Not long after the introduction of the 2007 Mercedes-Benz CL550 and CL600 coupes last week, our spy photographers snagged the first shots of what looks like an AMG-tuned prototype of Mercedes' new flagship coupe.
There certainly aren't any badges on the trunk lid to spell it out for us, but there are plenty of details which point to AMG involvement. For starters, there's obvious stuff like a tough-looking set of quad tailpipes in back. You can also see that the side sills have a more aggressive shape to them while the wheel design is slightly different from either the standard CL500 or CL600.
Compare the front end of this prototype to the standard CL face and it's easy to pick out the reshaped front air dam. It looks as though this CL's fascia may incorporate brake ducts at each corner as well as a larger central air intake.
The biggest question at this point is which engine Mercedes will feature under the hood. Most AMGs are getting the new 6.3-liter V8 as of late, but the new 2007 S65 AMG is using the older twin-turbo V12.
Given the CL's status as Mercedes' flagship coupe we wouldn't be surprised to see this car show up next year as the 2008 CL65 AMG. With 604 horsepower, the V12-powered CL65 would go a long way toward taking a little shine off of BMW's new M6. And even if AMG sticks with its normally aspirated V8, the CL63 would still boast at least 500 hp and roughly 465 pound-feet of torque.
Look for an official debut of either the CL65 or CL63 at the Paris auto show in September.
There certainly aren't any badges on the trunk lid to spell it out for us, but there are plenty of details which point to AMG involvement. For starters, there's obvious stuff like a tough-looking set of quad tailpipes in back. You can also see that the side sills have a more aggressive shape to them while the wheel design is slightly different from either the standard CL500 or CL600.
Compare the front end of this prototype to the standard CL face and it's easy to pick out the reshaped front air dam. It looks as though this CL's fascia may incorporate brake ducts at each corner as well as a larger central air intake.
The biggest question at this point is which engine Mercedes will feature under the hood. Most AMGs are getting the new 6.3-liter V8 as of late, but the new 2007 S65 AMG is using the older twin-turbo V12.
Given the CL's status as Mercedes' flagship coupe we wouldn't be surprised to see this car show up next year as the 2008 CL65 AMG. With 604 horsepower, the V12-powered CL65 would go a long way toward taking a little shine off of BMW's new M6. And even if AMG sticks with its normally aspirated V8, the CL63 would still boast at least 500 hp and roughly 465 pound-feet of torque.
Look for an official debut of either the CL65 or CL63 at the Paris auto show in September.
Add A Comment »