2008 Mercedes-Benz CLK63 Black Series
Published Apr 5, 2007
0 Ratings
What is it?
2008 Mercedes-Benz CLK63 Black Series
What's special about it?
According to Mercedes-Benz, the CLK63 AMG Black Series is a close relative of the official Formula 1 safety car. For those who don't get up at 4 a.m. on Sunday mornings to watch the parade known as Formula 1, the safety car is the European version of what we know as a pace car. Does this make the CLK Black Series the German equivalent of the sometimes collectible and often ugly pace car editions of our favorite Camaros and Corvettes? AMG would beg to differ.
Not only is the CLK Black Series void of any orange, yellow or purple paint, it's fitted with several substantial hardware upgrades. Most noticeable are the carbon-fiber fender flares that make room for 19-inch forged aluminum wheels and 265/30R19 Pirelli P Zero Corsa tires in the front and 285/30R19s in back. Composite brake discs reside behind those wheels and they're similarly massive, measuring 14.2 inches in front and 13.0 inches in back.
There are no big changes to the AMG-built V8, although a sport exhaust system helps it to produce 500 horsepower versus the 475 horses found in the standard CLK63 AMG. A limited-slip differential delivers an added measure of traction, which helps the CLK Black Series get to 60 mph in 4.1 seconds, Mercedes-Benz tells us. Its top speed is an electronically restricted 186 mph.
Given the ordinary CLK's largely uninspiring bodywork, the Black Series cosmetic upgrades are a welcome addition. Up front, the airdam gets bigger air inlets and an extra set of cutouts to feed air to a secondary transmission cooler. In back, a carbon-fiber air diffuser finishes off the otherwise untouched body shell.
Unlike previous race-inspired CLKs, the Black Series car will be sold in the U.S. starting this summer. Expect the volume to be small and the price huge.
What's Edmunds' take?
We've never liked the CLK's bland design much, but throw on some wheel flares and a little black trim and the midsize coupe doesn't look half bad. — Ed Hellwig, Senior Editor
2008 Mercedes-Benz CLK63 Black Series
What's special about it?
According to Mercedes-Benz, the CLK63 AMG Black Series is a close relative of the official Formula 1 safety car. For those who don't get up at 4 a.m. on Sunday mornings to watch the parade known as Formula 1, the safety car is the European version of what we know as a pace car. Does this make the CLK Black Series the German equivalent of the sometimes collectible and often ugly pace car editions of our favorite Camaros and Corvettes? AMG would beg to differ.
Not only is the CLK Black Series void of any orange, yellow or purple paint, it's fitted with several substantial hardware upgrades. Most noticeable are the carbon-fiber fender flares that make room for 19-inch forged aluminum wheels and 265/30R19 Pirelli P Zero Corsa tires in the front and 285/30R19s in back. Composite brake discs reside behind those wheels and they're similarly massive, measuring 14.2 inches in front and 13.0 inches in back.
There are no big changes to the AMG-built V8, although a sport exhaust system helps it to produce 500 horsepower versus the 475 horses found in the standard CLK63 AMG. A limited-slip differential delivers an added measure of traction, which helps the CLK Black Series get to 60 mph in 4.1 seconds, Mercedes-Benz tells us. Its top speed is an electronically restricted 186 mph.
Given the ordinary CLK's largely uninspiring bodywork, the Black Series cosmetic upgrades are a welcome addition. Up front, the airdam gets bigger air inlets and an extra set of cutouts to feed air to a secondary transmission cooler. In back, a carbon-fiber air diffuser finishes off the otherwise untouched body shell.
Unlike previous race-inspired CLKs, the Black Series car will be sold in the U.S. starting this summer. Expect the volume to be small and the price huge.
What's Edmunds' take?
We've never liked the CLK's bland design much, but throw on some wheel flares and a little black trim and the midsize coupe doesn't look half bad. — Ed Hellwig, Senior Editor