It's a rocket for the road and track: this Merc SL65 AMG hit 100km/h in 3.8 seconds.
Based on a highly modified and lightened version of the company's SL roadster, the new SL65 AMG Black Series coupe features a carbon-fibre fixed roof, front fenders, hood, trunk lid and front and rear aprons. With all these super-strong, lightweight parts, plus the absence of retractable roof hardware, the car is more than 250kg lighter than the standard SL.
A bolder look
With its flatter roof, broader front fenders (nearly 15cm wider), large air intakes in the front apron and hood, a rear apron with air diffuser fins and retractable rear spoiler, the new SL65 AMG looks bolder from all angles.
Weight-optimised AMG forged alloy wheels feature an unusual staggered diameter and width: 9.5 x 19 inches up front and 11.5 x 20 in the rear, with 265 / 35 19 tyres in front and 325 / 30 20 tyres at the rear. Vented and perforated composite ceramic brake discs are clearly visible through the filigree of the AMG double-spoke wheels — front discs are more than 15 inches in diameter, with six-piston fixed calipers to slow them down, and the rear are 14 inches, with four-piston fixed calipers.
An all-black interior goes for the no-nonsense functionality of a race car. Carbon-fibre bucket seats upholstered in Nappa leather with AMG embossed in the head restraints provide lateral support in fast turns, and a smaller (by 15mm) AMG Performance steering wheel is fitted with aluminium shift paddles for manual shifting. A white tachometer with four integral LEDs alerts the driver about optimal shift points, and a contrasting black speedometer reads to 225mph.
More twin-turbo power
The 6.0-litre AMG V12 engine has been modified to produce more than 485kW and 1000Nm of torque. Its twin turbochargers are 12 percent larger, passages for intake air and the turbo wastegates have been modified, and the intake air intercooler is 30 percent more efficient. The result is zero-to-100km/h acceleration of 3.8 seconds, and an electronically limited top speed of 316km/h.
Integrated within the trunk lid, a rear spoiler automatically raises nearly 12.5cm whenever the car reaches about 120km/h, creating downforce on the tail of the car at high speeds. From the rear, the most eye-catching feature is its new carbon-fibre apron with air diffuser ribs. Hidden within it is an active cooling system for the final drive and 40-percent locking differential.
The SL656 AMG Black series uses a beefed-up five-speed automatic transmission with AMG's SpeedShift Plus shift control that provides four shift modes: "C", "S", "M1" and "M2", which has 25 percent quicker shift times than "M1". The torque converter's lockup clutch assures direct shifting in all shifting scenarios, right from first gear, while an AMG automatic "throttle-blipping" feature makes downshifting smooth yet exciting, even in power-on turns.
And AMG has developed a fully adjustable sport suspension for the Black Series. Adjustable coil-spring struts allows fine tuning of shock absorber jounce and rebound, ride height and wheel alignment.
Spring links camber struts, push-pull rods and wheel carriers have been specially developed for this vehicle. Track width is nearly 10cm wider on the new Black Series car. A three-stage ESP feature provides outstanding driving dynamics. With ESP on, the system senses understeer or oversteer and applies the brakes on one wheel to counteract the slide. In the "ESP Sport" mode, the driver can purposely slide the car to its limit of control before the system reacts, while in "ESP off", the system is fully turned off.
Niiiiice. Just what the oil price needed X-(
