Mercedes-Benz tuning arm AMG unveiled a 450 kW CL65 AMG at the Geneva Show, but the first twin-turbo V12-engined derivative that will hit the showroom will be the S65, followed by CL and SL models.
Mercedes-Benz tuning arm AMG unveiled a 450 kW CL65 AMG at the Geneva Show, but the first twin-turbo V12-engined derivative that will hit the showroom will be the S65, followed by CL and SL models.
CARtoday.com reported in March that the new CL65 AMG powerplant develops 450 kW and, according to Mercedes-Benz sources, delivers 1 000 N.m of torque from 2 000 r/min. The manufacturer claims that the supercoupé will rocket from zero to 100 km/h in 4,5 seconds. As is the case with other, dare we say it, run-of-the-mill Benzes, the CL65’s maximum speed is electronically limited to 250 km/h although AMG engineers in Affalterbach will remove the limiter if requested to do so.
The new AMG engine is based on the 12-cylinder unit of the Mercedes-Benz S600. In addition to an increase in displacement from 5 513 to 5 980 cm3, numerous other modifications are responsible for the output and torque increase in the new CL65 AMG.
AMG engineers have increased the cylinder bore from 82 to 82,6 millimetres, lengthened the stroke of the crankshaft by six millimetres to 93 millimetres and increased the charge pressure of the turbochargers to a maximum of 1,5 bar. Forged pistons, main and big-end bearings made from high-temperature and pressure-resistant materials and enlarged apertures in the injection nozzles have been introduced.
When the six-litre twin-turbo V12-powered CL65 AMG (pictured above, right) was first developed, the engine to produced 1 200 N.m of torque. On a recent visit to AMG’s Affalterbach manufacturing facility, CARtoday.com was told that due to the limitations of the car’s newly-developed gearbox, powertrain and driveshaft the CL65’s torque output was detuned to 1 000 N.m.
However, AMG president Ulrich Bruhnke said development was continuing on components that would allow for the extra power and that a SL derivative with the same engine was also on the cards.
DaimlerChrysler SA’s media manager, Deon Ebersohn, told CARtoday.com at the time that when a right-hand drive version of CL65 was developed it would certainly be made available in South Africa.
Since then, a senior AMG engineer told at the International Engine of the Year awards in Stuttgart that he was working on the S-Class based 65 AMG. The car will have a five-speed Speedshift transmission and steering wheel-mounted gearshift selection buttons.
“The V12 engine will make its debut first in the S65 AMG saloon, with CL65 coupés and SL65 roadsters following later,” the engineer was quoted as saying.