Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class CLS63 2011 Review

The squirrel didn't know what nearly hit it. The roadkill candidate can thank the massive ceramic brakes and the latest ABS technology fitted to Benz's newest blaster for a last-second reprieve from a death sentence. A four-legged lockup and the massive ceramic brakes on the Mercedes-Benz CLS63 meant it came, literally, within a whisker of oblivion instead of being the local scavengers' next meal. The squirrel fled back to the safety of the scrub; the four-door coupe rolled on unruffled.

It says a lot about the dynamics of the car that doesn't so much as twitch, despite the fact the brakes hauled 30km/h off the speedo and the vehicle was being tipped into a corner. AMG head Ola Kaellenius repeatedly talks about the "longitudinal and lateral stability" of the latest product from the Mercedes-Benz performance arm during its global launch in San Diego and we're not about to argue with him.

But there is a lot more to the CLS 63 than its stability and brakes. It's the newest upgrade of a Benz product and follows the introduction of the regular CLS, a smoother car all-round despite its confronting looks, than the original four-door coupe.

VALUE

Some people will see the CLS63 as a cheap and practical alternative to the two-seat SLS Gullwing; while for others it will be hard to justify the $280,000 or so (Mercedes Australia can't confirm pricing until closer to the car's arrival in the third quarter this year) when they can put a pair of C63 AMGs in the garage for similar money. Ante up, though, and you'll enjoy best interior materials and gadgets and the latest in Mercedes' hi-tech arsenal of electronic driver aids, matched to a stupendously quick engine and racecar-capable chassis. It all comes down to disposable income, I guess.

TECHNOLOGY

The CLS is a mobile electronics and engineering showcase. Under the skin is a twin-turbo 5.5-litre V8, which should make this a CLS55 AMG, but someone obviously decided to stick with the existing 63 designation. Whatever the badge, it has more power than the outgoing unit, but improves fuel consumption by 32 per cent to 9.9 litres for 100km.

The MCT (Multi-Clutch Technology) seven-speed transmission that harnesses the 386kW and 700Nm is a work of art. The torque converter has been replaced by a compact wet clutch for takeoff and it uses a double declutching process to change gears on the move. The accompanying software has four modes ranging from stop/start engine shutdown at the lights in the Controlled Efficiency mode, to "race start" launches when the wick is turned up.

That power is harnessed by a three-mode adaptive suspension system that does a great job of keeping the car flat in corners, off the line and under brakes, along with a staggering array of electronic safety systems from sensors that monitor driver fatigue to brakes that "pre-arm" themselves to cut vital time off emergency stops.

STYLING

Mercedes pioneered the four-door coupe look with the original CLS. The latest version is more organic, with a shrink-wrapped rear end that emphasises the car's predatory lean-ness and the roof curvature.

In the hands of AMG's design team an SLS-style front grille replaces the regular unit, the front guards have been artfully pumped to cope with the 24mm wider track and there's a rear diffuser insert and boot lid lip spoiler. Opt for the performance pack and the spoiler comes in carbon fibre.

They're subtle touches that still make it stand out from the CLS pack. And then there's the "V8 Biturbo" badges that hint at the performance lurking under the sheet metal and alloy panels.

SAFETY

There are enough cameras and radars to spot a stealth aircraft, but in the case of this car they're aimed at other vehicles and lane markings.

In all, 12 driver aids are built into the luxury limo, with the active blind spot system and lane keeping assist now linked to the stability control, which engages the brakes on the opposite side of the vehicle to the detected threat to keep the car, and its occupants, out of harm's way.

The LED headlights are a first, too, and AMG says the 71 lamps project as well as bi-xenon models  but last five times longer and emit a light that is closer to daylight than xenons to reduce eye strain.

DRIVING

A road launch was never going to do AMG's take on the CLS justice. The test loops ran from freeway commutes to tight turns and a series of fast, flowing curves through the Cleveland State Forest.

With the seats, dash and doors bound in enough leather to send a PETA-proponent into a frenzy, it's a relaxing and refined place to travel to the theatre or head interstate. The Harman Kardon stereo system is superb and the aircon is virtually instant, front or rear. All four seats have electronic adjustment, so finding a comfortable seating position is just a flick of a switch away.

And then you give the accelerator a bit of a tickle and hang on as you're pressed back into those comfortable seats. It's all a bit disturbing as the spectacle in the front windscreen rapidly moves to the rear-vision mirror and the speedo arcs up faster than an ignored B-grade starlet, but there's no wind or road noise and only a deep, muted snarl from the exhaust.

It's only when the road's straight enough for a full-throttle go that the V8 really makes itself heard and by then it's being felt enough that not even a US highway will cope with more than a few seconds of pedal-to-the-floor play. Try the same thing in a corner and the back end will marginally step out of line before the traction control and common sense intervene. It's then that you appreciate the dynamic seating as the side bolsters automatically compensate for G-forces during cornering.

The electromechanical power steering is weighted to ensure you know exactly where the 19-inch hoops are pointed without needing any effort to adjust line.

VERDICT

If you can afford to consider the CLS63 AMG, you won't be disappointed from a performance or practicality viewpoint.

RATING

8.5/10

MERCEDES-BENZ CLS63 AMG

Price: $280,000 (estimate)
Engine:  5.5-litre twin turbo V8
Power: 386kW at revs
Torque: 700Nm from revs
Transmission: Seven-speed multi-clutch automatic, rear-wheel drive
Fuel use: 9.9 litres/100km (US cycle, claimed, combined)
CO2 emissions: 231g/km
Brakes: Ventilated composite discs
Weight: 1795kg
Performance: 0-100km/h 4.4 seconds