What is it?
2008 Mercedes-Benz CL63 AMG
What's special about it?
We've been a little hesitant to heap praise on some of AMG's recent products. It has less to do with their performance and more to do with their looks. AMGs used to be sleepers, but recent models have added air intakes, flashier wheels and numerous exterior badges. We were starting to wonder if it was all too much.
When the 2008 Mercedes-Benz CL63 AMG drove onto the Paris stage, there wasn't any doubt — it looked nearly perfect. This car wears AMG's new look as if it were designed that way from Day One — and to some degree, it was. Unlike some earlier AMG vehicles that were modified well after the standard versions were already on sale, the AMG team led by Chairman Volker Mornhinweg had their hand in the development of this CL right from the start. "Our customers have told us that they want the cars to be even more unique. Nothing too drastic, but enough so that knowledgeable enthusiasts will recognize it is an AMG," Volker told us after the introduction.
Like most recent AMG models, the CL63 gets Mercedes' new 6.2-liter, normally aspirated V8. Tuned to produce 525 horsepower and 465 pound-feet of torque in this application, the power runs to the rear wheels through Mercedes' own seven-speed automatic transmission. Mercedes claims a 0-60 time of 4.6 seconds.
A set of striking 20-inch double-spoke wheels are wrapped in Bridgestone Potenza tires that look barely big enough to fit around the rims. The reprogrammed version of Mercedes' latest Active Body Control system puts the big wheels and tires to good use, as it's able to virtually eliminate body roll through constant adjustment of the dampers. High-performance brakes utilize a unique sliding caliper design in front and composite rotors at each corner for optimum heat resistance.
Another area of importance stressed by Mornhinweg is the CL63's interior. "Customers in this price range want more than just performance; they want even more luxury as well." All CL63s get AMG sport seats covered in unique leather and aluminum shift paddles that rest behind the thicker sport steering wheel. A unique analog clock design and brushed aluminum door sills are also part of the package.
What's Edmunds' take?
Aimed directly at cars like the Bentley Continental GT and Aston Martin DB9, the CL63 promises to be just as fast and equally as agile when it hits U.S. showrooms in April. Its styling is still tame in comparison, however, so it's not likely to become a Hollywood favorite like its British counterparts. — Ed Hellwig
2008 Mercedes-Benz CL63 AMG
What's special about it?
We've been a little hesitant to heap praise on some of AMG's recent products. It has less to do with their performance and more to do with their looks. AMGs used to be sleepers, but recent models have added air intakes, flashier wheels and numerous exterior badges. We were starting to wonder if it was all too much.
When the 2008 Mercedes-Benz CL63 AMG drove onto the Paris stage, there wasn't any doubt — it looked nearly perfect. This car wears AMG's new look as if it were designed that way from Day One — and to some degree, it was. Unlike some earlier AMG vehicles that were modified well after the standard versions were already on sale, the AMG team led by Chairman Volker Mornhinweg had their hand in the development of this CL right from the start. "Our customers have told us that they want the cars to be even more unique. Nothing too drastic, but enough so that knowledgeable enthusiasts will recognize it is an AMG," Volker told us after the introduction.
Like most recent AMG models, the CL63 gets Mercedes' new 6.2-liter, normally aspirated V8. Tuned to produce 525 horsepower and 465 pound-feet of torque in this application, the power runs to the rear wheels through Mercedes' own seven-speed automatic transmission. Mercedes claims a 0-60 time of 4.6 seconds.
A set of striking 20-inch double-spoke wheels are wrapped in Bridgestone Potenza tires that look barely big enough to fit around the rims. The reprogrammed version of Mercedes' latest Active Body Control system puts the big wheels and tires to good use, as it's able to virtually eliminate body roll through constant adjustment of the dampers. High-performance brakes utilize a unique sliding caliper design in front and composite rotors at each corner for optimum heat resistance.
Another area of importance stressed by Mornhinweg is the CL63's interior. "Customers in this price range want more than just performance; they want even more luxury as well." All CL63s get AMG sport seats covered in unique leather and aluminum shift paddles that rest behind the thicker sport steering wheel. A unique analog clock design and brushed aluminum door sills are also part of the package.
What's Edmunds' take?
Aimed directly at cars like the Bentley Continental GT and Aston Martin DB9, the CL63 promises to be just as fast and equally as agile when it hits U.S. showrooms in April. Its styling is still tame in comparison, however, so it's not likely to become a Hollywood favorite like its British counterparts. — Ed Hellwig
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