First Drive Review
You would think a sport cabriolet fitted with a 5.4-liter V-8 making 362 horsepower would be enough. But no. In these wonderfully hedonistic, power-crazed days, we're witnessing a horsepower race that makes the muscle-car battles of the 1960s look as tame as waging war with bows and arrows rather than Hellfire missiles. So, the Mercedes-Benz CLK has now emerged with a mighty 6.2-liter V-8 that makes 475 horsepower and 465 pound-feet of torque. The rival BMW M3 musters a mere 333 horsepower.
As well as the new V-8, the CLK receives a freshening that includes a more aggressive body kit with new front and rear fascias, as well as stylish 18-inch wheels. The suspension has been recalibrated, and the new cross-drilled and vented Brembo brake discs have six-piston calipers at the front and four pistons at the rear. The main news, though, lies underhood. This is AMG's first in-house engine design and features lots of sexy, race-derived features such as bucket tappets and a bedplate construction, wherein the crankcase is split at the crankshaft center line. Although Mercedes refers to the engine as a 6.3, in fact the capacity is 6208cc. It's mated to the now ubiquitous seven-speed Mercedes automatic transmission that features manual shifting via either the gear lever or paddles fixed to the steering wheel, in place of buttons on the backside of the wheel.
Inside, the car gets an AMG steering wheel, gauge cluster, and sport seats, plus various aluminum trim parts to differentiate it from its more staid siblings. It is a pleasing cabin - save for the confusing, myriad buttons for the audio and navigation systems - and even has space for grown-ups in the rear seats.
The engine dominates this car's character. The CLK cabriolet is a very elegant hot rod, with more than enough power to melt the rear tires if you turn off the traction-control system. Mercedes claims the car will reach 62 mph from rest in 4.7 seconds (0.5 second faster than before) and top out at a restricted 155 mph. There is stupendous midrange torque and an intoxicating engine growl once you're into the throttle. The seven-speed transmission is 30 percent faster in sport mode and 50 percent quicker in manual than the non-AMG transmission, giving very fast, satisfying shifts that make a BMW sequential manual seems as clunky as the plot in Basic Instinct 2.
On serpentine mountain roads in Spain, the CLK demonstrated plenty of grip, well-weighted steering, and fine body control, even when the traction control was off and the tail was doing its thing. But on the highway, it rides harshly, crashing badly over sharp ridges, despite being damped about 10 percent more softly than its coupe equivalent.
The CLK63 AMG cabriolet is a compelling car, although it's a shame we Americans are denied the sportier coupe. The main thing we don't like about the car, though, is its price, which will likely be about $84,500 when it goes on sale this month.
