How much is this car, anyway? Never mind, I don't care: I want one. Much more so than the S63 AMG sedan we had a couple of weeks ago, the sleek and purposeful CL coupe seems like the perfect repository for Mercedes-Benz's 518-hp, 6.2-liter, AMG-tuned and -built, superstar V-8 engine. Maybe it's because, at 42, I'm easing into middle age (as much as I hate to admit it), but I prefer a powerful, sybaritic luxury coupe to a pure sports car most of the time. I want power and torque on demand, and I want to access it by burying the throttle, not by fiddling with shift paddles or gear levers. Call me lazy, if you will; I call myself contented. (For the record, the CL does offer manual controls for the seven-speed automatic; they're mounted behind the steering wheel.)
It's not like I'm looking for a plush-o-matic experience, folks. Wheeling the CL63 AMG from the sixth floor of our parking structure last night, I noted with satisfaction its ability to whip itself around the concrete poles with calm and aplomb, with not a whiff of tire squeal or body roll. With 518 hp (at 6800 rpm!) and 465 lb-ft of torque on call, you can launch yourself across the entire city of Ann Arbor in no time, or at least to 60 mph in 4.5 seconds, according to Mercedes-Benz. When the dreaded Ann Arbor Police come into view, front brake discs that are 15.... Read full article