupe makes the 0-62 mph sprint in just 4.4 seconds and is at 124 mph from a standstill in 13.3 seconds. Unfortunately top speed is limited at 155 mph, a restriction that aftermarket tuners are undoubtedly already working on removing. All that power is turned into forward motion via AMG's SPEEDSHIFT five-speed automatic, with paddle shifters of course. Three user selectable settings - Sport, Comfort, and Manual - allow for a change in transmission, throttle response, and suspension characteristics to adjust for different styles of driving.
AMG is partularly proud of the brake system it has installed in the CL 65 AMG. Utilizing innovative twin sliding calipers in the front, the system has the heat dissapation advantages of a floating system, while combining the stopping power of a large fixed-caliper setup. AMG claims impressive stopping distances, resistance to fade, and pedal feel.
Aerodynamically efficient bodywork easily distinguishes the CL 65 cosmetically, with a redesigned front spoiler, AMG radiator grille, side skirts, and rear diffuser giving the car an aggressive look. AMG 20-inch wheels that show off the brake calipers with drilled rotors, twin chrome exhaust tips, a lowered, sport tuned suspension, and "V12 BITURBO" badging on the front fenders complete the look.
Also unique is the CL65's interior, featuring AMG badging, instrument panel, and steering wheel, as well as exclusive leather upholstery, silver shift paddles, RACETIMER digital display for recording lap times, Swiss-made IWC-design clock, wood trim, and brushed aluminum pedals.
But what if you want something really special? Something that can take forty years of AMG history and sum it up in a neat little package? What if you want a car that commemorates the hard work that has brought the tuner to the level it is today? Mercedes thinks a good way of doing it is with a limited edition model. And that's how we get to the CL 65 AMG "40th Anniversary" edition.
Only 40 examples are being built and each will be instantly recognizable by special AMG Alubeam paint, a color that has historically been reserved only for very special show models, not production cars. Extensive carbon fiber trim, the "One Out Of 40" lettering etched across the COMAND controller, and a 40th Anniversary console plaque remind the driver just what is so special about the car.
Pricing and availability should arrive soon, but if you want one of the Anniversary Edition CL 65s, it might be best to start buttering up your local dealership now to assure your place in line. That is, if it isn't too late already.