CLS-Class (C218) Mercedes Benz CLS 63 AMG First Drives Thread...

[Sunny]

The black one is smoking hot, for that matter, even the white one is. BTW do they offer sportier seats as option or is that sofa looking ones only option.

 

[HighestOfHigh]

2012 Mercedes-Benz CLS63 AMG First Drive

It was nearly eighty degrees when I stepped out of the airport into the January San Diego sun. The comely AMG-branded blonde greeter immediately engaged me in lively superficial chit-chat as a black Mercedes S400 Hybrid was waved around to ferry me to the Rancho Valencia. The lifestyle immersion process of the AMG brand had already begun.

But it was just the beginning. Arriving at the resort hotel, shuttled to my room on a waiting golf cart, luggage in tow, I was dropped at the door to a private villa stocked with AMG promotional materials: my residence for the next several days.

With the Robin Leach treatment, you might think the car I was there to test--the 2012 Mercedes-Benz CLS63 AMG--would be little more than a bit player, a bedtime mint on the pillow. It's anything but.

The Benevolent Dictator
Slip into the new CLS63 and get your driving position set, then stick the fob into the dash and give it a twist (yes, you have to--no pocketing the fob and pushing a button here), and the new 5.5-liter twin-turbo V-8 gently burbles to life, resolving to a low murmur at idle. Spin a few knobs and press a button or two and you're in M (manual) mode for the seven-speed dual-clutch transmission, the firmest setting for the dynamic dampers, and, if desired, completely unhindered by traction control. Ready to roll.

And roll it does. Like a runaway train off the edge of a cliff once you apply a little boot to the fast pedal. Despite the elemental, force-of-nature wall of power, our observed fuel economy over more than 100 miles of highly spirited driving was a computer-reported 20.2 mpg.

Should you choose to leave some of the electronic nannies on--it is a roughly $100,000 car, after all, and initially unfamiliar at that--you'll find your play reined in only when you get seriously out of hand. Hustle the car smoothly and well, and you'll notice only tiny dabs of the brakes on individual wheels if you notice it at all. This car's computer is speed's friend, not its enemy.

According to director of vehicle development and AMG board member Tobias Moers, himself a skilled high-performance driver, the lap times of AMG's hottest shoes were the same whether ESP and traction control were engaged or not, and after driving it, we tend to believe him. That's high praise for the systems, and a welcome change from the lawyer-induced lackadaisicality common to the electronic minders of much of the 500-plus horsepower club. The Nordschleife time of the new 2012 CLS63 AMG? No one would give me a straight answer, but Moers did say it's in the "very, very low eight minute range."

Float Like a Feather
At 4,270 pounds, the 2012 CLS63 AMG is well into the heavyweight category for high-performance cars, but you'd never guess it from behind the wheel. Nimble isn't a word you'd typically apply to a two-ton, 113.2-inch wheelbase four-door, but it fits here. Nimble like Muhammad Ali, with just as powerful a punch.

The perception of nimbleness comes as much from the feedback you get from the steering wheel as it does from the well-tuned if a bit brusque-in-the-bumps suspension. The CLS63 sports AMG's first electrically-assisted power steering system, and according to Moers, that system alone took weeks of intense development and revision to perfect. The end result is indeed very near to perfection, or at least as close as we've experienced in such a large, heavy car.

A constant 14:1 ratio strips the vagueness and unpredictability of variable-ratio steering from the mix, leaving behind a direct, communicative, wiggle-free tiller that serves as much as a Human-Machine Interface (HMI) as the COMAND multimedia system does, and much more intuitive to use.

- 2012 Mercedes-Benz CLS Class Review - MotorAuthority

 

[Merc1]

Wow.

M

 

[HighestOfHigh]

Edmunds: 2012 Mercedes-Benz CLS63 AMG First Drive

The AMG arm of Mercedes-Benz is in the middle of a new phase of development. It's now concentrating on making every new AMG model more and more AMG and less just a souped-up Merc.

Case in point: AMG's new front suspension design. It's a setup that features a wider track and more aggressive camber settings than the standard models. A set of stiffer springs and more precise dampers just isn't enough anymore. And into this fray enters the 2012 Mercedes-Benz CLS63 AMG.

The new Coupe Leicht Sportlich is still the prettiest poster child for modern Mercedes styling. Adding the edginess of the AMG look — especially one with the optional Performance Pak like our tester — turns it into the Mona Lisa with a nose ring. It's beautiful and all, but anything other than "comfort" mode has the 2012 Mercedes-Benz CLS63 AMG noticeably eager to run, and run fast.

AMG's Turn With the CLS63
"The S- and CL-Classes with the new M157 AMG engine," AMG Director of Engine and Powertrain Friedrich Eichler tells Inside Line, "both have lots of room under the hood, so the exhaust section between the manifolds and turbochargers is a straight path." Due to the packaging of the slightly smaller CLS- and E-Classes, this tube needs bending, which also helps with insertion of one of the engine mounting bolts. "It looks cooler, too," Eichler says, "and the power-transfer losses are minor."


Want more deep stuff?

On the 518-horsepower CLS63, ECU changes delay the ignition on cylinders four and seven of the 5.5-liter biturbo V8. "These two cylinders have very good load exchange with, therefore, greater air volume than the other six cylinders," adds Eichler. "This is what causes the greater rumbling vibrations in the S- and CL-Class.

"But by delaying the ignition of four and seven on the CLS between the 650-rpm idle and 1,000 rpm and bringing all cylinders in sync, much fewer unpleasant vibrations get transmitted," Eichler continues. On the other hand, the subsequent pay-off is a more explosive sound and reaction when we apply the throttle.

Power Lunch
The first-generation "C219" CLS63 AMG came with 507 hp and a 4.5-second dash to 62.13712 mph (i.e. 100 km/h). There was no formal Performance Pak available.

The 518-hp "C218" CLS AMG gets to 62 mph a tenth of a second quicker. Then there's the Performance Pak, which turns up the boost to deliver 550 hp and 590 pound-feet of torque. So equipped, the 2012 Mercedes-Benz CLS63 shaves yet another precious tenth off its 0-60-mph time. If you would rather brag about top speed, the 186-mph delimited Driver's package with AMG driving school is also offered here as before.

Yeah," says engineer Eichler. "We wanted it to be a little more bad boy this time.
Through the AMG Speedshift MCT seven-speed sports transmission drivers can select between modes C for "Controlled Efficiency," S, S+, M, and RS for "Race Start." In C, now there's a Toyota Prius-like green ECO light that lulls us into thinking we're actually doing earth a favor by buying an AMG and leaving every intersection in 2nd gear. It is at least verifiable that in this setting the new 5.5-liter biturbo M157 V8 engine consumes up to 32 percent less fuel than the former 6.2-liter V8. Also in C, the start-stop function happens automatically every time we sit still at those intersections, and the restart action is very smooth and quick enough to avoid frustrating anyone.

Burn, Baby, Burn
Our Iridium Silver tester with $12,900 AMG Performance package and burnished gold-calipered $10,000 carbon-ceramic brakes was a firestarter along all 160 miles we drove through San Diego County. Any drivetrain setting besides C results in a well-intended evil itch to lurch forth like a giant eel grabbing a passing fish. "Yeah," says engineer Eichler. "We wanted it to be a little more bad boy this time."

Part of that feel is attributable to the new AMG Ride Control suspension setup. It pairs steel springs up front with air springs in back. The new three-link front suspension features a nearly 1-inch-wider track than the standard CLS, in addition to revised hub carriers and steering arms which allow for more aggressive camber settings. The rear suspension gets a thicker roll bar along with stiffer subframe mounts. Adjustable dampers are used at each corner and are driver-adjustable to four settings.

We made full use of the optional 19-inch AMG wheels and the larger footprint of their ContiSportContact SP tires (255/35 ZR19 (96Y) front, 285/30 ZR19 (98Y) rear). It was a glued-to-the-road feeling at all times and if ever we felt like coming unglued in a curve, the optional rear differential with 40 percent locking action tidied up the line quite impressively.


Our Race Start experiments (ESP set at S+, Speedshift rheostat then set to RS, brake applied, pedal to the metal) out in the lonely high desert were exhilarating and void of any tire smoke. Go ahead and switch off the ESP completely on your own nickel, though, and await the fireworks. The two 18.9-psi pressure turbochargers (14.5 psi each without Performance Pak) definitely make this enhanced 2012 Mercedes-Benz CLS63 AMG a 4.0-flat performer accelerating to 60 mph. And the roar from the quad AMG exhaust during all of this does a body good.

Mostly Prettier Than the Original
We like the entire two forward thirds of this new CLS and its AMG variant. It's the latter third that drops the ball on a few levels.

The AMG designers clearly decided to take the example set by SLS AMG, a car that looks as if it was designed around its engine. The almost 1-inch-wider front track of the AMG version of the CLS beefs it up even more over the standard car. There are also new wider aluminum fender panels and a gnarlier-looking aluminum hood to go with the AMG grille and its supersized star. The look really suits it well.

But then we get toward the C-pillar back of the rear doors and it all sort of turns less attractive. Especially looking dead-on at the rear end, all the drawn lines of the trunk, rear fenders, new lighting elements, bumper, etc. come off both pinched and pudgy at the same time. It's a matter of too much being forced to happen back there. And whereas the previous CLS design was unrecognizable as sharing all underpinnings with the E-Class sedan, the rear fenders over the wheels this time give away the E-Class sharing like a neon sign.

Ride height remains the same as on the series car, even with the Performance Pak, though all of the skirting around the bottom edges would have us think different.

Putting Gen One in the Dust
Without a doubt, the new 2012 Mercedes CLS63 AMG — whether it has the Performance Pak or not — leaves the old version fittingly in the mirrors. Dynamics are hugely improved via the new suspension and its custom settings and the Speedshift MCT transmission weighs less and can handle more torque, too. Fuel mileage is way up, and the passenger cabin remains a comfortable place for four adults.

Currently, at least, all we could think of that adequately competes head-on with the 2012 Mercedes-Benz CLS63 AMG is either the slightly smaller though more potent $63,040 Cadillac CTS-V sedan or $79,150 Jaguar XFR. Otherwise, we wait for the next BMW M5 that will surely be under pressure to crush all three of these others.

Overall, the new CLS63 is an impressive piece no matter how you slice it. That upward of $125,000 to pay for our Performance Pak tricked-out car, however, could mean it's just for those who must have a potent Mercedes.

- 2012 Mercedes-Benz CLS63 AMG First Drive

 

[GTA45E]

4270lbs. If I`m not mistaken thats 10lbs lighter than the CTS-V 2-door coupe. The Caddy has 6-more horses but the CLS has 40 foot lbs.


I wonder which one would win in a drag race...

 

[donkeykong]

2012 Mercedes-Benz CLS63 AMG First Drive

The Prettiest Member of the AMG Family Gets a New, Angrier Attitude
By Matt Davis, European Correspondent | Published Jan 19, 2011

The AMG arm of Mercedes-Benz is in the middle of a new phase of development. It's now concentrating on making every new AMG model more and more AMG and less just a souped-up Merc.
Case in point: AMG's new front suspension design. It's a setup that features a wider track and more aggressive camber settings than the standard models. A set of stiffer springs and more precise dampers just isn't enough anymore. And into this fray enters the 2012 Mercedes-Benz CLS63 AMG.
The new Coupe Leicht Sportlich is still the prettiest poster child for modern Mercedes styling. Adding the edginess of the AMG look — especially one with the optional Performance Pak like our tester — turns it into the Mona Lisa with a nose ring. It's beautiful and all, but anything other than "comfort" mode has the 2012 Mercedes-Benz CLS63 AMG noticeably eager to run, and run fast.
AMG's Turn With the CLS63
"The S- and CL-Classes with the new M157 AMG engine," AMG Director of Engine and Powertrain Friedrich Eichler tells Inside Line, "both have lots of room under the hood, so the exhaust section between the manifolds and turbochargers is a straight path." Due to the packaging of the slightly smaller CLS- and E-Classes, this tube needs bending, which also helps with insertion of one of the engine mounting bolts. "It looks cooler, too," Eichler says, "and the power-transfer losses are minor."
Want more deep stuff?

On the 518-horsepower CLS63, ECU changes delay the ignition on cylinders four and seven of the 5.5-liter biturbo V8. "These two cylinders have very good load exchange with, therefore, greater air volume than the other six cylinders," adds Eichler. "This is what causes the greater rumbling vibrations in the S- and CL-Class. "But by delaying the ignition of four and seven on the CLS between the 650-rpm idle and 1,000 rpm and bringing all cylinders in sync, much fewer unpleasant vibrations get transmitted," Eichler continues. On the other hand, the subsequent pay-off is a more explosive sound and reaction when we apply the throttle.
Power Lunch
The first-generation "C219" CLS63 AMG came with 507 hp and a 4.5-second dash to 62.13712 mph (i.e. 100 km/h). There was no formal Performance Pak available.
The 518-hp "C218" CLS AMG gets to 62 mph a tenth of a second quicker. Then there's the Performance Pak, which turns up the boost to deliver 550 hp and 590 pound-feet of torque. So equipped, the 2012 Mercedes-Benz CLS63 shaves yet another precious tenth off its 0-60-mph time. If you would rather brag about top speed, the 186-mph delimited Driver's package with AMG driving school is also offered here as before.

Yeah," says engineer Eichler. "We wanted it to be a little more bad boy this time.
​

Through the AMG Speedshift MCT seven-speed sports transmission drivers can select between modes C for "Controlled Efficiency," S, S+, M, and RS for "Race Start." In C, now there's a Toyota Prius-like green ECO light that lulls us into thinking we're actually doing earth a favor by buying an AMG and leaving every intersection in 2nd gear. It is at least verifiable that in this setting the new 5.5-liter biturbo M157 V8 engine consumes up to 32 percent less fuel than the former 6.2-liter V8. Also in C, the start-stop function happens automatically every time we sit still at those intersections, and the restart action is very smooth and quick enough to avoid frustrating anyone.
Burn, Baby, Burn
Our Iridium Silver tester with $12,900 AMG Performance package and burnished gold-calipered $10,000 carbon-ceramic brakes was a firestarter along all 160 miles we drove through San Diego County. Any drivetrain setting besides C results in a well-intended evil itch to lurch forth like a giant eel grabbing a passing fish. "Yeah," says engineer Eichler. "We wanted it to be a little more bad boy this time."
Part of that feel is attributable to the new AMG Ride Control suspension setup. It pairs steel springs up front with air springs in back. The new three-link front suspension features a nearly 1-inch-wider track than the standard CLS, in addition to revised hub carriers and steering arms which allow for more aggressive camber settings. The rear suspension gets a thicker roll bar along with stiffer subframe mounts. Adjustable dampers are used at each corner and are driver-adjustable to four settings.
We made full use of the optional 19-inch AMG wheels and the larger footprint of their ContiSportContact SP tires (255/35 ZR19 (96Y) front, 285/30 ZR19 (98Y) rear). It was a glued-to-the-road feeling at all times and if ever we felt like coming unglued in a curve, the optional rear differential with 40 percent locking action tidied up the line quite impressively.
Our Race Start experiments (ESP set at S+, Speedshift rheostat then set to RS, brake applied, pedal to the metal) out in the lonely high desert were exhilarating and void of any tire smoke. Go ahead and switch off the ESP completely on your own nickel, though, and await the fireworks. The two 18.9-psi pressure turbochargers (14.5 psi each without Performance Pak) definitely make this enhanced 2012 Mercedes-Benz CLS63 AMG a 4.0-flat performer accelerating to 60 mph. And the roar from the quad AMG exhaust during all of this does a body good.
Mostly Prettier Than the Original
We like the entire two forward thirds of this new CLS and its AMG variant. It's the latter third that drops the ball on a few levels.
The AMG designers clearly decided to take the example set by SLS AMG, a car that looks as if it was designed around its engine. The almost 1-inch-wider front track of the AMG version of the CLS beefs it up even more over the standard car. There are also new wider aluminum fender panels and a gnarlier-looking aluminum hood to go with the AMG grille and its supersized star. The look really suits it well.
But then we get toward the C-pillar back of the rear doors and it all sort of turns less attractive. Especially looking dead-on at the rear end, all the drawn lines of the trunk, rear fenders, new lighting elements, bumper, etc. come off both pinched and pudgy at the same time. It's a matter of too much being forced to happen back there. And whereas the previous CLS design was unrecognizable as sharing all underpinnings with the E-Class sedan, the rear fenders over the wheels this time give away the E-Class sharing like a neon sign.
Ride height remains the same as on the series car, even with the Performance Pak, though all of the skirting around the bottom edges would have us think different.
Putting Gen One in the Dust
Without a doubt, the new 2012 Mercedes CLS63 AMG — whether it has the Performance Pak or not — leaves the old version fittingly in the mirrors. Dynamics are hugely improved via the new suspension and its custom settings and the Speedshift MCT transmission weighs less and can handle more torque, too. Fuel mileage is way up, and the passenger cabin remains a comfortable place for four adults.
Currently, at least, all we could think of that adequately competes head-on with the 2012 Mercedes-Benz CLS63 AMG is either the slightly smaller though more potent $63,040 Cadillac CTS-V sedan or $79,150 Jaguar XFR. Otherwise, we wait for the next BMW M5 that will surely be under pressure to crush all three of these others.
Overall, the new CLS63 is an impressive piece no matter how you slice it. That upward of $125,000 to pay for our Performance Pak tricked-out car, however, could mean it's just for those who must have a potent Mercedes.

















braggart and bravado done right.

 

[tennmb]

And whereas the previous CLS design was unrecognizable as sharing all underpinnings with the E-Class sedan, the rear fenders over the wheels this time give away the E-Class sharing like a neon sign.

That is a preposterous assesment. The rear fender arches are part of a design language. One the CLS pulls off, where as the E-sedan fails miserably IMO. You certainly wouldn't suspect that they are there because of underpinnings.
Although it is no shame to be underpinned by the E. The E is a delight in all areas except for the quirky design elements. Where as the lines and arches in the CLS look flowing and sculpted, in the E look contrived and out of place.

 

[Kowalski]

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[GTA45E]

The journalists really seem to like this new CLS a lot!

I didn`t notice the black mirrors on the sports-package and wonder what thay would look like on a white CLS63. I know I like the gold brake-claipers better than the red ones.

 

[bum-man]

That was a very glowing review. Only thing that is really missing is a completely bespoke transmission like the one in the SLS.

 

[emve]

Amazing car. Beautiful inside and out. Perfect autobahn cruiser.

Many reports are mentioning fuel consumption during the test in 10-11l/100km range. Not that it would really matter in this price segment, but pretty amazing tech.

 

[Soup]

 

[Kowalski]

I'm surprised at how surprisingly light it is; 1870 kilograms? That's not bad, not bad at all.

However, it sucks that MB still insist using that stupid foot operated parking brake.

 

[Soup]

 

[Soup]

TG Verdict: 17/20

 

[GTA45E]

Autoweek magazine has tested the CLS63 AMG guys. It`s in this Sundays paper. Thay are saying it`s supposed to be on our shores in May.



With the M157 bi-turbo V8 (518hp-516lb-ft) Autoweek claims a 0-60 time of 3.9 sec. 1/4 came up in 12.1 sec @ 121.5 mph!

Thats faster than the E63 by 0.3seconds!

If the "regular" CLS63 can do that. Imagine what the "premium sport package" CLS63 can do...

 

[Michael]

I'm surprised at how surprisingly light it is; 1870 kilograms? That's not bad, not bad at all.

However, it sucks that MB still insist using that stupid foot operated parking brake.

Oh man, I didn't even notice the parking break until you mentioned it. That is rather odd that they would do that. Have they discontinued that from any of their other cars?

 

[-=Hot|Ice=-]

InsideLine Dynos the CLS 63 AMG

515 HP and 540 ft lbs of torque to the wheels.

 

[SKY]

InsideLine Dynos the CLS 63 AMG

515 HP and 540 ft lbs of torque to the wheels.

That means the M5 has 60 PS more than the CLS AMG. And that MB over-rates its engines and BMW under-rates its.

 

[Soup]

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