How does one make the Mercedes-Benz CL-Class more exclusive than it already is? If you’re Mercedes, you unveil the gonzo AMG variants. Appearance-wise, changes are minimal for the 2011 CL63 and CL65 AMG, save for the addition of Mercedes’ new corporate face, which includes the standard LED running-light strip and some small tweaks to the rear fascia. The big news, however, centers on the changes underhood.
Gone is the naturally aspirated 6.3 6.2-liter AMG V8 in favor of a smaller and more powerful 5.5-liter twin-turbocharged mill. In base form, this V8 cranks out 536 horsepower and 590 pound-feet of torque (increases of 18 and 125, respectively), and with the optional AMG Performance Package, these numbers increase to an even more robust 563 hp and 664 lb-ft. Sweet stuff, and when matched with Mercedes’ AMG Speedshift seven-speed automatic, 0-60 runs will take just 4.4 seconds (4.3 if you opt for the more powerful setup). What’s most impressive, though, is that even with this added power boost, fuel consumption has been reduced by 27 percent. The range-topping CL65 AMG will carry over its 6.0-liter twin-turbo V12, though Mercedes has managed to coax an additional 17 horsepower from it for 2011. Output for the CL65 is now rated at 621 horses and 738 lb-ft of torque.
