2012 Mercedes-Benz CLS63 AMG
Have you ever fantasized what it would be like to drive one of those tricked-out sedans you see charging around the Norisring in the German Touring Car Series? Well, you don’t need to fantasize any longer. The AMG performance arm of Mercedes-Benz has produced what amounts to a road-going version and, best of all, you can take three or four friends along for the ride…in comfort.
The new CLS63 AMG is the high-performance variant of M-B’s second generation of CLS550 sedan. But, unlike its sibling, the AMG comes with a new 5.5-liter, intercooled, twin-turbocharged V8 that can bolt out as much as 550-hp and 590-lb-ft of torque (with the optional AMG performance package) and post a 0-60 mph time of 4.4 seconds.
From the outside the AMG has a slightly meaner look with its more muscular wheel flares and more purposeful front air dam. Settling down and into the firmly supported leather driver’s seat—and I can’t explain it—it feels like a racecar! The steering wheel, the sitting position, the suede finish on the pillars and roof, all conspire to give the AMG a “racy” feel—albeit a luxurious racy feel. The front seats have an almost ridiculous amount of controls and adjustments, including active side bolsters that, depending on how sensitive you set them, will actually move in and counteract your body movement in a turn. Had a hard day at the office? While the bolsters are moving around to counteract your “spirited” driving style, the built-in heaters and back massager can be simultaneously working the stress and kinks out of your back!
Of course, the ultimate test is what the car is like on the road. With nearly 600 lbs-ft of torque available at just 1500–2000 rpm, the AMG has mind-bending acceleration for a 4-door sedan. The 7-speed, multi-clutch, automatic transmission has four preset driving modes (comfort, sport, sport-plus and manual) and, believe it or not, even has a race-start launch mode! In sport-plus mode, with the driver-adjustable suspension set to its firmest, the AMG really and truly feels and responds like a high-performance sports car. And if you really want to scare yourself silly, turn off the traction control and try burying your foot on the gas, while exiting a turn.
As far as the handling goes, the turn-in from the electro-mechanical steering is crisp and the car is dead neutral as it flatly turns into corners with precision. This is an area that the older models came in for criticism on, but the AMG engineers have come up with marked improvement in the car’s handling. Bury your right foot at the exit of the turn and the AMG howls as it proceeds to squeeze the fluid from your eyeballs. With this much-increased performance, the brakes have been upgraded as well, with 6-piston ventilated and cross-drilled discs at the front and
4-piston calipers at the rear. The resulting package is a spacious and luxurious sedan that can transform with the touch of a button to a honest-to-goodness high-performance sports car. Perhaps even more remarkably, while achieving all this improvement, Mercedes-Benz has been able to increase the CLS63’s fuel economy to 19 mpg (no more gas guzzler tax) and to lower its base price to $94,900. Added to this already appealing package, anyone who purchases or leases a new Mercedes-AMG will also be given a complimentary one-day AMG Driving Academy program at either Lime Rock, Laguna Seca or Road Atlanta. What better way to test out your new launch control?!
By Casey Annis
