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Mercedes-Benz models, news & reviews
5
Handling
Performance
Usability
4
Feelgood factor
Readers' rating
3
By Christopher Hubbard
First Drives
18 June 2008 09:28
This is the top 'banana' – the Mercedes-Benz CLS63 AMG with 507bhp and 465lb ft of torque. Mildly revised along with the rest of the CLS range, the CLS63 gets a new set of so-called silencers, and the same downshift-blipping auto-box as the AMG C-class. Is this enough to take the four-door uber-coupe from good to truly great?
You just don’t turn down the key to an AMG Mercedes. I barely bothered to take in the new twin-louvre front grille, LED indicators and taillights, and inch-bigger titanium-finish 19s (actually, to be honest, I did notice those), before ripping the door open and bolting from the car park into the Austrian countryside.
And thank goodness we did. Very quickly we found ourselves heading up a steep, switchbacked hillside, all hairpin bends and loose, greasy surfaces, still damp at midday due to the overhanging trees. Narrow but completely lacking in any obstructive traffic. It was one of those moments when you just put your right foot all the way to the floor.
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Mercedes CLS63 AMG (2008): CAR review
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PT100 says
RE: Mercedes CLS63 AMG (2008): CAR review
AMG seems to becoming too attached or controlled by Mecedes. Its like they are producing the S or Sport version of the model. For really special Mecedes based cars, one must now go to Brabus.
18 June 2008 20:51
DavRox says
Oh dear. Yet another unintelligent, massively powerfull Mercedes for 14 year olds to admire. Yawn....
18 June 2008 20:18
AReader says
Never mind! Whatever was afflicting my pc has been solved by a swift reboot up.
18 June 2008 16:49
Is the CAR website experiencing technical difficulties today? There appears to be a curious lack of posts today - and my last three (CLS, Hybrid Jag, and Subarhubarb) have disappeared!
18 June 2008 16:11
Brand0 says
If I were to part with over £80k (after options) on this car, I'd be gutted to pull up to traffic lights next to the C63 AMG - another Mercedes 4-door saloon, knowing it has the same mechanicals, is marginally faster and cost £25k less. I'd want to wind the window down to shout, "But mine's prettier!" hopefully before the driver of the C-Class got there first with a "You mug!" I'd wan to bite my own fist if a CLS 230CDI (with big wheels) also pulled up. At half the price, it's driver would be killing himself laughing! I've never understood this 'drop same engine into every bay that can accomodate it' mentality of Mercedes. I feel that if you are paying that kind of money you want to have paid for something a bit extra. I feel it tarnishes the halo. For a high volume brand to do such a thing makes no sense to me. Compare this with M Power offerings and this scenario just has no chance of occuring - the M3 will just have to accept it's a second class citizen if next to an M5, or M6 depending on whether you want coupe of saloon. This is why AMG will always lack the kudos of the M badged cars and why Mercedes must concentrate on power to compensate.
18 June 2008 16:00
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