Let’s just cut straight to the chase. This deceptively demure execu-coupe
weighs more than 4800 pounds and can sprint to 60 mph in four seconds. That
would be four seconds flat.
The CL63 AMG enters triple-digit speeds in 8.8 seconds, trips the
quarter-mile lights in 12.3 at 121 mph, attains 150 mph in less than 20, and
maxes out at 190 mph, whereupon its governor says “Das ist genug.”
That’s one governor we’re inclined to agree with, particularly on U.S.
highways. You may be able to find places where you deem 190 mph to be reasonable
and prudent, particularly in this car, but you’re not likely to find anyone
wearing a badge who’ll agree with you.
Primal Power
The source of the CL63’s green-light zeal is AMG’s new twin-turbo, 32-valve
direct-injection aluminum V-8. It replaces the naturally aspirated 6.2-liter V-8
last seen in the 2010 model, which made 518 hp and 465 lb-ft of torque. The
turbo engine leaves the AMG works in Affalterbach, Germany, with a horsepower
rating no lower than 536 (at 5500 rpm), and torque of 590 lb-ft, on tap from
2000 to 4500 rpm.
Formidable, but not quite enough to produce acceleration at the threshold of
the supercar gate. That level comes with the $7300 AMG Performance package—our
vehicle was so equipped—which alters engine mapping, increases max boost from
14.2 psi to 15.6, and adds a snappy carbon-fiber engine cover. The carbon fiber
probably doesn’t contribute much to engine output, but the net of the other two
tweaks is 563 hp and 664 lb-ft of torque.
The power comes on with an addictive hydraulic rush, no waiting, and the
seven-speed automatic transmission makes the most of it. Using the paddle
shifters abets savoring this cornucopia of thrust. The shifts are prompt enough,
though not on par with those of dual-clutch ’boxes. But there’s such a surplus
of torque, and the transmission’s responses in pure automatic modes are so
seamless, that simply operating in drive is thoroughly satisfying.
We should note that for really serious torque junkies, with really deep
pockets, there’s yet another CL in the lineup that may have even more appeal.
The CL65 AMG is propelled by a 6.0-liter SOHC 36-valve twin-turbo V-12
developing 621 hp and 738 lb-ft of torque. If that’s not enough, you probably
need therapy.
Mass and Dynamics
For all its face-distorting thrust, the CL’s really amazing attribute is how
adroitly it handles a sinuous stretch of back road. Transient responses belie
the big coupe’s substantial mass, and the word “agile” keeps inserting itself
into the driver’s mind, making it hard to believe he’s herding almost 2.5 tons
of sophisticated machinery.
Cornering attitudes are remarkably flat, information from the speed-sensitive
rack-and-pinion steering system is abundant, and—for all its roll stiffness—the
CL never punishes its occupants, even on the wartiest pavement. Credit the
Mercedes Active Body Control active suspension here, as well as the CL’s
standard torque-vectoring feature. Baked into the stability-control system, this
electronic torque distributor applies selective braking to the inside rear wheel
during hard cornering to enhance turn-in. It’s basically undetectable, but the
results are hard to criticize.
.jpg "2012 Mercedes-Benz CL63 AMG")
VEHICLE TYPE: front-engine, rear-wheel-drive, 4-passenger, 2-door
coupe
PRICE AS TESTED: $174,035 (base price: $152,375)
ENGINE TYPE: twin-turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 32-valve V-8,
aluminum block and heads, direct fuel injection
Displacement: 333 cu in, 5461 cc
Power: 563 hp @ 5500 rpm
Torque: 664 lb-ft @ 2000 rpm
TRANSMISSION: 7-speed automatic with manual shifting mode
DIMENSIONS:
Wheelbase: 116.3 in
Length: 201.0 in
Width: 73.7 in Height: 56.2 in
Curb weight: 4825 lb
C/D TEST RESULTS:
Zero to 60 mph: 4.0 sec
Zero to 100 mph: 8.8 sec
Zero to 130 mph: 14.2 sec
Rolling start, 5–60 mph: 4.7 sec
Top gear, 30–50 mph: 2.9 sec
Top gear, 50–70 mph: 2.9 sec
Standing ¼-mile: 12.3 sec @ 121 mph
Top speed (governor limited): 190 mph
Braking, 70–0 mph: 167 ft
Roadholding, 300-ft-dia skidpad: 0.90 g
FUEL ECONOMY:
EPA city/highway driving: 15/22 mpg
C/D observed: 21 mpg