Benz takes AMG CLK63 to new extremes

MERCEDES-BENZ Australia/Pacific has secured 50 examples of its ‘Black Series’ CLK63 AMG and, having resolved a compliance issue with government authorities, will introduce the limited-edition two-seat super-coupe in the first quarter of 2008. More than half of these have been sold after dealers began taking orders mid-November.

To retail from $299,000 – around $100,000 more than the ‘regular’ CLK63 AMG – the even-more-ballistic Black version is based on the Formula One safety car and features a 373kW (up 19kW) version of the AMG 6.3-litre V8, which enables it to race from 0-100km/h in a claimed 4.3 seconds (0.3 seconds faster than the standard model). Top speed is a governed 300km/h (up 50km/h). Maximum torque remains at 630Nm.

Other mechanical highlights include a six per cent shorter final drive ratio for the AMG-tweaked 7G-Tronic seven-speed automatic gearbox, a newly developed and fully adjustable sports suspension, modified speed-sensitive power steering, bigger brakes (including 360x36mm composite discs up front), and 19-inch multi-spoke forged wheels with 265/30 front and 285/30 rear Pirelli P Zero Corsa tyres.

Visual treats include striking front air intakes, flared wheelarches, carbon-fibre rear diffuser fins and a carbon-fibre bootlid spoiler. Exclusive interior features include AMG sports bucket seats (wrapped in flame-retardant nylon velour), a 15mm-smaller steering wheel and a carbon-fibre-embedded AMG instrument cluster calibrated to 320km/h.