2008 Mercedes-Benz CLK63 Reviews

The exclusivity signified by the `Black' label is used by those outside the auto industry - Johnnie Walker and Penthouse magazine (so I'm told, of course) among them.Mercedes-Benz AMG powerhouse has produced some stunning machines in the past but none as ferocious as the CLK 63 AMG Black Series.It deserves the Black label, for its extra outputs and abilities definitely fall into the black magic category.It's twin brother is the F1 Safety Car and it has the carbon fibre spoilers and trim bits to prove it.Other trick bits include twin exhausts, an additional transmission oil cooler, a high-performance steering oil radiator, an active differential oil cooler.The AMG 6.2-litre V8 has had alterations made to the intake and exhaust system, with a new variable intake manifold among the changes - the numbers stack up for some serious pace - 373kW at an amusing and muscial 6800rpm, with 630Nm at 5250rpm.That's enough, says Benz, for 100km/h to arrive in 4.3 seconds, the needle swings by 200km/h in 13.8 seconds and is limited to a 300km/h top speed.Not that we're in a position to check the latter during the Thoroughbreed Tour of this year's Classic Adelaide, as the 130km/h limit applies during closed-road stages.But seat-of-pants feel suggests the numbers can be believed.The first stage attempted in the Black was Coromandel, a personal favourite when it comes to the state's roads.Starting on a curve in such a beast meant the stability control - much to the disgust of athe assembled officials - was staying on, a trend for the rest of the day.The little black Benz demolished straights and breached the event speed limited with over half the gearbox remaining untouched.Corners are met with gusto from the helm, pitching in with enthusiasm and accuracy, but the exit was tempered by a compulsory restriction on the right foot.Smoothness was a must, otherwise everything died as the stability control smothered the fun.Even a gentle return to full throttle met with blinking belligerence from the stability control light.Faster, open roads were easier to deal with - the biggest problem was staying under the stage speed limit.If the exterior and interior add-ons had anything to do with pace and poise then it is a rocket - AMG-emblazoned carbon-fibre pieces in the door and on the centre console, lip spoilers and splitter additions also from carbon-fibre, 19in alloy wheels, sports "tombstone" bucket seats that adjust only fore and aft were fitted as well.The seven-speed auto has aluminium paddleshifts - and thankfully it will hold gears in manual mode.The paddles are mounted behind the low-key AMG performance steering wheel, which was a little too subtle for the rest of the car.The gearbox is the only thing letting the Black down, it's still an automatic and can sometimes frustrate the driver's attempts - we're sampling the SL63 soon and if that transmission is as good as it is said to be, let's hope it makes an appearance in the CLK Black.Unfortunately our day in the CLK 63 AMG Black Series after an unscheduled excursion through beyond the outside of a right-hander on a Fleurieu Peninsula stage.The right-hander was approached with caution but the driver at the time - not the author - found problems on the exit, possibly from the radius, some gravel or dirt on the road.The man behind the wheel managed to avoid a large tree but couldn't avoid heading into the long grass on the roadside (by far the lesser of two evils) and flattened an old fence post and some wire.After the requisite notifications were hastily made amid a smoky smell, debris was collected and the Black was returned to the road for a slow completion of the stage.Skid, scorch and tyre marks made by the following field suggest we weren't the only ones to leave the tarmac on the same corner, with other competitors making a mess of the new fence and leaving behind a windscreen.Our car was removed from the event as a precaution and the driver may well still be apologising even now.Our event was over but the taste of the Black has left me wanting more.It's a purposeful beast that has a magnificent powerplant and challenges the driver - I think I'd need about a year to get to grips with it, but my chances are slim. CLK 63 AMG Black SeriesEngine: 6.2-litre aluminium 32-valve V8.Transmission: seven-speed paddleshift automatic, driving rear wheels with LSD.Power: 373kW at 6800rpm.Torque: 630Nm at 5250rpm.Performance: 0-100km/h 4.3 seconds. Top speed 300km/h (governed).Fuel consumption: claimed 15.3litres/100km, tank 62litres. 

That has to be a good starting point in anyone's books, because, while it's not intended to beat the open wheelers, the safety car has to be fast and agile enough to let the field keep everything warmed up while it's held in check.The CLK63 AMG Black Series is the second F1 minder derivative — following the SLK55 — to come from the new Performance Studio of Merc's in-house Affalterbach tuning arm, AMG, and marks that division's 40th anniversary.That means another desirability pinnacle over the top-shelf standing of the AMG badge. And that brings with it a whole new level of styling, with buffed arches housing staggered-width, 19-inch alloys, an aggressive front apron with its gaping mouthful of air vents that feed the engine and transmission radiators, carbon-fibre spoiler and rear diffusers cradling the quad exhaust tips.In true Merc tradition, the kit is subtle enough to escape the notice of the uninitiated in normal traffic. And from a distance it seems to have an almost podgy derriere that belies the menace beneath. That's because this is not just a prestige coupe with a catalogue of body kit bolted on.It's a street-legal racer.At the pointy end of the car there's what Mercedes calls a 6.3-litre V8 — actually 6208cc — with a plate bearing the name of the engineer who built it under AMG's “one man, one engine” policy — matched to a seven-speed sequential transmission from the “standard” CLK63 AMG with shortened final drive ratio to help acceleration. The V8 is from the same car, with intake and exhaust systems overhauled to develop 630Nm of torque at 5250rpm and 373kW at 6800rpm. That's only an extra 19kW over the original, but the Black Series doesn't depend on power alone. A lot of work has gone into the wider-tracked platform and chassis refinements.The showcase feature of which is a new adjustable suspension — and not the kind you can adjust by pushing a button from the comfort of the driver's seat. Like a true racing suspension, you set about it by hand; changing ride height, compression and rebound, front axle camber, and the track of both axles. When you have all of that to your liking, you can climb inside to enjoy the interior's blend of sport and luxury, with well-bolstered leather sport seats and a tactile flat-bottomed wheel with aluminium shift paddles that fall to the hand so readily, you'll rarely be reaching for the stubby shift lever.There's a surprising amount of people room — for two. Where there might have been back seats, there are back storage indents. That's a good thing, as proper storage spaces are sparse and the boot shallow. There's plenty of glass and great visibility, and the range of adjustments on the driver's seat and steering column make it easy to find the best position.And sprinkled among all the leather and soft surfaces, there's enough carbon fibre and metal accents to remind you of the job at hand. The CLK63 AMG is expected to arrive next month with a price tag of $299,900, but of the 50 earmarked, only four were still looking for owners when we tested the car in mid-January.Press the start button and the car responds with a bass growl that settles to a guttural grumble in the lower rev range. But thump the pedal and you provoke a menacing snarl as the car warps forward, the limited-slip differential allowing some spin from both rear wheels if you've switched the ESP off while playing with the controls. As we inadvertently did.There are no turbo or super-breathing aids to boost the effort, and you don't feel the lack of them. Merc says the car gets to 100km/h in 4.3 seconds, and the kick in the lumbar as we accelerated gives us no reason to doubt it.Nor were we likely to get near — or to doubt — the claimed 300km/h limited top speed. Planting the boot in a 20-second exploratory spurt got us from 110km/h up to 235km/h, with no sign that it would trail off above that. Transmission shifts are smooth, with a sense of the car “gathering itself” before it leapt forward on up and downshifts.Steering is sharp and responsive — although at first it felt a bit leaden at low speed — and once you start rolling there's a sense of direct and clear communication between hands and road.With the ESP back on, the rubber claws into the surface and the car goes where you point it.But what surprised us was how tractable the suspension set-up was. With its ability to glide flat and poised in corners, we assumed we'd be checking the floor for dental fillings. But it deals with everything quickly and smooths out the average surface nasties. This is refined enough to be an everyday drive — a fast one.  SnapshotMercedes-Benz CLK63 AMGPrice: $299,000 (Black Series)Engine: 6.3L/V8; 373kW/630NmTransmission: 7-speed sequential; rear-wheel-drive