Mercedes-Benz CLS63 AMG details

A car as quick as the CLS63 AMG four-door coupe has no right to burn fuel like a six-cylinder vehicle, yet that's exactly what the performance arm of Mercedes-Benz has achieved.

A twin-turbo V8 is matched to a dual-clutch seven-speed transmission to generate 386kW/700Nm and launch the 1795kg car from 0-100km/h in 4.4 seconds, yet fuel consumption is officially rated at 9.9 litres for 100km. That's exactly the same fuel use as a Ford Falcon or Holden Commodore Calais.

The transmission is a work of art with a launch control function that AMG chief executive Ola Kallenius says can't be beat. "Left foot on the clutch, right foot to the floor on the throttle and I guarantee you will win at the red light," he says.

The MCT transmission also runs an eco stop/start feature in the "controlled efficiency" mode that has helped AMG cut fuel use by 32 per cent over the previous model. There's also a sports, sport s plus and manual driving modes.

Kaellenius is proud of his biturbo engine, but says his team worked hard to tune the note from the turbo V8 to meet AMG owners' expectations. "Many people, and I include myself in that, are naturally aspirated fans, A lot of work as gone into that (the exhaust note) ... at the end of the day the human ear decides," he says.

Then there's the styling. The regular Mercedes-Benz four-door coupe is an impressive-looking vehicle but the AMG makeover adds a front grille styled to mirror the SLS Gullwing supercar, along with flared guards a rear lip spoiler on the boot and the onimous "V8 Biturbo" badging.

It turns heads even in the cashed-up suburbs of San Diego, where the car had its global launch last night. On the road a tickle of the throttle pushes you back in the seat and the speedo up to the legal limit. It's as simple as that.

Once there, there is so little sensation of speed that the cruise control is a must to protect your licence, even in the US whe re the police aren't as pedantic about staying within a few kilometres of the signed speeds. The safety suite uses the latest Mercedes systems, from active blind spot assistance, with a triangular light in the exterior mirrors warning of nearby vehicles, to active lane keeping, which will detect if the car crosses a solid line and brake the opposite wheel to keep the car in its lane.

A performance package lifts power by 24kW and 100Nm and ceramic brakes and "ride control" suspension are also on the options list. The car will land in Australia in the third quarter of this year and Mercedes-Benz Australia spokesman Jerry Stamoulis says pricing will be close to the existing model, which starts around $280,000.

Mercedes-Benz CLS63 AMG

PRICE: from $280,000
ENGINE: 5.5-litre twin-torbo V8
POWER: 386kW at 5250 revs
TORQUE: 700Nm from 1750-5000 revs
TRANSMISSION: Seven-speed automatic, rear-wheel drive
FUEL USE: 9.9 litres/100km CO2
EMISSIONS: 231g/km