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
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
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.
The CL63's top speed is 155 mph, and there's a helpful little sticker on the inside of the fuel door reminding you to raise tire pressure to 46 pounds per square inch from 36 pounds if you plan to be cruising at over 100 mph. Even without altering the tire pressure, though, the car remains quiet and composed at over 100 mph.
Despite its performance orientation, the CL63 AMG is no less luxurious than the CL550.
The interior of my test CL63 was extremely elegant, with stitched leather upholstery and hand-polished burled walnut trim on the doors and dash. As a coupe, it's only a two-door, but the doors are very wide, making getting into the back seats relatively easy. The front seats also slide forward electronically at the push of a lever, and back into place once the passenger is seated in the back seat.
There are numerous helpful amenities built into the car. Backing up in a tight parking situation? The rearview monitor pops on automatically, and it has little graphic indicators that show you when you're getting close to an obstacle behind you (yellow lines) and a red zone when you're very close. Driving at night? The Xenon headlamps illuminate more of the road than with most cars, and swivel to point the way around curves. Plus, you can always flick a switch and turn on the optional night vision system, lighting up a screen that shows you the road ahead.
The night-vision system still seems a bit gimmicky, but it's growing on me as I use it more. True, its infrared sensors don't "see" much farther down the road than the naked eye. Also, even a light fog shows up on the screen as a white cloud, headlights from oncoming traffic often obscure the left half of the screen, and road glare from wet pavement is substantial. But I tested the system late one night after a huge rainstorm, and then test-drove another car without night vision immediately afterward. To my surprise, I felt much less safe without the night-vision system. Despite its flaws, it seems to focus your attention during difficult night-driving conditions. It's like Tai Chi. I'm not sure how it helps, but it does.
Buy it or Bag It?
The big question is whether the performance advantages of the CL63 AMG justify its premium price. The CL63 sells for an average of $142,007, according to the Power Information Network (PIN). Personally, I would save the 30 grand and go with the CL550, which is plenty fast, handles well enough for me, and gets better mileage. (PIN, like BusinessWeek, is a unit of The McGraw-Hill Companies (MHP).)
Other performance-oriented models to consider in this price range include the Porsche 911 (which sells for an average of $106,120, PIN says), and the Audi R8 ($133,499). More luxury-oriented alternatives include the Audi A8 Sedan Coupe ($81,158) and BMW's (BMWG) 750i Sedan ($80,722).
Another possibility is Toyota's (TM) Lexus LS460, which starts at $63,665 but costs around $100,000 well-loaded in the long-wheel-base version.
Don't expect to get a discount. According to PIN, buyers aren't getting any price breaks on the Mercedes CL63 AMG or its main rivals. Obviously, if you have to count pennies, this isn't the segment for you.
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