If you live up in Joburg where the thin air chokes some of the fun out of an engine, you’d have been a trifle disappointed when Mercedes replaced its 5.5-litre supercharged V8 engine with a normally aspirated 6.2 V8 in their fire-spitting AMG models.
Though the new engines were more powerful at sea level where they were allowed to breathe properly, at Gauteng altitude they suffered a performance drop compared to their supercharged predecessors.
Now AMG Merc has gone back to a force-fed, direct-injection 5.5 which performs at all altitudes, and this V8 engine will power future AMG models. This time it’s two turbochargers, not a supercharger, stuffing compressed air into the cylinders and the new V8 biturbo engine produces a mighty 400kW and 800Nm in standard form (420kW and 900Nm with optional performance pack).
The first car to get this heart transplant is the newly-facelifted Mercedes CL coupé selling for R2 130 610 launched in South Africa a couple of months ago (yes it’s still badged the CL63 AMG despite the change to 5.5-litre engine size), and what a strong heart it is.
On a mild but breezy morning at our Gauteng test venue, the CL63 AMG (without performance pack) romped from 0-100km/h in just 4.7 seconds and scorched through the quarter mile in 12.8. This is seriously gung-ho, badass performance.
Anything that breaks the five-second barrier is impressive, but the fact that it was accomplished by one of the heaviest Benzes around – all 2.1 tons of it – just makes us drool at the performance potential of the lighter Mercedes E class AMG when it receives the same engine later this year.
With its seven speed automatic gearbox, launching the CL 63 in a big hurry is child’s play: you simply boot the throttle and wait for the thrust, achieving Ferrari-like sprint times with no mess and no fuss. And surprisingly no wheelspin in the dry, even with the stability control switched off.
Given this potent acceleration it seems churlish to criticise the Merc for a slight initial hesitation in a standing start but, yes, high-altitude turbo lag does rear its head. At sea level I’m pretty sure the throttle will feel as responsive as the trigger on Dirty Harry’s .44 Magnum.
The seven-speed ‘box makes a perfect dance partner to the powerful V8, firing through its gears with lightning speed and (usually) great smoothness. Occasionally the upshifts are more jarring than you’d expect, particularly when you’re driving at a mild-to-medium pace.
My one fear was that turbocharging would strangle the fine noise made by the old normally-aspirated 6.2, but thankfully this proved unfounded. The acoustics are distinctly hairy-chested; the CL63 makes a hoarse but muffled roar that sounds like a Nascar wrapped in cotton wool.
Apart from making extra power, Merc’s mission with the new AMG engine was to slash fuel consumption and C02 emissions.You’d have to drive like Miss Daisy on valium to achieve the claimed consumption figure of 10.5 litres per 100km, but the 14.7 litres our test car averaged in urban and freeway cruising wasn’t bad given this battleship’s size and power output.
The thirst is kept down by a stop-start system which cuts the engine whenever the car comes to a stop, and instantly restarts it when you release the brake.
In line with recent S-Class sedan updates, the CL, which shares most of the S’s underpinnings, now gets an optional Driving Assistance Package priced at R31 800 that includes radar-based cruise control (Distronic Plus) and Active Lane Keeping and Blind Spot Assist programmes.
The Lane Keeping function prevents you from accidentally changing lanes when another vehicle’s in your blind spot, and if you do, it brakes the wheels on one side of the Merc to bring it back into its own lane. I can vouch that it works.
As befits a luxury coupé the ride quality’s plush, even with the Active Body Control (ABC) set to Sport. It’s a big lump of a car but it acquits itself well in corners and I didn’t find any real reason to criticise its traction, body control or steering feel. I especially enjoyed the side bolsters of the driver seat tightening up during cornering for extra lateral support (the front passenger seat performs the same trick and never failed to delight my co-travellers).
The brakes are mega too, although if I’m nitpicky I found the pedal feel a bit numb.
The CL has real presence and would look perfect driving along the Monaco seafront or some other playground of the rich and glamorous. Its radiates grandeur and elegance with a sporty twist, and the styling fittingly conveys exactly what this car is: a powerful, luxurious and expensive sports coupé.
New additions in the abovementioned facelift include a re-styled grill and LED driving lights, while the quartet of square tailpipes say “eat this” in a most persuasive and resonant way. Coupés aren’t renowned for their practicality, but rear legroom in the CL is more than bearable, and entering and exiting the back seat is made easier by front seats that glide fore and aft on electric motors. Opening those extra long doors requires extra-wide parking spaces, however.
VERDICT:
Performance, presence, opulence – the CL63 AMG is a fine way for well-heeled waBenzi to make a gung-ho statement. The powerful and sonorous new 5.5 AMG biturbo engine is everything it promised to be.