Mercedes CLK63 AMG Black Series

Mercedes-Benz CLK63 AMG Black Series

This Bad Boy Benz brings racing thrills to the street using the official F1 Safety Car as a template.

It seems anything with the three-pointed star on the hood can be had in an AMG version, which in some respects is good for those who get a kick out of more horsepower or tauter handling. On the other hand, somehow the exclusivity of the AMG brand can be called into question when there's a performance version of Mercedes' people-moving R-Class with the fabled nameplate.

So, in a way it is refreshing to see a car like the CLK63 Black Series, a limited-edition version of Mercedes' handsome midsize coupe kitted out to the extreme with a giant engine, no rear seats and a race-tuned suspension in a road-going package.

The Black Series CLK, which will be produced in a limited 500-unit run, virtually screams exclusive. The coupe's front end announces that this car is all business, with large lower intakes, a carbon-fiber chin spoiler/splitter, flared front fenders and two large air extractors aft of the front wheels. The rocker extensions connect the front and rear wheel arches, while at the rear, there's an integrated carbon-fiber spoiler. The Black Series is hunkered down and looks ready to roll on 19-in. Pirelli P Zero Corsa sport tires that measure 265/30R-19 up front and 285/30R-19 in the rear. The turbine spoke alloy wheels are 9 in. wide in the front and a half-inch wider at the rear.

Beneath the hood is a massaged 6.2-liter normally aspirated V-8, which produces 507 bhp at 6800 rpm and 465 lb.-ft. of torque at 5250 rpm. That output is transferred to the rear wheels via an AMG-tuned SpeedShift 7G-Tronic 7-speed automatic gearbox with sequential shifting. In addition, the rear differential has been shortened 6 percent to provide snappy acceleration throughout all speed ranges. A stubby aluminum shifter in the center console can be toggled back and forth between Standard and Manual. In manual mode, either the shifter or the column-mounted paddles can be used to execute shifts that are 20 percent faster than the standard automatic mode.

The interior of the CLK Black Series is as striking as the exterior. The rear seat has been removed and the ebony leather-clad interior is highlighted by aluminum accents on the dash, vent bezels, pedals, paddle shifters and on the center console, and smaller-diameter, racing-inspired steering wheel with a squared-off bottom. Heavily bolstered sport seats add to the sporty aura. While U.S. versions retain leather door inserts and a two-piece seat with integrated side airbags, European versions have one-piece carbon-fiber shell sport seats with no airbags and carbon-fiber door accents.

I had the opportunity to sample the European version on the Streets of Willow at Willow Springs Raceway in Southern California, a twisty bit of tarmac in the high desert. The AMG V-8 comes to life with an authoritative roar and settles into a nice thrum at idle. Snicking the shifter into gear, the Black Series leaps forward with rapid-fire yet almost seamless shifts that are programmed to keep the engine on a boil in the fat part of the torque curve. The huge composite brakes squeak and squeal a bit until they get up to temperature. The CLK63 is blindingly quick in a straight line, and yet the massive brakes are more than up to the task of keeping the car in check when rapidly approaching a corner.

And at that first corner comes the realization that this in no ordinary CLK — the steering is remarkably light, yet accurate and above all quick. Snap the wheel in any direction and the response is instantaneous. The Pirellis have tremendous grip and at the same time provide razor-sharp turn-in. Even with the stability control engaged, there is enough slip built in the system to allow you to drift the rear end out a bit before the heavy hand of throttle intervention is felt. The car is tight, predictable and plenty of fun to point and squirt from corner to corner.

For all its track prowess, the CLK63 Black Series is not a handful in everyday driving. Sure, the suspension is stiff, but there is enough compliance to soak up most road irregularities encountered in daily driving and plenty of power to shoot freeway gaps and execute two-lane passing with aplomb. And, the Black Series remains a head-turner, especially in the tonier parts of Los Angeles. Don't plan on spending the $135,000 on this car if you don't want your image captured on phone cams all over town.

By Matt DeLorenzo June 2007

from http://www.roadandtrack.com/