Daimler AG announced today that they have chosen Kecskemet, Hungary, for its new plant that will focus on building entry-level Mercedes-Benz cars. Mercedes-Benz plans on increasing its entry-level option from two to four models with the next-generation A-Class and B-Class.

No engine details on the SUV are available as of yet, but according to previous reports the car will be built on the A-Class/B-Class platform and will be positioned under the upcoming GLK and with pricing to be around £22,000 ($43,061 USD).

Rumor has it that Mercedes-Benz will also build a new compact entry-level coupe at the plant

Daimler plans on investing 800 million euros into the new plant and says it will create around 2,500 jobs.

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Mercedes has announced a new diesel engine, and it’s a win win situation – power is up, emissions are down. The environment can breathe a sigh of relief while you have a bigger smile on your face. More importantly, it will form the base of Stuttgart's first diesel hybrid.

The new Mercedes diesel engine

It isn’t motoring at its most exciting but there are three variants of the new engine – which is 2143cc in size – and they are:

• 200CDI – 134bhp/243lb ft
• 220CDI – 168bhp/295lb ft
• 250CDI – 201bhp/369lb ft
  

While the 200 and 220 already exist, their emissions and fuel consumption are down, with exact numbers depending on what model each engine sits in. CO2 is the big news, though, with reductions of up to 13 per cent on engines that weren’t exactly dirty in the first place. Power outputs are the same, but the 200CDI gets a 44lb ft hike in torque.

The headlines that Mercedes is shouting about surround the all new twin-turbo 250CDI. In a C-Class – the first place the new oil-burning units will appear – it'll power the saloon to 62mph in 7.7 seconds while putting out just 143g/km of CO2 at the back. Fuel economy is a not unreasonable 51mpg.

Mercedes will be rolling it out across new models from late 2008 so expect the new E-Class, amongst others, to get the new engine variants too. They can be mounted lengthways or crossways and can be linked to four-wheel drive, so there’s plenty of versatility and it could well be the engine of choice in some ranges.

Bluetec will also be available later and give BMW and its Efficient Dynamics something to think about. Speaking of the Bavarians, BMW's nearest rivals to the new Mercedes powerplant are the 320d (177bhp/258lb ft, 58.9mpg/128g/km) and 325d (197bhp/295lb ft, 47.9mpg/155g/km).

The C250CDI’s combination of grunt and economy looks to have the 3-series licked for now. So long as the C200 and 220CDIs get their MPG and CO2 bang on, then BMW have to work hard to get their smallest saloon back on the game.

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Another tuned sports car from German tuner, Mansory, is the Mercedes-McLaren SLR Renovatio. The car comes with customized aerodynamic kit and the power has been increase with the help of a new supercharger.

In order to improve the Mansory Mercedes-McLaren SLR Renovatio, many components were replaced with lighter parts. The stock wheels have been replaced with ultra-light forged wheels and most of the body parts were replaced with lighter carbon-fiber parts.

The car is powered by a 5.5 liter V8 engine which was upgraded with a new supercharger and new intercooler to produce 700 hp (stock is 626 hp) and 880 Nm of torque. With the upgrades, the Renovatio is two tenths faster from 0 to 100 km/h with the top speed of 340 km/h.

At the exterior, the Mansory Mercedes-McLaren SLR Renovatio features new front apron which direct air to a pair of intercoolers mounted behind the front bumper.

Other kit fitted to the Mansory Mercedes-McLaren SLR Renovatio are a new rear apron with an integrated diffuser for additional downforce.

On the interior, the car is wrapped with leather and carbon fiber, fitted with new aluminum pedals and illuminated door tread plates.

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The Stuttgart manufacturer’s iconic luxury sports car, the SL, has received cosmetic and mechanical updating to ensure its styling and performance match the other models in the Mercedes range.

Mechanically, there are two big changes: the introduction of an ‘entry level’ SL 280 equipped with a 228bhp V6, and the adoption of the Mercedes-Benz ‘direct-steer system’ that’s already seen the light of day in the revised SLK and new CLC. The new V6 joins an uprated SL 350 (now 312bhp at 6500rpm), the familiar V8 SL 500 and the silky smooth, range-topping V12 SL 600.

AMG’s own 6.3-litre V8 will replace the current supercharged 5.5-litre V8 of the SL 55 AMG, while the SL 65 AMG, with its 6.0-litre V12 biturbo (604bhp), remains the model line’s flagship. The engineers at Mercedes have been working hard to reduce emissions and fuel consumption. The SL 350 for example - despite its extra power - can return 28.5mpg, a 1.1mpg improvement on the outgoing version.

Inside the new car there’s a redesigned three-spoke leather steering wheel and a completely restyled instrument cluster. As ever, buyers can choose from an extensive options list that includes Mercedes’ patented AIRSCARF neck-level heating system, a Harman Kardon 'Logic7' sound system, and the Intelligent Light System. The latter provides five different light functions designed specifically for typical driving situations and weather conditions, including a ‘Motorway mode’ that’s activated in two stages when the speed exceeds 90km/h, increasing the driver's range of vision by up to 60 per cent.

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SL63 AMG. Remember the name, because it’s what Lewis Hamilton will be looking at all year. Mercedes has let its in-house tuners AMG loose on the recently facelifted SL, and the result is not one but two supercar baiters. The SL65 AMG continues pretty much as before, while the new SL63 AMG wil be the Grand Prix pace car for 2008.

The SL65 AMG keeps its twin-turbo 6.0-liter V12, with 612bhp and 737lb ft being delivered through Mercedes five-speed auto ‘box. That means it’ll run to 60mph in 4.2 seconds while there are 390mm (front) and 360mm (rear) discs to stop this behemoth.

But it’s with a tear in our eyes that we wave goodbye to the SL55 AMG, and Mercedes’ supercharged V8. Hopefully the thought of 525bhp and 465lb ft will cheer you up. Welcome then, to the 6.2-liter V8-powered SL63 AMG. It’s the same V8 that powers everything from the C-class to the CLS, albeit in a slightly higher state of tune. We're cheering up.

The 0-60mph sprint is actually 0.1 seconds slower than the outgoing car’s 4.5 second run. But you will have one of the world’s best and brawniest engines under the bonnet. And the new V8 also means Mercedes can fit its seven-speed auto. In the SL63 it features the company’s new Speedshift Multi Clutch Transmission. According to Mercedes it has a wet start-up clutch that replaces the conventional torque converter. That apparently means a more direct connection to the powertrain so the SL offers a more sporting drive.

The Speedshift MCT also has a double declutching function, and Race Start launch control. There are four modes for the gearbox and Mercedes clever ABC suspension is standard. The AMG button – the equivalent of BMW’s M button – also allows you to select your favorite set-up quickly. Both AMG tweaked SLs have the clever folding metal roof, which open in 16 seconds.

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Mercedes’ high-performance tuning AMG division will not be producing a monster version of the upcoming GLK. According to Volker Mornhinweg, two SUV’s are sufficient enough to receive the AMG badging.

“There is no space for a third SUV” Mornhinweg said in an interview with Autotelegraaf. ”We are now simply going to offer the AMG-program to sedans, cabrios, roadsters and the two SUVs (ML, GL).”

Seems kind of unfair to us since even the boring R-Class received an AMG variant.

At the 2008 Detroit Auto Show, Mercedes showed two Vision GLK studies powered by a brand new generation of diesel engines. The four-cylinder 2.2L is capable of producing an output 165hp while cutting down fuel consumption and emission figures.

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This is Mercedes’ new CLC, only it's not quite so new. Underneath it’s really the old Sports Coupe with a nose from the C-class grafted on to give it more modern engines and help it pass the latest crash regulations. In fact, the new CLC has exactly the same wheelbase (2715mm) as the old Sports Coupe, and the same size boot.

To the accountants at Stuttgart it made more sense to heavily revise the current car rather than to start afresh. That doesn’t mean the engineers haven’t been hard at work though: Mercedes claims over 1100 parts on the CLC are new or revised compared to the old car.

Mercedes was never going to stop making the Sports Coupe. Over 320,000 have found homes since 2001, and with over 70 percent of cars sold being conquest sales, and then over two-thirds of Sports Coupe buyers sticking with the Mercedes brand it’s a car Stuttgart cannot afford to be without.

The new front end and the new styling. Out go the quad-headlamps, in comes sharp, jutting, solid lines to give the CLC the C-class family look. And that new front end means the latest engines and gearboxes. The engine line-up is:

• Diesel

• CLC 200 CDI 2.2-litre 120bhp/199lb ft
• CLC 220 CDI 2.2-litre 148bhp/251lb ft
  

• Petrol

• CLC 180K 1.8-litre 141bhp/170lb ft
• CLC 200K 1.8-litre 181bhp/184lb ft
• CLC 230 2.5-litre 201bhp/180lb ft
• CLC 350 3.5-litre 268bhp/258lb ft
  

All CLCs come as standard with a six-speed manual, but a five-speed auto is optional on the four-cylinder cars, a seven-speed auto can be had with the CLC 230, and it’s standard on the CLC 350.

The new car keeps the old car’s interior dash architecture, and many of the same materials. Thus the quality is nothing like that of the latest C-class, and is not much of a step forward compared to the current car either. The dial for the lights, and the buttons below the central air vents seem especially cheap. Has Mercedes not seen the BMW 1-series Coupe?

But despite the old architecture you do get new electronics. The CLC can now be had with a USB and iPod interface, and the standard leather-covered multi functional steering wheel lets you scroll through your iPod’s tracks which are displayed on the color screen. The new Command multimedia system also offers hard-disk sat-navigation for faster operation, while ESP and front and rear parking sensors are standard on all cars.

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According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Mercedes-Benz is recalling the 2007 SLR McLarens because the windshields on the cars may not be instealled properly.

“If a crash occurs, the windshield may not be retained, increasing the risk of injury to a vehicle occupant,” says the NHTSA in the 2007 SLR McLaren recall summary. The NHTSA said, “either the primer or activator was missing at the time of installation.”

Mercedes-Benz dealerships will remove the windshields, clean and reinstall them with a primer and activator. If you own the $482,750 SLR McLarens, you may want to head over to your local Benz dealership or call (800) 367-6372 for more information.

Britney Speras and Adnan droved Mercedes AMG 65 and collided with guy on Ducatti motorcycle. See pictures and latest news about accident.

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With inspiration apparently coming from the stunning 1954 Gullwing, this is Mercedes' facelifted SL. With a new entry-level engine, Mercedes clever Airscarft system, and a hugely different front end, this second and final facelift should see the SL through until the next decade.

That new nose is the most obvious change. The quad headlamps are replaced by twin CLS-style items, while the front grille is not only wider with a horizontal bar, but now sits proud of the bonnet too. The whole front end tapers to a point, creating a focal point, while the rear taillights are now smoked, a feature that had previously been reserved for AMG models of the SL.

Inspiration for further changes has been drawn from the original W198 Gullwing that was built from 1954 to 1957. The bonnet has a new powerdome (nee twin raised humps) and the revised air outlets behind the front wheel arches now feature vertical gills as opposed to the current horizontal strakes.

There’s the three-spoke steering wheel that first featured on the new C-class, a new command entertainment system and the Airscarf system from the SLK. The system blows hot air from the headrests to keep your neck warm when the clever folding metal roof is tucked away in the boot. Options will include Mercedes new Direct-Steer system already seen on the facelifted SLK and GLK concept, and the company’s ‘Inteligent Light System’.

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Mercedes has given its SLK a spruce-up just in time for Christmas. Blink and you most certainly will miss it – but the company claims there are 650 modified parts on its renowned roadster, which gets freshened looks inside and out, and fettled engines to take it into 2008.

Anoraks will spot the facelifted two-seater by its reshaped bumper and front air dam, and the large three-pointed star is given more prominence on the SLK’s snout. At the rear, a faux diffuser is grafted onto the car’s behind, alongside trapezoidal tailpipes and smoked, AMG-style rear lights.

Bigger door mirrors sprout from the flanks – now illuminated with arrow-shaped indicator repeaters, and new designs of alloy wheel evolve the look originally penned by Brit designer Steve Mattin, now design chief at Volvo.

The four-strong engine line-up will continue, led by the SLK55 V8. The three smaller engines are all revised for lower consumption and emissions: the SLK200 Kompressor (up 21bhp to 182bhp), SLK 280 (unchanged at ) and SLK350 (up 33bhp to 301bhp).

Also new is a variable ratio steering system called Direct-Steer. It’s optional on the three base models and standard on the AMG, and is wholly mechanical, meaning a much more direct ratio when just 5deg of lock is applied for quicker responses. Merc claims the turns lock to lock has reduced by a quarter as a result.

Changes inside include a new instrument cluster and three-spoke steering wheel design. Mercedes latest telematics system has been shoehorned in, letting owners use Bluetooth and operate their iPod remotely through the usual stereo controls.

The revised SLK goes on sale in Britain in April 2008. Pricing will be announced in the new year. Despite being the priciest car in its segment, the SLK remains a strong seller – Mercedes has flogged nearly half a million since its debut in 1997, nearly a tenth of those in the UK.

Tim Pollard

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Carlsson, the Mercedes-Benz tuner has modified the Mercedes-Benz ML 320 CDI SUV to produce 269 bhp/198 kW with a maximum torque of 612 Nm at 1800 rpm. Carlsson installed performance Kit C-Tronic Diesel Power to increase the power.

Carlsson installed performance Kit C-Tronic Diesel Power to achieve the increase of power. The exhaust system has also been upgraded with stainless steel silencers with twin oval tailpipes each. It will not only give sporty sound but also optimized back pressure and gas conduction and directly increase the torque and performance.

The suspension system has also been upgraded to the electronic suspension lowering C-Tronic suspension for greater ride comfort in all situations. The suspension system help to lower the ride by 40 mm for sportier look and better handling. Apart from that, with the reduction in height, the top speed could be increase and improve the fuel consumption.
The Carlsson CD32 stands on 11-11-spoke wheel 1/11 Evo Brilliant Edition with the dimension of 11×22″ with Dunlop SP Sport 9000 285/30 R22 tyres.

At the interior, the Carlsson CD32 wrapped with a combination of Alcantara and leather, fitted with Carlsson leather/Alcantara or leather/wood sports steering wheel and aluminium pedals.

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Lake Park, FL - 18DEC2007 - Officially official: Mercedes-Benz’ SLR McLaren 722 GT, available exclusively at RENNtech.

While Mercedes’ ultra-exclusive SLR McLaren 722 GT track car has been making rounds in the motoring press for several weeks now, a few key questions remained unanswered - including “How much?” and “Where can I get one?”

We can answer the “How much?” question rather easily (795,000 €, or about 1.2 million USD), it’s the “Where can I get one?” question that’s more interesting.

As of Monday, Dec. 17, 2007, the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren 722 GT will be made available to the North American market exclusively through RENNtech, the Florida-based MB tuning house owned and operated by super-tuner Hartmut Feyhl, who also lists “technical director, AMG North America” on his resume. “It’s been a very exciting project to be involved in,” explains Feyhl.
Similar in concept to Ferrari’s Enzo FXX program, the 722 GT is built specifically for track use by renowned British motorsports specialists at the RML Group to be the fastest possible on a track. The SLR 722 GT offers impressive power and cornering and delivers exactly the kind of motorsports experience one would expect from a competition car - and, with only 21 examples of the hyper-exclusive track cars being offered for sale, driving one is sure be a special occasion.

RENNtech will be organizing several on-track events (to be announced) throughout the US, beginning in 2008.

The SLR 722 GT trackcars will be set-up and maintained by RENNtech, which will have specially trained technicians and engineers on hand at each of the planned on-track events, which will follow a format similar to the SLR.Club SAFETY & SPEED ACADEMY track weekends in Europe. Participating customers will receive a mix of on and off-track instruction by trained instructors and professional drivers (including Jochen Mass, David Coulthard, and others), as well as some track time in RENNtech’s Aixro SLR.Karts - to get a good feel for each track before going out in their SLRs.

Feyhl explained that the concept is to deliver to SLR McLaren customers a true and authentic motorsports experience in a competitive and reasonably safe environment.

If it is RENNtech and Mercedes’ goal to deliver “an authentic experience”, the SLR McLaren 722 GT is a great place to start - compared to the road-going SLR, the 722 GT gets the full FIA GT treatment from RML: more than 400 redesigned components, FIA spec. safety equipment, fully adjustable suspension, full-on competition brake hardware, a no-nonsense interior, and a track-only exhaust system that bumps the 722 GT’s output to well over 670 hp. The real game-changers, however, are the 722 GT’s towering rear wing and drastically reduced weight. At 1390 kg, the 722 GT weighs some six-hundred pounds less (!) than the stock 722, and the rear wing (in conjunction with the car’s front splitter) provide more than enough aerodynamic downforce to tackle the fastest turns with confidence.

The 722 GT also benefits from years of wind-tunnel and CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) experience at RML and McLaren, making the wings and body mods much more than an aesthetic package. Everything on the car, every vent and louvre, is fully functional - a terrific enhancement to on-track performance.

With more power, less weight, and dramatically improved handling, the limited-edition Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren 722 GT, one thing is certain: if you love cars, love racing, and have the money (but not the time) to campaign a full-on race series, the 722 GT is your ticket.

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It’s another special edition of McLaren Mercedes, but it's nothing to do with Mercedes, apparently. Northamptonshire-based RML (Ray Mallock Ltd) have tweaked the SLR for rich racing enthusiasts. Don't fret, they've got some pedigree. In 2007 RML ran the Chevrolet WTCC teams, competed in the ALMS, and at Le Mans, and in the past ran they also ran Nissan's BTCC team.

Compared to the standard SLR 722, RML claim to have ‘uniquely and comprehensively re-engineered’ the car, with over 400 changes being made.

The headline figure is of course the power, and the supercharged Mercedes 5.5-litre V8 now puts out 671bhp thanks to a new exhaust and air filter. However, that’s only up 21bhp, and torque is up a measly 7lb ft.

The fuss, therefore, is all about the loss of 334kg. That’s right, 334kg! RML have stripped out all the weight that Gordon Murray was so adverse to see Mercedes put in, and now the SLR 722 GT weighs 1390kg, 5kg less than a 911 GT3.
The SLR GT gets a new front splitter, wider wings and side skirts, a huge rear diffuser, and that rather large and obvious fixed wing. Overall down force is up, but so is drag, so the top speed drops from 210mph to 197mph. Apparently ‘fast lap times are guaranteed'.

The suspension is adjustable, and lightweight 18-inch alloy wheels with central locks for quick changes complete the external makeover, though what you can’t see is the pneumatic jack system to make tyres changes even quicker.

Hidden behind the lightweight wheels are new brakes, which meet the FIA GT series regulations. Hopefully they’ll provide some more feel than the standard car’s off-ON brakes…

Exactly what Mercedes never planned for the SLR. Their ideal was a big touring GT. This is anything but. There's a very big roll cage, racing buckets with six-point harnesses, and a new instrument cluster and steering wheel. All very un-Mercedes.

Only 21 are going to be built, and they're not being homologated for road use. According to RML, all the orders it's had so far have been from existing SLR owners. But at least this is a venture by RML, and thankfully Mercedes have not taken the much-maligned route Ferrari have with the FXX.

No word yet on price, but if you have to ask you’re probably too sensible to want one.

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The 722 or the Mercedes-Benz McLaren SLR 722 Edition to quote its full name is a limited run of tweaked SLRs, named after the Mercedes 300 SLR that British racing legend Stirling Moss and his co-driver Dennis Jenkinson drove to victory in the 1955 Mille Miglia race from Brescia to Rome and back.

The number actually refers to the time - 07:22am - that they started the grueling 1000-mile race, and they completed it at a record-breaking average speed of 100mph.

SLR sales have never lived up to Mercedes’ expectations, and special edition models with more power, honed dynamics and greater driver engagement are always a sharp hook with which to go out and snag some more buyers. If it works for Porsche…

The left-hand-drive 722 series will be limited to 150 models worldwide, and will cost around £350,000 depending on the Sterling-Euro exchange rate. Mercedes opened up its order books to prospective buyers when the 722 was unveiled at the Paris Motor Show last September. All UK-bound 722s have already been snapped up.

Well, for an extra £32,500 over the standard SLR you get more power and less weight. Which is a good place to start. Recalibrating the hand-built 5.5-litre supercharged V8 engine’s electronic black box has pushed output to 650bhp at 6500rpm and 605lb ft at 4000rpm – that’s 24bhp and 30lb ft more than a standard SLR.
The five-speed paddle-shift automatic transmission and its gearing remain unchanged, but you do get even more carbonfibre, with a new front splitter and rear diffuser, resulting in a 44kg drop in weight to a still super-size-me 1724kg.

The steering has been tweaked, the suspension uprated, the ride height dropped, each corner fitted with lightweight alloy wheels to reduce unsprung weight, ceramic brakes are fitted, and the aerodynamics have been upgraded.

Inside you get red stitching on the Alcantara-wrapped bucket seats and suede–covered steering wheel, red-ringed instruments and redesigned aluminium shift paddles. Oh, and a tacky 722 plaque on the centre console that would shame a Christmas cracker goody. In total, over 300 components have been enhanced or replaced.

Imagine strapping a jet engine on full afterburner to your back and you’ll get the idea. The 722 claws its way up to 100mph with the kind of vicious, neck-straining acceleration that makes a BMW M5 or Porsche 911 feel like a milk float with a flat battery.

There’s no pause or slowing up of that pulverising acceleration either – that hammering V8 engine just keeps ripping through to its 7000rpm redline, dropping into a higher gear and winding the speedometer needle closer to its maximum velocity.

Carbonfibre front lip almost doubles front downforce at speed, the rear diffuser has been revised to suck the tail down on to the tarmac, and the airbrake now lifts to a more acute angle to boost rear-end stability under extreme braking.
All of which means winding the 722 up to its 210mph top speed is simply a matter of finding a long straight road and holding the comically large steering wheel straight. A bit easier than the terrifying speeds managed by Moss and Jenks in 1955 (see pic above).

Brakes are brilliant and awful in the same breath. The 722 is fitted with vast 390mm carbonfibre-reinforced ceramic brake discs complete with red calipers, supplied by Brembo. While the Sensotronic brake-by-wire setup has absolutely no problem in hauling the 722 back down from go-directly-to-jail speeds with the lightest brush of the floor-mounted pedal, they are frustratingly difficult to modulate; the pedal feels wooden and smooth deceleration is almost an impossibility.

Corners are place where the 722 falls apart. It’s the steering that’s to blame. Despite being razor-sharp and accurate, it never feels anything but dead. You’re given very little idea of what the front wheels are doing – not so cool in a car that can whip up to three times the national limit in a few minutes.

Throw in a chassis that feels stiff but oddly inert and you’re left driving a very one-dimensional car. Which is a crying shame given the killer performance of its engine and brakes.
The 722 perfectly illustrates the point that there’s more to a supercar than earth-shattering speed. You need tactility and communication, emotion and charisma – qualities the 722 is sadly bereft of.

A Ferrari 599 may not match the SLR’s sledgehammer performance, but its far higher level of driver engagement is far more appealing than a few saved tenths of a second over a sweaty-palmed Alpine pass. Ditto a Porsche 911 Turbo. Both cheaper to buy and better to drive - salt in the 722’s wounds that’s really going to sting.

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Black Series? Sounds posh and a little edgy. What's all that about then?
AMG groups its cars into five divisions. The Black Series machines are second only to the borderline psychotic and super-expensive Signature Series (i.e. CLK DTM) cars in the line-up.

Black Series cars are stripped out, track focused and expensive (just like the Signature Series cars then) and this particular weapon is the second MB car to receive the Black treatment. A permanent hard top SLK 55 AMG with a carbon roof was the first.

• So what's special about this CLK Black?

If you can ignore the fact that the Signature and Black Series cars appear to share a strangely similar philosophy, the CLK Black's spec is as mouthwatering as its price is eye-watering (around £100,000). AMG takes the competent but bland CLK 63 AMG Coupe and does what it probably wanted to do to the car to start with: strip it out, tune it up, fit track-orientated suspension and brakes and unleash a car that feels as tight and as trick as anything it has ever built.

Aside from the F1 safety car-alike bodywork with its assorted scoops, flips and wings, the CLK 63 Black has a not-inconsiderable 507bhp – 26bhp up on the standard model – from its 6.3-liter, naturally aspirated, mainly hand built V8.

This is a phenomenal engine; utterly smooth but revvy and angry and easily a match for BMW’s M Power V10. The Black gets a tuned exhaust system, which not only releases extra horses from the motor but also a barrage of bangs, pops, growls and grumbles.

Other mods to this all-aluminum engine include a reprogrammed ECU and a tuned intake system while those 507 gee-gees gallop to the rear wheels via AMG's Speedshift seven-speed auto (there's no manual option) with a shorter final drive ratio. There's also a limited-slip diff that feels suitably sticky on the track.

• Crikey. Sounds fast...

Oh yes. The Black is 0.3 seconds quicker to 60mph than the standard CLK 63 AMG, hitting the magic six-oh in just under 4.3 seconds. Top speed is limited to 188mph.
That’s not a huge outright performance advantage over the standard CLK 63 (especially when you remember it costs approximately £10,000 per tenth of a second saved to 60mph…), but where the Black Series really scores is on the track.

• On the track? Go on then, tell us what it’s like

Well, we drove it on the track and the road and initial impressions were good. Very good. The front seats (the only seats in the car) grab you tightly, the exhaust note is barking mad and the whole car feels brilliantly stiff and pure of purpose. The new adjustable coilover suspension delivered a surprisingly comfortable ride, and the composite brake discs (thicker on this Black version) provided massive braking performance and great feel.

On track, the circuit-focused Pirelli P Zero Corsas and coilover suspension set-up provided strong, consistent grip while the handling was nicely neutral and exploitable. With such a beefy engine up front, understeer came first but a few laps with Mercedes racing legend (and former DTM champ) Klaus Ludwig demonstrated the best way to drive the car – from the rear. A couple of lifts or stabs on the brakes to unsettle the car way before the apex, then loads of right-foot to throttle-steer the car all the way through the corner. Brilliant.

• Sound great. Surely it wasn't all good?

Well, on the road the seven-speed 'box with paddle shift worked well enough, but on the track there's little doubt a manual gearbox would provide greater satisfaction. If this car is about track thrills, then the lack of a manual option is a strange one – after all you can't imagine Porsche building an auto-only GT3, can you?
Also, someone at AMG has once again confused steering weight for steering feel.

• Ah, the sublime Porsche GT3? How does it compare?

Very favorably in terms of outright pace and price, but the Porsche is unquestionably the better car. The CLK 63 Black Series is intriguing, suitably bonkers and surprisingly capable – but at close to £100K, it is neither as focused as a GT3 nor as capable on the road as the 911 Turbo. That's not to say this isn't a good car, merely that its up against some incredible competition.

The CLK 63 Black Series has massive appeal – it’s rare, it’s fast, it’s fun and it is as charismatic as any Mercedes I’ve driven. But £100,000! Phew.

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The Mercedes C63 AMG estate looks nice. That is does, being better resolved and more understated than the saloon. But don’t for one moment let the big boot fool you, because this car has 451bhp and 443lb ft.

The C63’s 6.2-litre V8 is a great engine and it will rocket Mercedes’ latest load-lugger from rest to 62mph in 4.6 seconds.

All that power is transmitted to the road by AMG’s Speedshift Plus 7G-Tronic gearbox. It comes with steering wheel paddles and you can also choose between three driving modes: Comfort, Sport and Manual.
On the Continent prices will start at €69,853 (£47,115) so expect it to be £50k by the time it reaches UK shores at the beginning of 2008.

• Any other goodies?

Standard spec includes 18-inch wheels, though 19s are an option. But our only complaint about the C63 AMG saloon was the overly hard ride, so the wife, children and labrador may not be too happy with the bigger wheels.

The front axle is lifted from the CLK Black Series, and there’s also a three-stage ESP system.
‘But I’m a practical man,’ Then fear not, because like the regular C-class estate the boot is full of rings and hooks, plus a collapsible crate to hold your shopping while the Easy-Pack tailgate opens and closes at the touch of a button.

The C63 AMG estate can also hold 485 litres, or 1500 litres with the rear seats folded. That’s 15 and 146 litres bigger respectively than the old C55 AMG estate, and comfortably more than the current RS4 Avant. But with that car due to retire soon, and BMW yet to confirm a M3 Touring, the Mercedes seemingly has the compact premium super-estate category to itself.

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So this is Merc’s answer to the new BMW M3. Got it. Hot C's have long been part of Mercedes' line-up, but none has had us quite as excited as this, the C63 which as the name suggests, gets the big 6.3-litre V8 from the car right at the top of Merc's range, the CL63.

It’s worth pointing out that while Audi and BMW have only just got around to slotting V8s under their cars’ bonnets, Mercedes has been at it for years starting with the C43 back in 1997. The C63 doesn’t go on sale in the UK until mid-2008, but when it gets here it will only have the M3 to beat as its other obvious rival, the Audi RS4, is about to die and won’t be replaced until 2009.

• How will I spot it?

Try the flared whee larches, new front and rear bumpers, quad exhausts, twin bonnet power domes, rear diffuser or wing vents. And if you get close enough, peek through the window at the unusual sports seats that look like they came out of an ’80s 911, the leather-wrapped wheel, rubber-studded aluminum pedals and SLR-style silver instruments that look great but aren’t that easy to read.

Any way you look at it, this isn’t your usual sober-suited Mercedes.

• So run me through the highlights

That 6.3-liter V8 is the same one you’ll find in the CL63 but detuned slightly to deliver 451bhp and 443lb ft of torque. So it trumps the new M3 to the tune of 37bhp and a gigantic 148lb ft.
It drives through a tweaked version of Mercedes seven-speed auto with three modes: Comfort (typically Mercedes smooth up shifts, reluctant down shifts), Sport (30 percent quicker shifts, blips on the way down) and Manual, which swaps ratios in half the time needed in Comfort mode.

• So it's not slow then?

Not unless your regular car is a top fuel dragster. The new M3 does 62mph in 4.8sec but Mercedes says the C63 will hit the same benchmark in 4.5sec, so reckon on nearer 4.0sec dead to 60mph.

And even that doesn’t fully illustrate how rapid the C63 feels, particularly above 100mph. Any gearbox snobs out there need to know that the auto ’box works really well, Sport mode being enough for day-to-day stuff and manual the right tool for when you really want to have some fun.

• But it’s whipped in the bends, right?

Wrong. Unlike some rival cars the C63 comes with no buttons to change steering or suspension settings, although if you think the standard car isn’t going to be hardcore enough or expect to be doing a lot of track work, you can specify tauter suspension, bigger brakes and wide 19-inch tires when you place your order.

But even the standard 18-inch wheel car is a delight. With ESP set in Sport mode, every deviation from the straight-ahead as you turn the wheel results in a three-way conference call between accelerator, throttle and rear suspension. The steering retains the standard car’s 13.5:1 ratio but the rack is repositioned, the front track is 35mm wider and the brakes are serious: six pots up front, four pots at the back and full of feel.

Switch ESP out altogether and it’s an absolute riot. The RS4 doesn’t really do over steer, at least not in the dry, and the M3 needs more provocation than before to perform. But the C63 has the torque and balance to let you play all day, if sliding is your thing.

• It’s sounding like a full five-star car

Factor in the expected £50k price and, yes, it looks like the C63 has it all sewn up. But there is a niggle and it’s to do with the way the C63 deals with lumps and bumps. Traditional Mercedes customers won’t like it. Even the M3 rides better.
While it’s easy to get carried away applauding Mercedes for not fitting gimmicky buttons to change the suspension sittings, Porsche proved with PASM on the GT3 and RS just how useful such systems can be. It's the one chink in the Mercedes Armour.

• Verdict

The C63 is a great car – and for all sorts of reasons we weren’t expecting. It’s agile, has great brakes and steering, the auto gearbox works well and it’s even good value for money. On top of that it’s blisteringly quick, but then you knew that already.

This is an AMG you need make no excuses for and it could just be the best sports saloon on sale. We'll be hunting down a group test with its rivals soon to deliver the definitive verdict on that one...

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