Mercedes CLS 55 and a Eurocopter

Mick Doohan worked hard to earn his fun. He spent 11 years putting his body on the line in the cut-throat 500cc World Championship motorcycle racing circus. He amassed an incredible five world titles in the sport's premier class despite receiving terrible injuries that left permanent scars.

So it's hard to begrudge him his fun, even when it comes in the form of a $297,990 Mercedes-Benz AMG sports sedan and a helicopter worth $2.9 million. To celebrate that it is almost 10 years since he claimed his final 500cc world title at Phillip Island, he decided to cut loose at the classic grand prix venue in his two favourite toys.

Doohan has been an international ambassador for AMG since 1996 and enjoys the perks of the job. Only 55 examples of the IWC Ingenieur were built and only seven came to Australia. Doohan's AMG role helped make sure he was one of the lucky few.

After manhandling the world's fastest prototype motorbikes, the Mercedes and the Eurocopter are toys for Doohan. Magnificent and expensive toys, but still toys for a man who won 54 grands prix.

The CLS 55 IWC Ingenieur is the result of a collaboration between AMG and Swiss watchmaker IWC Schaffhausen.

As you'd expect from a joint effort between a German car company and a Swiss watchmaker, attention to detail is immaculate.

The car is finished in a dark titanium-grey metallic paint. Every exterior element is colour matched in a matt titanium finish, including the radiator grille, fog-light rings, side-window bezels and doorhandle inserts.

The car sports 19-inch AMG wheels, also in a titanium finish. The treatment also carries over to the inside. The instrument cluster was redesigned to match the limited-edition IWC Ingenieur AMG watch the company produced as part of the deal.

The dashboard gauges are black with silver needles and white lighting and the cluster is ringed with titanium.

The seats are finished in dark nappa leather and have matt titanium AMG badging on the backs to continue the theme.

Doohan liked the look of the CLS so much he had his Eurocopter specially finished in the same colour. With an imposing 350kW of power and a staggering 700Nm of torque, a racetrack is the only place Doohan can explore the car's limits.

The Eurocopter is the AMG's airborne cousin. It is one of the fastest helicopters for sale to the public. With its high-load capacity and high rate of climb, it is an incredibly flexible helicopter and can be used in a wide range of conditions.

It is fitted with the latest hi-tech digital engine control system and multi-function dashboard. The instrumentation means that the pilot can glance at the chopper's critical information on a dual LCD screen.

“The CLS 55 AMG and the Eurocopter AS350 are a perfect match,” Doohan says. “They're at the high-performance end of their respective spectrums and, as you can see, they're a lot of fun."

“They both change direction quickly and accelerate with a fair bit of force. Sure, they're the same colour, but there are more similarities than just their paint finishes.”

Doohan is no stranger to aircraft. Since retiring from racing he has established a successful corporate aviation charter business called Global Jet International.

But that's business and the Mercedes and Eurocopter are all about fun for one of Australia's most successful motorsport stars.

Snapshot

Mercedes-Benz CLS 55 AMG

Price: $297,000

Body: 5-seat sedan

Engine: 5.5L/V8 350kW/700Nm

Eurocopter AS350 B3

Engine: Turbomeca Arriel 2B turbine 623kW

Transmission: main gearbox and one in tail

Performance: range: 650km, rate-of-climb 12.1m/sec, top speed 259km/h (140 knots)