First look: Benz CL63 Coupe surfaces with turbo V8

MERCEDES-BENZ has revealed the first official images of its hairy-chested CL63 AMG Coupe after pictures were leaked more than a week ago.

Due on sale in Australia along with the rest of the revised CL two-door range late this year, the CL63 comes with the same cosmetic upgrades revealed on garden-variety versions of the top-shelf coupe three weeks ago, including larger new headlights, re-profiled bumpers, a revised grille and a more heavily contoured bonnet.

As expected, however, it is under the bonnet where most of the CL63’s changes lurk.

The CL63 brings the first application of AMG’s new twin-turbocharged 5.5-litre direct-injection petrol V8, which has been confirmed to deliver 400kW at 5500rpm and no less than 800Nm of torque from just 2000rpm in standard form.

A higher-boost (1.3 bar versus a still-big 1.0 bar for the standard AMG engine) version of the engine will be available in Europe as part of an AMG Performance package, increasing to 420kW and a some 900Nm (at 2250rpm) – up from 386kW and 630Nm from the outgoing CL63 AMG’s 6.2-litre naturally aspirated V8.

Both versions of the new 5.461-litre AMG V8, which features oversquare 98.0 x 90.5mm cylinder dimensions, will come with fuel-saving measures such as an idle-stop system and an improved brake energy regeneration function that decouples the alternator under acceleration.

They will also be mated as standard to a seven-speed MCT Speedshift multi-clutch automatic transmission with wet start-up clutch, as seen in the SL63 and E63.

Fresh official data shows the upgraded CL63 AMG is claimed to sprint to 100km/h in 4.5 seconds (4.4 seconds in performance pack guise) and to an electronically limited top speed of 250km/h – increasing to a derestricted 300km/h in full-house form.

At the same time, the 204kg twin-turbo engine is claimed to return average CO2 emissions of 244g/km and fuel consumption of just 10.5L/100km – an improvement of 4.0L/100km or 38 per cent over the current CL63, which at $411,500 costs precisely $99,000 less than the current CL range-topper, the CL65 AMG.

As we’ve reported, while the 2011 CL500 employs a twin-turbo 4.7-litre V8 to replace the outgoing model’s naturally aspirated 5.5-litre V8, the upgraded CL65 AMG will receive similar visual updates to the CL63 AMG and employs an improved 463kW version of the 450kW/1000Nm 6.0-litre twin-turbo V12, propelling the flagship 2170kg coupe to 100km/h in the same 4.4 seconds as the CL63.

The revised CL65's fuel consumption drops by 0.2L/100km to a still-thirsty14.3L/100km, while CO2 emissions fall by 3.5 per cent to 334g/km.

The CL65 AMG hits European dealerships alongside the rest of the 2011 CL line-up in October.

Mercedes says the CL63’s new downsized forced-induction ‘M157’ V8 represents the first chapter in its “AMG Performance 2015” drive strategy.

Mercedes-AMG chief Ola Källenius said the CL63 AMG marked a new era.

“For the first time we have combined spray-guided direct petrol injection with bi-turbocharging and the stop/start system,” he said.

“Together with the AMG Speedshift MCT seven-speed sports transmission, we have improved fuel consumption and reduced emissions significantly – while at the same time increasing output and torque.”

Visually, the CL63 is differentiated from lesser CLs by ‘V8 Biturbo’ lettering on the front quarter panels, triple-spoke titanium-grey 19-inch alloy wheels with 255/40 front and 275/40 rear tyres and beefier AMG bumpers at both ends.

New interior features include an AMG sports steering wheel with silver aluminium shift paddles and perforated Nappa leather hand grips, an ‘AMG V8 Biturbo’ start-up screen in the AMG instrument cluster and, as an option, a new ‘Splitview’ function for the model’s COMAND multimedia system.

New standard equipment for the CL63 includes a ‘Direct-Steer’ system that is said to deliver more direct response during cornering, plus ‘Torque Vectoring Brake’, an additional electronic stability control function that momentarily brakes the inside wheel during cornering to improve handling response and active safety.

Fresh CL63 options include Active Lane Keeping Assist and Active Blind-Spot Assist, while a range of new ‘designo’ options from the AMF Performance Studio with include the AMG Performance package, which also comprises a genuine carbon-fibre engine cover, 20-inch AMG double-spoke forged wheels in titanium-grey or black, an AMG Exterior Carbon package, AMG performance steering wheel in leather/Alcantara, AMG carbon-fibre trim elements and a range of exclusive leather and exterior paint finishes.

Globally, Mercedes says it has sold more than 6000 examples of the latest CL since it was launched in 2007. In Australia, CL sales are down by 37.5 per cent with just 10 sold so far this year.

The fresh CL range will join next month’s all-new SLS AMG ‘Gullwing’ coupe, which will top the Mercedes-Benz range at $464,000, while the next-generation 217-series CL will be known as the S-class Coupe when it is launched in 2013.