Impressive spec sheet notwithstanding, some customers will still believe that 500 hp is not enough, and for those select few who find the CLK a bit tame, there is always RENNTECH.

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Press Release

Established in 1989 by Hartmut Feyhl (ex technical director: AMG North
America), RENNTECH quickly made a name for itself with high-powered magazine
tuner-shootout cars that were reliable enough to actually be driven from
RENNTECH’s home in South Florida thousands of miles to events in Texas and
Michigan. For the CLK Black, Feyhl told his crew to develop the same kind of
“real-world” performance upgrades that made his cars so famous to begin with.

“Real-world performance is all about torque, not so much about a peak
horsepower number at very high rpm,” explains Feyhl. “It can be very easy to
build high rpm horsepower, but to get instant throttle response and mid-range
acceleration it is more difficult, and this is where customers really want to
feel that improvement.” To build that improvement, RENNTECH adds long-tube
headers and a motorsports style exhaust to the already-potent 6.2 liter engine,
tying it all together with RENNTECH’s own ECU software, sharpening throttle
response and boosting 550 peak hp. The real story, however, is drivability -
and this is where the RENNTECH tuning package shines, delivering an additional
45-60 lb-ft of torque between 2400 and 5000 rpm.

To “sharpen” the car even further, RENNTECH fine-tuned the CLK63 Black Series’
suspension, lowering the car 3/4″ and adding carbon-fiber strut braces front
and rear. To enhance mechanical grip in fast corners, RENNTECH also added
fully-adjustable camber bushings at all four corners. Aerodynamic stability is
also greatly enhanced with an adjustable carbon-fiber rear wing element and a
front splitter/rear diffuser combination to manage underbody airflow, building
usable downforce and (adjustable) aerodynamic balance at speed, while directing
cooling air to the Black Series’ huge AMG brake rotors - themselves enhanced
with high-performance pads and stainless-steel braided lines. The result is a
hard-core CLK63 from RENNTECH that does the unthinkable: it makes the standard
CLK63 seem a bit soft.

Contact RENNTECH for more.

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Press Release:

The inclusion of some of the latest technology has made this classic from the AMG stable fit for the future. Thanks to the integration of a new engine control unit, the performance of the supercharged AMG 5.5-litre V8 engine has been nudged up from 368 kW/500 hp to 373 kW/507 hp, with maximum torque remaining at 700 Nm. Likewise unchanged is the vehicle’s effortless performance, with the G 55 AMG accelerating from zero to 100 km/h in 5.5 seconds and peaking at a top speed of 210 km/h (electronically limited).

The upgraded G 55 AMG also features improvements in the areas of safety and comfort. The Electronic Stability Program (ESP®), for example, now boasts a new and more powerful control unit, incorporating a transverse acceleration control to allow more precise recognition of dynamic driving situations and thus provide even better vehicle stability. In addition, the new G 55 AMG now comes with a hill-start assist. A sensor recognises whenever the off-roader comes to a halt on an ascending gradient. The system instantly memorises the braking pressure applied and maintains this for a short instant, giving drivers sufficient time to move from the brake to the accelerator pedal without the vehicle rolling backward. The big advantage of this technology is that in most cases it eliminates the need to use the parking brake.

Discreet but effective design modifications

The new G 55 AMG boasts discreet but effective design modifications,including
a new radiator grille with three distinctive horizontal bars that are painted the same colour as the rest of the body and - exclusive to the AMG top-of-the-range model - also feature chrome inserts. Moving around the vehicle, the highlight of the side view are the new polished 19-inch five-spoke AMG light-alloy wheels painted titanium grey. They are 9.5 inches wide and equipped with 275/55 R 19 tyres that impressively bulk out the wheel arches.

Still a standard feature of the AMG body-styling package are the bumpers painted in body colour and the characteristic AMG wide fenders. Other features include a brushed-aluminium trim set boasting a distinctive AMG logo and the twin oval chrome tailpipes of the AMG sports exhaust system, emerging from beneath the stainless-steel running boards on either side of the vehicle - an unmistakable sign of the power of the supercharged AMG 5.5-litre V8 engine.

New COMAND APS and designo leather upholstery fitted as standard

The G 55 AMG also underscores its exclusive character with designo leather upholstery, which is standard and now features a new silver-coloured designo emblem on the front backrests. The seats are colour-coordinated with the designo decorative wood trim as well as the wood/leather steering wheel and the redesigned wood/leather selector lever bearing a G 55 logo. Also new is the interior roof lining made of anthracite Alcantara. Helping to enhance passenger comfort, particularly in the summer months, are the new climatised seats, which are available for the first time with this model.

Drivers of the new G 55 AMG will also benefit from the latest generation of telematics equipment developed by Mercedes. The standard equipment COMAND APS system boasts a high-definition 6.5-inch colour display, rapid HDD navigation with aerial view, LINGUATRONIC for controlling audio, navigation and phone systems, a 4 GB memory for music files, and a slot for SD memory cards. Also available as an option is a DVDchanger and a universal interface for plugging in USB sticks, iPods, or other external audio devices.

The G 55 AMGis only available as a long-wheelbase station wagon with five doors. The vehicle will be available from September 2008 at a price of
121,618 euros (incl. 19 percent sales tax).

The current Zonda employs a 7.3 litre engine developed by AMG. The 5.4 liter supercharged V8 was chosen for its higher power output and fuel economy. The entire details of this engine are as follow.

Engine: 90 Degree AMG V8 w/Dry Sump Lubrication
Position: Front-Mid Longitudinal
Aspiration: Screw-Type Compressor w/Two Charge-Air Coolers
Valve train: SOHC, 3 Valves per Cylinder
Displacement: 5439 cc / 331.9 cu in
Bore: 97 mm / 3.82 in
Stroke: 92 mm / 3.62 in
Compression Ratio: 8.8:1
Power: 466.8 kw / 626 bhp @ 6500 rpm
Specific output: 115.09 bhp per litre
bhp/weight: 354.07 bhp per tonne
Torque: 780 nm / 575.3 ft lbs @ 3250-5000 rpm

The buzz is around that the new Zonda would sprint from a standstill to 60 mph in little more than three seconds with a top whack in excess of 200+ mph, carbon-fiber construction and the new engine helping it to achieve such feats. Expect to see this car in the market in the initial months of 2009.

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Press Release:

The SL 63 AMG Edition IWC will be the first vehicle to be offered with the all-new designo magno Kashmir white finish. An interesting contrast to this color is formed by the components with a Carbon matte finish: the trailing edge , the diffusor insert in the lower back panel, and the side air vents on the front apron. In stylistic sync with these components is the Carbon matte trim on the center console and the interior door panels.

They are harmoniously augmented by the Tobago Brown nappa leather upholstery on the electronically adjustable AMG sports seats, which feature multicontour and memory functions, heating, an AMG-specific perforation pattern, a special design, and AMG badges. The vehicle’s limited edition status is discreetly emphasized by black AMG floormats with Tobago Brown leather piping, AMG door sills with white illuminated AMGlettering, and the IWC logo on the lid of the center console.

To ensure that the driver remains in perfect control of his or her vehicle, the two-tone AMGPerformance steering wheel has a reduced diameter, a rim that’s flattened at the bottom, and silver-finish aluminum gearshift paddles. The steering wheel is part of the Performance package, which also includes forged 19-inch AMG light alloy, double-spoke wheels with a titanium gray finish and polished surfaces. The 8.5-inch and 9.5-inch rims sport 255/35 R 19 and 285/30 R 19 format tires, respectively.

The front axle is equipped with internally ventilated, perforated composite disc brakes (390 x 36 mm) that keep braking distances to a minimum and ensure the vehicle is extremely resistant to fading. Handling is further enhanced by other technical features from the Performance package, including a rear-axle, multi-disc limited-slip differential with a lock factor of 40 percent, as well as an AMG Performance chassis equipped with Active Body Control.

AMG naturally aspirated V8 with 6.3 liters displacement and 386 kW/525 hp

The drive system of the SL 63 AMG Edition IWC will provide motorists with an exhilarating driving experience. Boasting a top output of 386 kW/525 hp and a maximum torque of 630 Nm, the AMG 6.3-liter V8 engine is augmented by an extremely responsive partner in the shape of the all-new AMG SPEEDSHIFT MCT seven-speed sports transmission. The SL 63 AMG Edition IWC accelerates from zero to 100 km/h in 4.6 seconds, while its top speed is electronically limited to 300 km/h.

Mercedes-AMG and IWC Schaffhausen: A luxurious partnership

Along with the vehicle, buyers of the SL 63 AMG Edition IWC will also receive a limited edition model of IWC’s “Grosser Ingenieur” watch. This precious chronometer has a stainless steel housing measuring an impressive 45.5 millimeters in diameter. The design of the watch’s wristband and face compliment the vehicle concept. In addition, the watch’s bottom is made of sapphire glass that reveals the intricate mechanical clockwork with its automatic Pellaton winding system.

Mercedes-AMG has been collaborating with the time-honored Swiss watch manufacturer IWC Schaffhausen since 2004. In October of that year, the two companies presented their first jointly designed vehicle, the CLS 55 AMG “IWC Engineer.”

Customers will be able to order the SL 63 AMG Edition IWC beginning in fall 2008 , and vehicle deliveries will commence in November 2008. The model will be limited to 200 units.

More pictures after the break.

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Read more about each driver after the break.

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The Drivers:

Bernd Schneider (43 years/Germany): Until the end of the 2007 season, Schneider completed exactly 220 DTM races, 69 more than his eight Mercedes-Benz team mates together; they took part in a total of 151 DTM events. Schneider achieved 42 race wins, 24 pole positions and 58 fastest race laps; No driver will be able to match this record balance in 2008. In 1995, 2000, 2001, 2003 and 2006, Bernd Schneider clinched the DTM championship titles, he also won the 1995 International Touring Car Championship (ITC), which had been staged together with the DTM.
“After my fifth title win in 2006, the sixth position in the 2007 championship was not what I had planned for. However, I am now even more motivated to fight again this year.”

Bruno Spengler (24/Canada): In 2007, the Canadian achieved one of the seven Mercedes-Benz victories in the DTM. With a gap of three points, Spengler finished the championship runner-up – for the second consecutive time. It was the first time after 1991, that more than two drivers had chances to win the championship. After a learning year with Persson Motorsport in 2005, he moved up to the HWA factory team. When he clinched his first DTM victory at Nuremberg’s Norisring in 2006, he was one of the youngest winners in DTM history at the age of 22 years and 334 days.
“Two runner-up positions are nice, only one place is even nicer and I will push hard to achieve it in 2008.”

Jamie Green (25/England): In his 30th DTM race, Jamie Green finally took his first victory in the championship. He won the penultimate round of the 2007 season in Barcelona and repeated this success two weeks later in the next race, the season finale in Hockenheim. The 25-year-old Englishman has been with Mercedes-Benz for 11 years. In 1997, he was second of the “Champions of the Future” kart series with two wins; this series was part of the promotion programme for young drivers of Formula 1 partners McLaren and Mercedes-Benz. In 2004, Green won the Formula 3 Euro Series with seven victories out of 20 races at the wheel of an ASM team Dallara Mercedes; driving for ASM in 2005, also Formula 1 runner-up Lewis Hamilton won the title of this championship.
“I want to start the 2008 season exactly like I finished the previous one and then I want to fight for the championship.”

Paul di Resta (21/Scotland): In 2006, di Resta won the Formula 3 Euro Series with five victories out of 20 races; like Jamie Green in 2004 and Lewis Hamilton in 2005, he was driving for ASM. He debuted in the DTM on 22nd April 2007 with fifth place in Hockenheim, followed by four more podium positions in the next nine races and fifth place overall in the championship. Di Resta is the cousin of former Mercedes-Benz DTM driver Dario Franchitti, winner of the 2007 Indianapolis 500, the 2007 US Indy Racing League champion and winner of the 2008 24-hour-race in Daytona 2008, who is now racing in the US-American NASCAR series. Di Resta benefited from and excelled in the Mercedes young driver promotion already early on. He was 14 years old, when he won the McLaren Mercedes Champions of the Future Kart series in 2000 and then again in 2001. In 2004, he won the McLaren Autosport BRDC Young Driver of the Year Award and became a Mercedes-Benz Junior.
“Four podium positions and seven places in the points out of 10 races are not a bad balance for my first DTM season. I am very happy that I am now a member of the HWA team and want to thank for the confidence they have placed in me by improving further.”

Ralf Schumacher (32/Germany): From 1997 until 2007, Ralf participated in 180 Grands Prix, won six of them and started from pole position six times. He achieved eight fastest race laps and scored a total of 329 World Championship points. In 2001 and 2002, he finished the Drivers’ Championship in fourth positions respectively. In the Brazilian Grand Prix on 21st October 2007, driving for Toyota, he finished his Formula 1 career. His last race with a car with a roof was a round of the FIA GT Championship in Spa-Francorchamps on 20th July 1997, when he was a guest driver in an AMG Mercedes CLK-GTR. When Ralf Schumacher tested the AMG Mercedes C-Class in Estoril, Portugal for four and a half days, he drove about 490 laps, more than 2,000 kilometres, which are approximately 12 DTM race distances.

“It was great fun to test the DTM C-Class and I look forward to the new season, more than I did for a long time. I like the DTM, I like the environment, I like the enthusiastic and positive spectators. And I like Mercedes. I will learn in the DTM, I will work hard and I will put it behind me if people will criticize me if I should have problems during the first couple of races.“

Gary Paffett (26/England): When Gary Paffett came back to the DTM after a one-year break, he won already his second race in Oschersleben 2007. It was the first time that a DTM race was won in a last year’s car and it was the 10th DTM race win for Gary Paffett. The Englishman won the 1999 McLaren Autosport BRDC Young Driver of the Year Award. In 2002, he became German Formula 3 champion. In December 2005, two months after winning the DTM championship title, he was promoted McLaren Mercedes test driver. This year he will again race in the DTM and also fulfil his test duties with the Vodafone McLaren Mercedes MP4-23.
“I love the DTM and in addition to my job as a Formula 1 test driver I look forward to racing in my favourite series and I want to finish the season in a better position than last year.”

Susie Stoddart (25/Scotland): In 2003 and 2004, Susie qualified for the final round of the renowned McLaren Autosport BRDC Young Driver of the Year Award. Two years ago, she changed from the British Formula 3 Championship to the DTM and she finished her first race in the championship in Hockenheim in 10th place. The same result in Mugello, Italy was her best one in the 2007 DTM. In qualifying, she made it to the second of the top 14 drivers three times; in the season opener in Hockenheim and at Nuremberg’s Norisring, she started 12th on the grid respectively, at the Nürburgring she qualified 13th.
“Although my results don’t show it so clearly, I have continuously improved since I have started in the DTM. If I’m able to qualify higher up the grid, I should be able to achieve better results in 2008.”

Mathias Lauda (27/Austria): Only four years after his first ever race, Mathias Lauda, the son of three-times Formula 1 World Champion Niki Lauda, started in the DTM with a 2004 AMG-Mercedes C-Class of the Persson-Team. No other driver had a shorter motor sport career before entering the DTM. Lauda’s best result was his sixth place in Barcelona in September 2007; it was the second time that he scored points after finishing seventh at the Lausitzring in May 2007. The qualifyings in Oschersleben, at the Lausitzring, Brands Hatch and at the Nürburgring saw him move up to the second sessions of the top 14 drivers; his 10th place on the grid in Barcelona was his best starting position in the DTM.
“My target for the new season – I want to score points constantly and to finish the championship among the top ten.”

Maro Engel (22/Germany): Born in Munich, Maro Engel raced karts for five years before he drove his first ever car race at the age of 15 in 2001. In the Formula BMW Junior Cup, he won three races and was third overall. At the age of 18, he entered Formula 3 in 2003. Two years later, he took part in five races of the Italian Formula 3000 series and changed to the British Formula 3 Championship in 2006. Last year, he finished the championship runner-up after winning three races. In November 2007, Maro Engel tested the AMG Mercedes C-Class for the first time in Mugello, Italy followed by another test in Estoril, Portugal in January 2008. He completed a total of 261 laps, almost 1,200 kilometres.
“Testing a race touring car was a new experience for me. The DTM is a great challenge and I definitely want to seize the chance provided by Mercedes.”

Norbert Haug, Vice President Mercedes-Benz Motorsport: “From 1988 until the 2007 season finale, Mercedes-Benz have completed 300 DTM and ITC races and won 141 out of them. Our drivers claimed seven victories in the previous season’s 10 races; five of our 10 drivers, Bruno Spengler, Bernd Schneider, Gary Paffett, Jamie Green and Mika Häkkinen were on the top spot of the podium at least once, Mika and Jamie stood there even twice respectively. Nine of our 10 drivers each scored points at least twice and this shows that – with maximum competitiveness - there are chances to score points for all of our drivers. In 2007, Mercedes-Benz drivers claimed 60 percent of all points positions. Also in 2008 we will have a strong team and I am sure the sport and the excitement in the new DTM season will be at an even higher level.”

Ralf Schumacher tested the AMG Mercedes C-Class during four and a half test days in Estoril, Portugal for about 490 laps; which was more than 2,000 kilometres or approximately 12 DTM race distances. It was his first outing with an AMG Mercedes since 20th July 1997 when he was a guest driver in a race of the FIA GT Championship in Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium with an AMG Mercedes CLK-GTR. This was also Schumacher’s last opportunity to drive a race car with a roof.

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A collection of quotes:

Ralf Schumacher:

A selection of quotes for your report

“Of course I know that neither the media nor the spectators consider me the greatest race driver of all times and this is not what I’m aiming for.”

“During my last three years in Formula 1, I didn’t have much success and it almost sounded strange to me when Norbert mentioned in our conversation, that short before this time I had managed to win two Formula 1 Grands Prix within only eight days.”

“However, I am still the same Ralf as at those times, the same racer who has fun in motor sports and who wants to compete with the best.”

“Now I am able to do so in the DTM which I know very well since the mid-nineties when I was a young up-coming driver racing in Formula Junior and Formula 3 which had been staged as a supporting programme of the DTM. Then I dreamed of racing in the main event sometime.”

“I like the series, I like the environment, I like the enthusiastic and positive spectators. And I like Mercedes – with them I got my first chance to test a Formula 1 car in 1996 and who knows how my Formula 1 career had turned out if I had accepted the McLaren Mercedes offer to become their test driver for 1997.“

“But then I wanted to drive races, and that’s what I still want today, more than ten years later.”

“I will learn in the DTM, I will work hard and I will put it behind me if people will criticize me if I should have problems during the first couple of races.”

“It was great fun testing the DTM C-Class and I look very much forward to the new season, more than I did for a long time. Money and popularity like in Formula 1 don’t play the first role for me.”

“Now I want sport, fun and excitement and that’s what the DTM features more than any other race series.”

“It’s fine if people have patience with me being an apprentice in the beginning, but if not – I don’t mind.”

“I know already most of my future competitors, but I don’t expect them to let me pass just because here comes Ralf who doesn’t know the DTM so well.”

Norbert Haug:

A selection of quotes for your report

“It was decisive for our engagement of Ralf that he showed enthusiasm for the DTM and his willingness to commit himself to a learning period with the for him unknown race touring cars and with the enormous competitiveness of the entire field.”

“Needless to describe Ralf’s driving skills, until today he is the most successful German Formula 1 driver behind his brother Michael and this is not because these successes were a present.”

“It is clear that in the DTM Ralf has at first to get used to starting positions with two-digit numbers and that during his learning year he probably will start rather from the last third of the field than from the second third.”

“Ralf is ready to go this way of learning and our technical team will support him entirely.”

“With the attitude Ralf showed during the tests and in our conversations I am convinced that the DTM will experience a new driver who will start with skills and concentration and who has everything to inspire both the crowd and his team.”

“Ralf will soon have a new image and I think that in his first year in the DTM this will not be based on his results but on his commitment to fight sportsmanlike, hard and fair with an extremely tough competition and thus to learn to improve to the top step by step.”

“I admire Ralf for his commitment to compete which is what you experience only with a good and fully motivated sportsman. “

“Neither did Ralf not ask us for a Formula 1 bonus in his salary nor did he require a special status within the team – compliments for this attitude: This is the only correct and therefore best pre-condition for his new career.”

For the first time in history, Mercedes-Benz will auction one of its original racing cars (“Laureus AMG Mercedes C-Class”) from the DTM (German Touring Car Championships). This was the car which Gary Paffett drove to win the DTM race in Oschersleben last year.

The obtained funds will be transfered to Laureus Sport for Good Foundation that funds social sports projects for young people. The auction, which will close on Friday, April 4, 2008, is taken care by Christie’s.

Mercedes-Benz has set the minimum bid for the car at $435,000. The winner of the bid will get to drive home this special AMG Mercedes C-Class with signatures of various celebrities including Boris Becker, Franziska van Almsick and Niki Lauda on its bonnet.

Source: Carscoop
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The newly developed power transfer concept features a compact, wet start-up clutch that replaces the conventional torque converter. The resulting direct connection to the powertrain, together with the double-declutching and Race Start functions, guarantees an extremely emotional, supremely dynamic driving experience. The SL 63 AMG sets new standards in the open-top sports car segment thanks to this outstanding drive combination and the retuned, even more agile AMG sports suspension based on Active Body Control – turning it into the sportiest SL-Class ever.

The new SL 65 AMG will also be launched alongside the SL 63 AMG. Thanks to its 450 kW/612 hp AMG 6.0-liter biturbo engine developing 1000 Newton meters of torque, the V12 top-of-the-line model delivers effortlessly superior refinement in its purest form. Both Mercedes-AMG SL-Class Roadsters also hold in store extraordinary thrills and breathtaking dynamism thanks to the hallmark AMG equipment features. The vario-roof, which opens in 16 seconds and is also available in an optional glass version, continues to ensure an unrivaled driving experience.

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The AMG SPEEDSHIFT MCT 7-speed sports transmission is an all-new, unique concept, available exclusively in the new Mercedes-Benz SL 63 AMG. It combines the best of two worlds: the sporty, direct and agile feedback of a manual transmission and the maximum convenience of an automatic transmission.
Fitted with seven speeds, four drive modes, a double-declutching and Race Start function, the AMG SPEEDSHIFT MCT 7‑speed sports transmission offers unprecedented versatility. MCT stands for Multi‑Clutch Technology and only employs clutch elements to perform gearshifts.

The high-tech transmission is designed for high torque and maximum revs up to 7200 rpm. It also comes with sufficient reserves even under the highest loads thanks to its high-performance oil cooling system. An all-new, sophisticated electronic transmission control unit fully controls and monitors all processes.
A new two-stage torsion damper effectively eliminates vibrations. The AMG SPEEDSHIFT MCT 7-speed sports transmission has been developed jointly by Mercedes-AMG GmbH and Daimler AG, although it will be used exclusively in AMG high-performance vehicles. It is produced at the Mercedes-Benz Esslingen-Hedelfingen production facility, Europe’s largest manufacturer of planetary gear sets.

Four drive modes for tailor-made driving pleasure

At the heart of the new AMG SPEEDSHIFT MCT 7-speed sports transmission lies the wet start-up clutch, which runs in an oil bath and replaces the previous torque converter. Thanks to its low rotational inertia, the transmission responds instantaneously and dynamically with no slip. Accelerator pedal movements trigger an instant traction response. Fitted with four drive modes: “C” (Comfort), “S” (Sport), “S+” (Sport plus) and “M” (Manual), the transmission provides gearshifting with no loss of tractive force and supports customised control strategies for maximum driving pleasure. In “C” mode the gearshifts are comfortable, coupled with a “soft” accelerator response set-up for outstandingly smooth power transfer. In “S” mode the engine and transmission interact with more “bite”: the engine speed is allowed to reach a higher level in each gear; the downshifts also feel more spontaneous. The gearshifts are around 20 percent faster than in “C” mode. Switching to “S+” mode cuts another 20 percent off shift times, while “M” is the sportiest mode: here the AMG 6.3-litre V8 engine has even more bite, added to which the transmission shifts gear another 10 percent faster – a reduction of 50 percent compared with “C” mode. In “M” mode the gearshifts take just 100 milliseconds.

Ultra-fast, spontaneous multiple downshifts are another forte of the new MCT sports transmission. For instance, kickdown lets you move straight from seventh down to fourth gear or from fifth to second. In the “S” (Sport), “S+” (Sport plus) and “M” (Manual) modes the automatic double-declutching function is active. Every manual or automatic downshift is accompanied by precisely metered double-declutching – from “S” through “S+” to “M” incrementally. And this not only adds to the driver’s emotional experience: the virtually load-free downshift minimises load-change reactions, which pays dividends particularly when braking into a bend on the racetrack.

New AMG DRIVE UNIT with innovative Race Start function

The new AMG DRIVE UNIT is the central control unit for the AMG SPEEDSHIFT MCT 7-speed sports transmission and all driving dynamics functions. The driver can change gears either using the new AMG selector lever with its leather/ carbon-fibre finish, or by nudging the AMG steering-wheel shift paddles. On the left next to the selector lever is the electronic rotary switch to select the four drive modes including activation of the new Race Start function. Underneath are three buttons for additional functions: the first controls the ESP Ò function, the second the ABC suspension system. The third adorned with AMG lettering is used to store the selected transmission drive mode and the suspension set-up. Briefly pressing the AMG button brings up the configuration options, while holding down the button allows you to program the required set-ups.

The Race Start function takes driving dynamics to an entirely new level: it enables the SL 63 AMG driver to call on maximum acceleration, while ensuring optimum traction of the driven wheels. While the vehicle is at a standstill, the driver needs to activate the ESPÒ sports function and press the brake pedal with their left foot. Having preselected the Race Start program using the rotary switch, a confirmation message comes up on the AMG central display. The driver then simply needs to confirm the Race Start function by pulling the “Up” shift paddle once, fully depressing the accelerator and taking their foot off the brakes. The optimum start-up engine speed is set fully automatically and the SL 63 AMG accelerates away in an instant – as an option even up to the top speed. The driver does not need to shift gear manually; the AMG transmission changes gear with lightning-fast shift times.

AMG 6.3-litre V8 naturally aspirated engine with 386 kW/525 hp

The AMG 6.3-litre V8 engine teams up with the AMG SPEEDSHIFT MCT 7-speed sports transmission to form a perfect partnership for dynamic driving pleasure and outstanding performance. The SL 63 AMG accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 4.6 seconds before quickly going on to a top speed of 250 km/h (electronically limited). The high-revving naturally aspirated engine generates 386 kW/525 hp at 6800 rpm from a displacement of 6208 cubic centimetres, delivering maximum torque of 630 Newton metres at 5200 rpm. The unique combination of high-revving concept and large displacement achieves the best of both worlds: high pulling power at low engine speeds coupled with exhilarating high-revving flexibility – right up to 7200 rpm.

The AMG V8 is packed with a wealth of fascinating racetrack technology, including the lightweight, extra-rigid closed-deck crankcase and cylinder walls with a revolutionary TWAS coating as well as the valve train designed for high engine speeds with bucket tappets in the cylinder heads. The vertical arrangement of the intake and exhaust ports together with the variable intake manifold featuring two integral throttle flaps results in superlative cylinder charging and high power output.

The sophisticated electronically controlled fuel supply provides a consummately spontaneous response to accelerator movements in all driving situation; the
AMG sports exhaust with two oval, chromed twin tailpipes guarantees the characteristic AMG V8 vocals. The tri-metallic coating used in the catalytic converters results in a faster response from a cold start, more efficient emission control as well as superior long-term durability. The SL 63 AMG fulfils all standard exhaust emissions limits such as EU 4 and the specific requirements of the U.S. market (LEV-II, On-Board Diagnosis II and oxygen sensor diagnosis).

AMG sports suspension based on Active Body Control and 3-stage ESPÒ

The dynamic drive unit finds its perfect match in the SL 63 AMG suspension. The AMG sports suspension based on Active Body Control has been further enhanced and not only comes with new spring and damper tuning but also completely modified elastokinematics. The front axle bearings, the spring links and the torque strut along with individual strut bearings at the rear have been retuned to deliver greater agility and shorter stopping distances. In partnership with the optimised speed-sensitive power steering the SL 63 AMG now feels even more direct and livelier – enabling the driver to fully utilise the linear steering and oversteer/understeer characteristics typical of a sports car, especially on winding roads or a private racetrack. The AMG sports suspension based on Active Body Control also enables the suspension set-up to be customised. At the push of a button, the driver can select a sporty, firm response with reduced roll angles, or go for a comfort-focussed setting for excellent comfort on long journeys.

Also new is the 3-stage ESP Ò with sports function. This system provides three different settings and is the logical development of the AMG ESPÒ philosophy. The driver can choose between the settings “ESP ON”, “ESP SPORT” and “ESP OFF” by pressing the ESP Ò button in the AMG DRIVE UNIT – the activated setting is shown in the central display in the AMG instrument cluster.

AMG high-performance braking system and 19-inch AMG light-alloy wheels

The AMG high-performance braking system rises to the exacting requirements associated with consummate driving dynamics. The front wheels are equipped with internally ventilated, perforated 360 x 36-millimetre composite disc brakes with six-piston aluminium fixed callipers, while deceleration at the rear comes courtesy of internally ventilated, perforated 330 x 26-millimetre brake discs with four-piston fixed callipers. The result is the shortest stopping distances, outstanding sensitivity and remarkable resistance to fading.

The 19-inch AMG light-alloy wheels with their alluring triple-spoke styling and titanium grey finish plus high-sheen star on the centre of the wheel are also new. 255/35 R 19 (front) and 285/30 R 19 (rear) tyres are fitted to the 8.5 and 9.5-inch-wide wheels. The 19-inch AMG light-alloy wheels with their striking design blend in harmoniously with the new AMG bodystyling.

New AMG bodystyling ensures clear differentiation

The appearance of the SL 63 AMG now gives away its exceptional status more than ever before. The new-look front apron with a more pronounced wedge shape, black-painted radiator grille, larger cooling air intakes and lower transverse fin painted in black harmonises perfectly with the redesigned front end of the SL‑Class, giving it a decidedly masculine aura. The distinctive AMG bonnet more than hints at the unique power unit underneath. Bi-xenon headlamps with their dark surrounds, and large round fog lamps set well to the side in chrome surrounds also emphasise the vehicle’s width. The hot air from the additional engine oil cooler in the front wheel arch escapes through side air outlets in the front apron. New exterior mirrors featuring LED indicators with a pronounced arrow shape catch the eye as do the matt-silver-painted AMG trim panels on the front wings with “6.3 AMG” lettering.

The AMG bodystyling also includes the AMG side skirts and the powerful AMG rear apron with its large black diffusor insert. A visual and acoustic feast comes in the guise of the AMG sports exhaust with two chromed twin tailpipes. The AMG spoiler lip on the boot lid reduces lift especially at high speeds.

Interior featuring new AMG sports steering wheel with three-spoke design

The interior of the new SL 63 AMG offers an alluring combination of exclusive equipment details and a dynamic, practical look. The eye is drawn to the new AMG ergonomic sports steering wheel with its three-spoke design and aluminium AMG shift paddles. The grip area is specially shaped and covered in perforated leather, while the vertical spoke is embellished by a silver-coloured insert. Behind sits the new AMG instrument cluster with “6.3 V8” lettering on the rev counter and the new-look instrument cluster trimmed in nappa leather with double topstitching above the round gauges. As soon as the ignition is switched on, the speedometer and rev counter needles rotate in unison around the dials to their maximum values and then instantly revert to their original positions.

The AMG main menu integrated in the AMG instrument cluster displays the currently engaged gear including recommended upshifts, the “RACETIMER” with lap times, information on the engine oil temperature and battery voltage, along with the activated transmission drive mode including Race Start and the selected ESP Ò mode. New, exclusive equipment for the SL 63 AMG with AMG SPEEDSHIFT MCT 7-speed sports transmission includes the AMG selector lever in a leather/carbon-fibre finish and the stylishly integrated AMG DRIVE UNIT with rotary switch for the four drive modes and buttons for ESP Ò , suspension set-up and the AMG mode.

Standard-fit AMG sports seats with optional AIRSCARF

The standard specification also includes fine nappa leather upholstery, genuine carbon-fibre trim and the multi-way electrically adjustable AMG sports seats with multicontour and memory functions, seat heating, AMG-specific perforation pattern and seat design, and AMG badge. The optional AIRSCARF neck-level heating system is a new addition. At the push of a button, it blows warm air through the head restraints – providing open-air motoring pleasure even if there is a chill in the air.

The new SL-Class also features the new-generation telematics NTG 2.5. The sophisticated units combine ease of use, logical menu structure and consummate entertainment. Features include speed-sensitive volume control, a keypad for entering telephone numbers and radio frequencies, an MP3-compatible CD or DVD player as well as a Bluetooth interface that wirelessly links a mobile phone to the hands-free system. Audio 20, Audi 20 CD with CD changer, Audio 50 and Audio 50 APS with DVD changer also now come with a 5-inch colour screen. The COMAND APS features a high-resolution 6.5-inch colour display, LINGUATRONIC voice-operated control system for audio, navigation and telephony, a music library function to store audio files and an SD memory card slot.

SL 65 AMG with biturbo V12 producing 450 kW/612 hp and 1000 Newton metres

Top of the line in the exclusive 12-cylinder roadster segment is the SL 65 AMG. Its AMG 6.0-litre V12 biturbo engine produces 450 kW/612 hp with maximum torque of 1000 Newtonmetres – unrivalled figures even four years after the market launch. The SL 65 AMG accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in just 4.2 seconds, impressive testimony to the outstanding power of the AMG V12 engine; top speed is 250 km/h (electronically limited). Power in the SL 65 AMG
is transferred by the AMG SPEEDSHIFT five-speed automatic transmission with three drive modes; a multi-disc limited-slip differential with a lock factor of up to 30 percent also guarantees optimum traction.

Visual features which distinguish the V12 top-of-the-line model from the SL 63 AMG include a lower transverse fin painted matt silver in the front apron, “V12 BITURBO” lettering on the matt-silver-painted trim panels on the front wings and the AMG sports exhaust with two chromed twin tailpipes featuring the V12 styling. The new AMG bodystyling including AMG bonnet and AMG spoiler lip is also part of the standard specification for the V12 top-of-the-line model. 255/35 R 19 (front) and 285/30 R 19 (rear) tyres are fitted to the new 19-inch AMG twin-spoke forged light-alloy wheels painted titanium grey with a mirror finish . In tune with its incomparable driving dynamics the SL 65 AMG comes with a large AMG high-performance braking system using ultra-high-performance composite brakes at the front and rear. The front wheels are equipped with 390 x 36‑millimetre brake discs while 360 x 26-millimetre discs provide the deceleration at the rear.

Nappa leather upholstery in the new AMG V12 diamond-pattern design

The exclusive nappa leather upholstery on the AMG sports seats and door centre panels with its new AMG V12 diamond-pattern design catches the eye in the interior of the SL 65 AMG. “V12 BITURBO” lettering on the rev counter adorns the

new AMG instrument cluster. As with the SL 63 AMG, the new AMG ergonomic sports steering wheel with its three-spoke design and aluminium AMG shift paddles is also included.

Optional extras from the AMG PERFORMANCE STUDIO

Both the SL 63 AMG and the SL 65 AMG can be further enhanced with exclusive optional extras from the AMG Performance STUDIO. These include:

• AMG exterior carbon-fibre package with side air outlets in front apron, exterior mirror housing, spoiler lip and genuine carbon-fibre diffusor insert in rear apron

• AMG performance steering wheel, flattened underside and smaller diameter

• AMG door sill panels, illuminated in white light

• 19-inch AMG twin-spoke forged light-alloy wheels with mixed-size tyres, 255/35 R 19 and 285/30 R 19 (only for SL 63 AMG)

The Performance Package developed in the AMG Performance STUDIO is also available for the SL 63 AMG; it includes even more powerful components and is ideally suited for drivers with sporty inclinations:

• Internally ventilated composite brake discs, size 390 x 36 mm, on the front axle

• Multiple-disc limited-slip rear differential with a locking factor of 40 percent for enhanced traction

• 19-inch AMG twin-spoke forged light-alloy wheels with mixed-size tyres, 255/35 R 19 and 285/30 R 19

• AMG performance suspension based on Active Body Control

• AMG performance steering wheel with smaller diameter, flattened underside, silver-coloured aluminium shift paddles

Interested customers can now order the SL 63 AMG and SL 65 AMG; the new AMG Roadsters will be launched in April 2008. Sales prices are:

• SL 63 AMG: €145,239.50 (incl. 19% VAT)

• SL 65 AMG: €221,518.50 (incl. 19% VAT)

• Performance Package SL 63 AMG: €11,305 (incl. 19% VAT)