There are cars and there are tuner cars and there are super cars and then there are cars, the new Mercedes-Benz CLK63 AMG Black Series falls squarely in the latter category. It is more than a car; it is a custom-tuned factory-built super coupe. But, AMG, Was dies ist?A quick history, founded forty years ago in the small German town of Großaspach, by former Mercedes engineers Hans-Werner Aufrecht and Erhard Melcher, it is an abbreviation of Aufrecht Melcher Großaspach, hence AMG. Quick Germanic lessons aside, AMG has been customizing and tuning your basic run of the mill Mercedes-Benz vehicles to within an inch of their teeth from 1967 as an independent company and since 1999, as part of the Mercedes-Benz. Some classic AMG models range from winner of the 1971 24-hour Belgium’s Spa-Francorchamps race, the 300 SEL 6.8 AMG to the 1986 300E AMG ‘Hammer’ to the more recent bejeweled AMG models seen roaming the streets of Sunset Boulevard in my hometown of Los Angeles (where, in SoCal, AMG sells the majority of their products). The AMG badge has over the last few decades become synonymous with over the top style and luxury and massive power and speed with a price that affords the custom and exclusive nature of this beast. That is to say, it is pricey. But like I have said before, who said perfection was inexpensive?Take the CLK 63 AMG, a fine example of the Teutonic perfection of the nameplate and a perfectly serviceable dream car (it is a dream car). AMG though, thought of a few major ‘What Ifs’ and took some design cues from the AMG F1 Safety Car seen pacing the track at F1 races the world over.With all that dreaming came the new Mercedes Benz CLK63 AMG Black Series, which is much more than a thrown together version of a safety car. This baby is more than all show and no go. What the Black Series is essentially is an over-the-top version of the CLK63 but much, much more outrageous in both form and function. In fact, it is so outrageous, Mercedes Benz removed the back seat for better heat-distribution and extra weight reduction. So outrageous you can tell what it is from miles away. So outrageous that words alone cannot describe the intensity of the vehicle. Mein Gott!To wit: carbon-fiber front and rear fenders flare massively from the body, large, staggered-width AMG forged aluminum wheels sparkle from the deeply recessed wheel wells, a front apron with carbon cooling air intakes stands out from underneath the front bumper and feeds extra air to a larger radiator and a second transmission oil cooler. Redesigned side skirts taper to a tricked-out rear apron with carbon-fiber air diffuser fins to keep the vehicle on the road at speed. The interior is kitted-out in carbon fiber and Nappa leather, a larger wheel and aluminum paddle shifter add to the drivability and bucket seats complete the racing package. Sink in and feel it.“The idea with the Black Series was to appeal to customers that are not satisfied with the traditional AMG offerings,” says Mercedes-AMG Chairman Volker Mornhinweg to me with a smile as a half a dozen Black Series cars go zooming by on the racetrack, “This is more for the hardcore racetrack fanatic.” With a run of 500-units worldwide, there is also an aura of exclusivity around this vehicle. Press the engine ‘start-stop’ button and the hand built engine roars to life, engage the AMG speedshift transmission into gear and you are off. First gear comes quickly, blipping up through the gears and you can feel the 465 lb-ft torque tugging at the wheels. “This,” you think, “is not for the faint of heart.” Accelerating through the corners the Black Series holds its weight; slight adjustments to the wheel react instantaneously to the immense verbosity of the vehicle. Then, at well past freeway speeds, the vehicle settles into itself, becoming one with the driver. Drop down a few gears and at a stoplight you look at the pedestrians on the side of the road and see their mouths move, “Oh my, what is that?” Yeah, you think to yourself, it’s like that now is it? The light turns a deep shade of green, press on the gas and you are off, the past in the dust, the future up the road and smiles all around in the cabin.
