2010 Mercedes-Benz CL65 AMG
Mercedes-Benz CL65 AMG - What the Auto Press Says
The 2010 Mercedes-Benz CL65 AMG is an exclusive mode of transportation featuring power, refinement and performance abilities like no other.
Model Overview
The CL65 AMG is a performance-tuned variant of the Mercedes-Benz CL-Class, which ranks high in the of super luxury sports car class for successfully fusing sports performance with luxury and elegance.
Benz also manufactures an AMG-tuned CL63 -- which is powerful and highly-desirable in its own right. However, the CL65's 604-horsepower twin-turbo V12 is plain obscene. In fact, Car and Driver says: "It's just stupid fast. ... The CL65 AMG isn't all about acceleration, though. It can turn as well." Combined with the CL-Class' high-degree of elegance, reviewers report that the CL65 AMG is a dream come true.
The 2010 CL65 AMG's engine is mated to a five-speed automatic transmission.
- "The Mercedes-Benz CL coupe is a melding of sensuous design and cosseting luxury that few other vehicles in the world can match. The CL offers svelte driving dynamics and a near endless list of luxury and safety equipment. This is a car for people who are smitten by its special nature. It's a beautiful coupe for two." -- New Car Test Drive
- "Any CL-Class is very pricey, but they're all brimming with power, technology, and luxury. For the well-heeled shopper with little use for a rear seat, these well-crafted coupes are a wonderful indulgence." -- Consumer Guide
- "It's hard to think of a more comfortable way to travel quickly across the country than in either the CL63 AMG or the CL65 AMG. ... About the only form of high-speed transport better than an AMG CL is...a private jet." -- Road and Track
The Bottom Line
Boasting superior luxury and an unbelievable 604-horsepower V12 engine, the CL65 AMG is exclusivity at its finest. With the exception of its $203,700 price tag, there's nothing significantly unappealing about this engineering marvel. If you can afford it, rest assured that the CL65 AMG is worth it.
While no high-performance variant of the super luxury sports car class can match the CL65 AMG's power output, the Porsche 911 Turbo does outperform it -- hitting a top speed of 193 mpg and accelerating from 0 to 60 mph in just 3.4 seconds. It's significantly less expensive, too. However, its shape and size might not be everyone's cup of tea. And, if you think the CL65's rear seat is cramped, wait until you claw your way into the back of a 911.
Performance Dynamics
Test drivers are floored by the 2010 CL65 AMG's massive power and comfortable yet sporty handling dynamics.
The CL65 AMG is powered by a 6.0-liter V12 engine that produces 604 horsepower at 4,800 rpm and 738 pound-feet of torque at 2,000-4,000 rpm. An AMG SPEEDSHIFT PLUS five-speed automatic transmission is standard. According to Mercedes-Benz, the CL65 AMG can reach a top speed of 155 mph and accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 4.2 seconds. Though the EPA has yet to rate the CL65's fuel efficiency, the highly-similar 2009 model nets a city/highway fuel economy of 11/17 mpg.
The rear-wheel drive CL65 AMG features rack-and-pinion power steering and a sports suspension system with Active Body Control (ABC). Also standard is a high-performance AMG braking system with anti-lock brakes, Brake Assist, and an Electronic Stability Program (ESP) -- which enhances stability in adverse driving conditions by selectively applying brakes and reducing engine torque.
- "Look quickly, because the CL will gladly disappear in a cloud of tire smoke, hitting 62 mph in 4.4 seconds and 124 mph 8.9 seconds later." -- Automobile Magazine
- "Power delivery in the CL63 is more than ample, and is outright ferocious in the CL65. Highway passing and merging are strong, and the CL65 has no evident turbo lag." -- Consumer Guide
- "The real nature of the beast, however, is found beneath your right foot. Floor the pedal and the CL65 surges forward with turbine-like thrust. The specially tuned exhaust lets out a satisfying growl, and objects in the rearview mirror are not only smaller than they appear, but disappear altogether quite quickly. Tweaks to Mercedes' body-control system give the car a slightly tauter and tighter ride; there's not much body roll to speak of for such a massive sedan. This is a car designed to gobble highway miles with alacrity. As a flagship for the AMG and Mercedes brands, the CL65 hits all the right notes." -- Road and Track
- "The steering wheel moves with a fluid precision, but at no point do you forget that this is a huge, heavy car. Every road is narrow in a car this big. Sure, the composite, cross-drilled brake discs with twin sliding calipers in front and fat fixed clamps out back are reassuring, but the view over the broad, featureless hood doesn't help one get his bearings terribly well, making 'coloring between the lines' all but impossible." -- Car and Driver
