But no. Big-torque V8 engines continue to find their way into new bodyshells – a development that will undoubtedly please the firm’s rapidly growing fan base, and cause plenty of angst among competitors.
The latest arrival, the CLK 55 AMG, is a marriage between the slinky, sleek body of the CLK coupé and the firm’s stonking 5,5-litre V8, this time without supercharging but still pumping out huge power. It’s a concoction that predictably results in plenty of tyre smoking fun… but the CLK 55 AMG isn’t as one-dimensional as that.
New generation CLK is a pretty car, but in our August 2002 test of the CLK 500 we mentioned that a touch more drama would be welcome. Enter the cosmetic makeover specialists from AMG. Tweaks include a more aggressive front spoiler/airdam, black grille with chrome inserts, side skirts, profiled rear bumper, two BIG chromed oval exhaust outlets, a slender bootlid spoiler and those gorgeous AMG alloys. The result is one very mean, muscular coupé. Job well done. It looks like the million bucks it almost costs.
Magic dust has also been sprinkled in the cabin. Wood makes way for aluminium trim. Nubuk leather-trimmed AMG front seats can be adjusted to perfectly frame any body type by means of inflatable air cushions. Also standard are the AMG doorsills and a 320 km/h speedo.
It’s a stylish cabin with many subtle, but effective, details. Chrome-rimmed oval ventilation outlets, nice-to-hang-on-to sports steering wheel and cascading vertical fuel level and temperature gauges are just some of highlights. Mercedes-Benz fans will also be glad to hear that build quality is again reaching the famously high levels that were once synonymous with any vehicle bearing the three-pointed star.
Compared with the previous generation CLK, the new car is 71 mm longer, 18 mm wider and 42 mm higher. The result is a spacious cabin – headroom is up by 24 mm in front and 12 mm in the back. Access to the ‘tailored-for-two’ rear cabin is made easy by long doors and front seats that slide and tilt with ease. A centre foldout armrest with drink holders is provided, as are separate air vents. Rear seatbacks are asymmetrically split and can be folded forward to increase luggage space from 304 to 824 dm3 – impressive for a coupé.
Standard equipment? Well, everything that you could reasonably expect, but, as with most Mercedes-Benz models, the optional extras list is a long one. Our test unit was equipped with Parktronic (R6 500), Distronic (R17 200), TV-tuner (R7 800), Keyless-Go (R9 500) and a Nokia handsfree car ‘phone kit (R2 900).
But you don’t have to pay extra for the electric sunroof, climate control, bi-xenon headlamps with cleaning system, heated front seats, Command navigation system, cruise control, multifunction steering wheel, power windows all round, folding rear view mirrors and Bose sound system. On the safety side, dual front and side, rear and window airbags are part of an extensive protection package, while ESP, ABS with EBD, ASR and Sensotronic brakes are present with their life-saving capabilities. In our simulated emergency test routine, the CLK 55 AMG achieved an average stopping time of 3,11 seconds with no sign of fade.
The CLK 55 AMG is powered by Mercedes-Benz’s thumping 5,5-litre V8 engine that also does duty – with varying outputs – in other AMG models. In the CLK, it develops 270 kW at 5 750 r/min and 510 N.m of torque at 4 000. Bear in mind, however, that for use in the CLK it does without forced induction. Why? According to Mercedes-Benz, the CLK 55 AMG would not comply with company crash safety standards if the supercharged engine were to be squeezed under the bonnet, and secondly, the CLK’s drivetrain is derived from the C-Class, which was never intended to have to cope with supercharged V8 muscle.
Power is transmitted to the rear wheels by AMG’s five-speed ‘Speedshift’ automatic transmission that provides for manual shifting by tapping the lever sideways, or via steering-wheel mounted buttons. Mercedes-Benz claims 5,2 seconds for the zero to 100 km/h blitz. And the CLK 55 AMG certainly feels up to it. With ESP activated, planting the throttle pedal makes the rear wheels break traction almost immediately, but just as the car starts moving, the electronic nanny jumps in and cuts the power. OK, so that doesn’t work.
Switch ESP off, put foot, and end up spinning away precious rubber… and time… the horizon staying exactly where it is, with the rear view rapidly enveloped in plumes of expensive rubber. But at least the tyres are warmed up nicely now. For the next few runs power is fed in more slowly, and we make use of the manual gearchange option, but 5,84 seconds is the best the big coupé will do. By no means a bad achievement, but the CLK 500 managed 6,12 seconds… And the more powerful car’s woes don’t end there; the CLK 500 matches it almost exactly on overtaking acceleration as well.
To the CLK 55 AMG’s defence, however, it is very likely that a smoother road surface would yield better standing start acceleration times. And once it gets going, it really gets a move on. The 251 km/h top speed is reached with ludicrous ease, even uphill, and the kilometre sprint is dispatched in a sizzling 25,08 seconds.
Fuel economy, highly unlikely to be of great concern to the buyer of a CLK 55 AMG, worked out at 15,41 litres/100 km. Away from the test strip, on the type of roads that you’re likely to face every day, the CLK 55 AMG displays two distinct personalities, the first of which is a wafting, relaxed, yet devastatingly fast cruiser with a deep burbling soundtrack. Ride quality, though firm, also manages to cosset, and with all the side windows rolled down and the sunroof open, the sensation is as close to open-topped motoring as you could wish for in a coupé.
The CLK 55 AMG may come standard with a fabulously powerful audio system, but you’ll do yourself no favours by leaving it on all the time… this car sounds like a squadron of vintage bombers on its way to carry out a mission in a hurry. Which brings us to the other side of its character… the rumbling, menacing, thunderous übercoupé with a magnetic attraction to the horizon. Acceleration, truly, seems never-ending.
Thankfully, steering, brakes and suspension, all aided by clever electro-wizardry, are up to the job of keeping things under control. AMG has fettled the Airmatic DC semi-active suspension to better suit the car’s more hardcore character. It shows. The CLK 55 AMG feels significantly sharper and more interactive than the CLK 500. While the gearbox copes well with an… er… ‘enthusiastic’ driving style when left to do its own shifting, it is much more entertaining to use the manual shift option, be it with the lever or buttons on the steering wheel.
With ESP left to do its management job, the CLK 55 AMG is a confidence-inspiring car to drive fast on a challenging twisty road, even though the traction warning light is almost permanently illuminated. It’s a car that seems to enjoy being hustled. And the driver is left to explore the heady heights of the car’s ability with the knowledge that there is a safety net should he, or she, run out of driving talent.
Steering starts off feeling a little vague but sharpens up its act as speed increases. And the car stays admirably composed in corners, with lots of grip, allowing the driver to concentrate on finding the right gear/throttle/brake combination. Find the sweet spot and the CLK 55 AMG can be made to slice through a series of varying angle corners at warp speeds. The trick is to feed in the right amount of power for the specific circumstances. Give it too much and the nanny will spring into action again, cutting power dramatically.
For many enthusiasts, ESP is still seen as something of a necessary evil. But in this case, ESP is very, very necessary. Not because the CLK is an ill handling car, by any means, but because one is likely to be travelling very fast indeed when it does decide to step out of line. Lurid tail slides? Available on demand. Tyre life? Entirely up to you.
