Mercedes CL63 AMG 2011: Official

2011 Mercedes CL63 AMG

A week after the leak of the 2011 Mercedes CL63 AMG & CL65 AMG, we get official details and photos.

We had the first leak of the 2011 Mercedes CL AMG last month when we first saw the nips and tucks Mercedes had inflicted on what we thought was about to be renamed the S Class Coupe (which apparently won’t now happen until the next all new car in 2012/2013).

That was followed up by the official reveal of the bog standard 2011 Mercedes CL500 at the Goodwood Festival of Speed earlier this month, with leaked photos of both the 2011 CL63 AMG and the CL65 AMG making an appearance a week later.

Now we get the official deal from Mercedes on the CL AMG, with release this weekend of proper pictures and detail. Most of what has arrived in our inbox we’ve already told you, and much you can see for yourself. There’s bigger headlights and a restyled grill up front and the bonnet gets a reshape.

There’s also a new set of bumpers, all enough to keep the CL looking fresh for another couple of years and be able to stand its ground against the soon to be nipped and tucked DB9 and Conti.

It’s not just the body that gets a workover though, the oily bits get a complete change – at least in the CL63. Out goes the naturally aspirated 6.2 litre V8 and in comes the new 5.5 litre twin turbo V8. That engine change results in 536bhp and 590lb/ft of torque.

That translates to 0-60mph in 4.5 seconds, which from a coupe that weighs about the same as a small reservoir is no mean feat. Throw in the optional performance package and you dump the 155mph limiter so top speed becomes 186mph and you knock a 10th of the 0-60.

There’s big news on the economy front, with the CL63 now returning figures of 26.9mpg thanks to stuff like stop/start and an improved brake energy regeneration. The new setup also drops CO2 from 346g/km to 244g/km. Quite astonishing.

But the figures are disingenuous. That’s not Mercedes’ fault – they’re playing the daft game imposed upon them by Government targets – but there is not a cat in hell’s chance you’ll ever get 27mph from a CL63 AMG. And if you do you should have saved yourself a few bob and bought the CL500 instead.

Also tweaked with similar body changes is the CL65 AMG. But in a sure sign that the V12 bi-turbo is past its sell by date, there are no changes under the bonnet. Which means the much more expensive CL65 delivers the same performance as the CL63 but with 19.8mpg and CO2 of 334g/km.

Which makes it even harder to justify the extra £50k for the V12 than it was. Although the wall of torque in the V12 is still an intoxicating attraction – at any price.