Mercedes' Amazing CL63 AMG

Want the speed of a Porsche but the luxury of a sedan? If you can afford the CL63 AMG, this is the car for you

by Thane Peterson

Editor's Rating:

The Good: High performance combined with every possible luxury

The Bad: More expensive than many vacation homes (yet an integrated iPod hookup still costs an extra $425); lousy gas mileage

The Bottom Line: A gloriously luxurious gas-guzzler that's as speedy as a Porsche

Reader Reviews

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Up Front

Many of my favorite moments in the movie Michael Clayton occur when the main character, played by George Clooney, is tooling around in his darkly beautiful Mercedes S550. The S-Class is the perfect car for a striver like Clayton, a gambling–addicted "fixer" for a New York law firm who's trying to pass as a solid citizen. But as much as I loved the car, I kept thinking a single guy like Clayton really should be driving a Mercedes CL-Class, the sportier, two-door coupe version of the S-Class.

Among vehicles that combine high performance with every conceivable luxury, there's nothing quite like the CL-Class. I absolutely love the two I've test-driven, the CL550 and, more recently, the '08 CL63 AMG. For those who can afford them, the main question is whether you want a sport luxury car that's very fast, or one that's insanely fast.

There are two subclasses within the CL-Class. The CL550 and its more powerful sibling, the CL600, are tilted more toward the luxury side of the equation than the AMG versions. The CL550, which starts at $104,475, is powered by a 5.5-liter, 382-hp V-8 engine, while the CL600, which is powered by a monster of a 510-hp, twin-turbocharged V-12, starts at $148,275.

The AMG versions, the CL63 and CL65, have sport-tuned suspensions, extra-big brakes, 20-in. wheels, and special badges and interior appointments that emphasize their ultra-high performance. The CL63 starts at $138,375 and is powered by a 6.3-liter, 518-hp V-8. The CL65 starts at a mind-boggling $198,375 and has a 604-hp V-12 under its hood.

The transmission in the CL AMG is a performance-tuned, seven-speed automatic with a manual shifting function and aluminum paddle-shifters mounted on the steering wheel.

The good news is that loading up the CL63 AMG with options only increases the price by 10 or 12 grand, which is practically just rounding up in this price class. For $7,000 extra, you can add the AMG performance package, which includes 20-in. double-spoked alloy wheels, carbon-fiber interior trim, and an increase in the top speed governor to 186 mph. The intelligent cruise-control system plus backup assistance and a blind-spot warning system go for an extra $2,850. A premium package that includes a backup camera and night-vision system adds $2,090.

The least expensive option is the one that irks me most—the $425 iPod integration kit. You would think Mercedes would throw that one in for free.

The obvious downside of going with one of the bigger engines is poor fuel economy. The CL550, which is rated at 14 city/21 highway, does considerably better than any of its more powerful siblings. In 230 miles of mixed driving, I got only 15.6 mpg in a CL63 AMG, which is rated to get 12 in the city and 19 on the highway. That rating is only a tiny bit better than the CL65 AMG (11/17) and the CL600 (11/19).

Like other big, high-end Mercedeses, the CL-Class is being hurt by high gas prices. CL-Class sales fell 7.7%, to 1,323, in the first five months of this year, while Mercedes' overall U.S. sale rose 1.1%, to 99,703.

Behind the Wheel

My epiphany in the CL63 occurred one afternoon when I decided to make a quick, spur-of-the-moment left turn in front of oncoming traffic. I was astonished by the car's agility. There was absolutely no sway or body roll, even though I was going much faster than I had intended. I assume this was due to the CL63's sport suspension coupled with the Active Body Control system kicking in. Whatever the reason, this extra-sharp handling is what gives the CL63 an edge over the less expensive CL550.

The CL63's other main advantage is raw power. Punch the gas at any speed in this car, and it leaps forward. I clocked the CL63 AMG at 4.8 seconds in accelerating from 0 to 60, slightly slower than the 4.5 seconds at which Mercedes rates it. That makes the CL63 just as quick as the more expensive V-12-powered CL600, and nearly a second quicker than the CL550. Only the top-of-the-line C65 AMG, which does 0 to 60 in just 4.2 seconds, is faster.