Mercedes-Benz CLK 63 AMG


With the Mercedes-Benz CLK 63 AMG the German firm continues its move to more power in more and more models. There was a 5.5 liter engine in this compact coupe/convertible based on the C class platform - but the new engine takes the car into a different class; it becomes a true supercar.

This new 6.2 liter V-8 develops 481 bhp at 6,800 rpm, with maximum torque of 465 lb ft (630 Nm) at 5,000 rpm. That’s not all: this new engine packs a mean punch low down, chucking out 368 lb ft (500 Nm) of torque at 2,000 rpm.

As the CLK is a compact supercar coupe, the result is hot shoe acceleration with a 0-60 mph time of about 4.5 seconds from an engine that revs to around 7,000 rpm!

High-revving, big displacement V-8 engine

Mercedes-Benz and AMG have evidently decided that people prefer high-revving naturally aspirated engines to superchargers what BMW has been saying for years, although it is now adopting turbochargers so the new engine develops the same amount of power as AMG’s supercharged 5.5 liter V8. True, the supercharged engine produces more torque.

Although it is large, the engine is fairly light owing to the use of hard-coated cylinders instead of iron liners, and the block and cylinder heads are both aluminum.

The new engine may not peak in the 8,000 rpm range, but is still a pretty peaky job, the sort of unit you might expect to find in a super-sports car or all-out supercar rather than a quiet looking coupe or convertible. But this is the sort of thing Mercedes-Benz and AMG are making into a habit.

The engine, of course, is the marque’s latest V-8, which develops 510 bhp in the ML off-roader. A bit weird that surely the coupe should have more power? Maybe not. The CLK is quite a lot lighter, and 480 bhp is quite a lot of power for a compact.

To transmit the power, and give the driver the ideal speed range at all times, the engine is mated to the Speedshift 7G-Tronic seven-speed automatic box. Of course, it is controlled by paddles at the steering wheel, and there are three modes: Comfort, Sport and Manual.

Mercedes-Benz CLK 63 AMG upgraded suspension

Despite the extra power, the suspension is no more than a modified and stiffened version of that on the standard cars, MacPherson struts at the front and a multi-link rear end with coil springs, gas-filled dampers and anti-roll bars. These are designed to limit dive under braking and squat under acceleration, which are likely to be needed. But you don't get the advanced systems of the SL two-seaters.

There are 18-inch wheels as on the CLS 55 but the engineers and marketers obviously decided that this car would need good brakes, so you get composite discs at the front, and iron discs at the rear.

Needless to say, there are the usual styling embellishments so you know you have a hot car, but these are confined to front and rear aprons and side skirts.

Don’t expect the CLK 63 to handle like a lightweight supercar, as despite the small body it is tall and pretty heavy this is inevitable once you start putting such a big engine and gearbox in what is really a standard body shell.

The coupe weighs in at 3,865 lb (1,755 kg) and the convertible at 4,130 lb (1,875 kg). Yes, that’s heavy but it is quite a bit lighter than the SL65 AMG, and you get two extra seats. As usual, it’s horses for courses – just depends what you want to do with this whether this is the supercar for you.

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