Merc1

ERIK JOHNSON

“May I please have your attention? Will the owner of the black-on-black Mercedes-Benz CL63 AMG, license plate EFF-OFF, please attend to your car? It’s still doing burnouts in the valet parking lot and we don’t know how to stop it.”

This, in essence, is why you would choose a CL63 over the slightly more expensive—by ten grand or so—CL600, a car which more or less equals this AMG in performance. You are a person who values hooliganism over haute couture. You are a person to whom sinister body kits whisper seductive come-ons like so much small talk. You want to be badass—and, boy, does the CL63 deliver. Me? I’m a CL63 kind of person, too.

DAVE VANDERWERP

AMG’s invigorating 6.2-liter V-8 makes any Mercedes special and it also makes the 4800-pound CL keep pace with an Audi R8! The exhaust sings a lusty, yet refined song and all the appointments are first-class. These are some of the most comfortable seats (with numerous coddling adjustments and a massage feature) on the market, and it rides with what can only be described as six-figure composure. The only surprise was less rear-passenger space than I expected in an S-class–based coupe.

The CL63 is destined to be extremely rare, as I expect that most buyers in this price category will want the never-ending torque reserves of the twin-turbo V-12–powered CL600, especially since there’s not a meaningful price difference between the two.

JARED GALL

Entering an on-ramp with my brother in the car, I lagged behind a mid-90s Cadillac El Dorado and let it build a lead on me. I asked, “Think we can catch that Caddy before he merges?” My brother laughed and said, since I asked, he bet we could. He was right. A tromp on the go button shot us down the ramp right up to the Caddy. We veered left and dove around him like he was maybe mowing the grass on the shoulder. Except we were in Detroit, and the only thing on the shoulder was broken bottles and bullet casings. Maybe he was looking for fodder to melt down for sculpture? Maybe we were frickin’ flying.

I love the idea of a big, nasty, twin-turbo V-12 under the hood of two-ton Mercedes coupe, but I understand why Mercedes makes its AMG 65 cars, because who doesn’t want 604 hp and 738 lb-ft? Only the people who aren’t paying attention. I don’t care how impractical it is, and that’s why Mercedes would be happy to sell me one, if only I had the money. Just a few more years of saving…. The CL600, on the other hand, is just not extreme enough in the presence of the CL63.

SCOTT MOSHER

Beautiful and sexy lines combined with polished aluminum and chrome in just the right places make this one monster to lust after. Not only is it strikingly beautiful, it’s menacing with the AMG touches. They’re not too subtle, making a noticeable statement—edgy even in an ultra-expensive upscale way.

But I’m still suffering withdrawal from the old supercharged powerplant. That delicious torque is gone and so is my love affair with those AMGs. If given the choice, I’d pony up the additional dollars for an SL or S65 AMG which deliver non-stop torque.

With this 6.2-liter era the impression I get is that M-B is working to get closer to BMW’s M cars—and who can blame them for that.

JON YANCA

This car is s-e-x-y! It’s funny how a CL600 doesn’t do much for me but the CL63’s AMG bodywork sets this car off. Our example, wearing Obsidian Black with chrome trim accenting the gorgeous lines and curves of the CL gave me such a good feeling before I even grasped the wheel. But piloting the CL63 is a story in itself with AMG’s rev-happy 6.2-liter that we have all grown to love and respect. The CL moves extremely well through traffic belting out a note that resembles the CLK63 Black Series, which is music to my ears. Expect all the interior comforts of an S-class without the rear-seat space and don’t expect as much of the S-class’ cushy ride. I really enjoyed my time in the CL63—she’s a looker and she runs—but I’m a little uneasy about dropping $145,000 on a luxury coupe with so many more practical options out there.

ALISA PRIDDLE

It’s hard not to love a car that is so sleek and elegant and snaps your head back in first gear upon acceleration. The steering-wheel-mounted gearshift paddles are smooth and seamless, and get bonus marks for not reverting to automatic drive mode when they haven’t been toggled with for a while.

And I love a car that loves me back. The dynamic seats made aggressive advances in the first couple quick turns out of the parking lot, and after that I looked for excuses to turn so the seat could hug—or grope depending on the amount of steering input—me with each turn.

My biggest rant: the power seat adjustments need power. That means getting in after colleagues in the six-foot-eight range, I literally had to submarine under the wheel to reach the brake to turn on the engine to adjust the seat forward and resume a normal position.

And while some colleagues like the slick mousepad-like padded cover over the phone, which serves as an armrest to work the COMAND control system, I felt the design intruded too far over the control dial.

TOM ADAMS

The best think about the CL63 is its acceleration: when you want to drive casually and without malice towards lesser cars, it accommodates. No sudden surge of power, no unusual shifts, just smooth, driving pleasure. On the open road, where conditions allow, this thing really opens up. It gets to triple digits a lot quicker than you’d think for a car this big and luxurious. Everything on this car is geared towards spirited motoring and driver comfort. The car looks fantastic, especially with all four windows down and no B-pillar. The AMG badges are intimidating and a tip-off to the power within. Some of the controls are overly complex, but this keeps the cabin stylishly simplified. The audio system is not the centerpiece of the dash. Cupholders are right where you want them; sadly they will not accept the girth of a 64-ounce Double Gulp. The back seat is roomy enough, but moving the front seats from the driving position is difficult. The night vision is neat and somewhat useful, but doesn’t spot raccoons as well as the BMW system.

However, there’s tremendous turbulence in the car when driving windows down, so make sure everything is well secured. Better yet, put all your belongings in the large trunk. This would be a terrific car to drive every day.


- ONLY REGISTERED AND ACTIVATED USERS CAN SEE ALL LINKS - CLICK HERE TO REGISTER


An old article, but I just happen to stumble upon this section of Car and Driver's website. Basically an editor's page on cars in their test fleet, but not a formal roadtest. This section is called "Whats in our driveways this week". Kinda sorta the same thing Autoweek does.

M