Der Samt-Hammer 2011 CL63 AMG

Der Samt-Hammer (The velvet hammer)

Some unique dilemmas surface when one reaches a certain status in life. The extraordinary can become mundane. Off the shelf versions of some items will no longer suffice. Private jets and large yachts are nice, but personalizing the look and feel of these luxurious conveyances sets them and the owner apart from the rest. So what automobile goes best with the personalized private jet, custom built yacht, tailored suit and private label wines? Why the 2011 AMG CL 63 Desingo, but of course. With a completely new, more powerful and more efficient drive train and the complete customized Designo treatment the AMG CL 63 turned jet set heads as we piloted around the Monterey Peninsula.

The Desingo edition lets you pic your own personalized color combo for your new Mercedes. This doesn’t come free and it can take some time to get your special ordered ride to your door, but the results are nothing short of stunning. The grade of leather used in the Designo process tops the already high quality hides used in production line cars and a wide array of materials are available to complement the hand-stitched cockpit. Curly Maple, Olive, Bamboo woods, and glossy, deep black piano lacquer and natural stone trim elements are on the menu. Our CL 63 Designo had the $2300 Mystic Brown paint and $8900 Saffron Beige leather upholstery, a heated wood and premium leather steering wheel, the Alcantra roof liner and the Desingo exclusive metallic threaded carpeting options. This all blended perfectly when the sunroof was opened so we could affect that well moneyed tan. Now those prices might seem a little steep just to customize the color scheme of your Germanic steed, but the visual and tactile effect are stunning. Beyond the dazzling multi-color metal flake paint the outside of our 2011 CL shows the new LED running lights, muscular wheel arches, a flowing passenger cabin profile and the oh so cool AMG logo on the shapely rear end of the car. Our custom ordered CL 63 AMG stood out while rocketing around Monterey, and area known for attracting the most stylish and powerful cars in the world.

Now all of this show would be nothing to the well-healed crowd without the corresponding go to back up the good looks. The base spec hand-built twin turbo 5.5 liter AMG spec CL63 V8 puts out 536 hp, 590 ft-lbs of torque and will push the CL to an electronically limited 155mph. That’s good enough to launch the 4700 lb autobahn burner from 0 to 100kmh (62mph) in just 4.5 seconds. Those numbers are respectable anywhere in the automotive world but don’t push the CL63 AMG to the top of the supercar guest list. AMG has thoughtfully offered a solution to this dilemma. Checking the P30 AMG Performance Package box on the options list will lighten your wallet $7300 but adds more boost from the twin Garret turbos, an additional 27 horsepower, 74 ft-lbs of torque, a carbon fiber engine cover and removes the electronic top speed restrictions allowing the CL to proceed to a very respectable 186 mph terminal velocity. Keep in mind this is likely above the take off speed of your private jet. Is $7300 worth a few more ponies and a shorter take off run? In a word, yes. To make the engine live and work at this kind of level mile after mile and for years to come takes a practiced hand and large amounts of computer programming. Something best not left to the local hot rod shop. Our CL63 had this option and the difference is palpable not only when approaching the previously limited top speed but at the bottom end of the speedometer where the extra torque delivers what can only be described as a velvet hammer blow. The twin turbos breathe freely without a hint of lag. Stomping down hard on the accelerator will push you back into the integrated seat massager hard enough to bruise a kidney. The acceleration is never brutal but builds in an extremely insistent manner that just keeps compounding until you need to call into the tower for take off clearance.

With 560 hp and 664 ft-lbs of torque on tap the electronic traction and stability control systems have a nearly impossible task of filtering out the violence this car is capable of. There is a “sport” mode that allows for more spirited acceleration and angles of attack on the road and a braking system that is smart enough to detect and correct for understeer. We found that the electronic traction and stability control systems can never be fully turned off. This is just as well as the track day or burnout box at the local drag strip are not the AMG CL 63’s natural habitat and your average yacht club member likely isn’t practiced at the art of the 4-wheel power slide in a largish high horsepower coupe.

There are enough other electronics in the car to make your average fighter jet pilot feel right at home. One can control a mind-boggling number of systems in the car the hockey puck like input device. The 11 Harmon Kardon LOGIC7 speaker surround sound stereo with 5.1 Dolby Digital DVD player, navigation system with 40 gig hard drive and voice control, exterior and interior mood lighting and optional night view assist plus with pedestrian detection are all at your finger tips. Other mission control enhancements include, active lane-keeping and blind-spot assist, driver drowsiness detection, active curve assist Xenon headlights, PARKTRONIC parking guidance and an 8inch central display screen that can display vital vehicle info to the driver while displaying a movie to the passenger. Even our Gulfstream doesn’t have that.

In the world of custom jets and designer yachts the $176, 485 sticker price (including Designo and AMG options, destination, delivery and gas guzzler tax) of our Mercedes CL63 AMG Desingo can be called a bargain. Compare this to the sticker prices of the competition in the luxury GT class and the CL 63 AMG Designo becomes even more of a good buy. But this good deal is only really impressive if the performance lives up to the billing. The CL 63 AMG Designo was created to whisk its occupants over large distances at high speeds surrounded by bespoke luxurious appointments in comfort and it hits the mark on all accounts. This luxury GT makes miles melt away in rapid fashion, the ride is comfortable for grand touring but yet is sporty enough to be entertaining on the back road to your ski lodge. The supercar spec engine means owners will not have to hang their heads in shame at the local exotic car meet while the feature list will make even an astronauts head swim. Custom tailoring your Mercedes CL 63 AMG via the Designo process makes an already noticeable ride stand out even more, and to some that is worth more than money.
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yes it does stand out more... seriously.

put the Designo optioned car in a line up of stock optioned Mercs and it stands out. and you are not likely to see another one like it since you picked out the options and they are many.

if you dont like what merc calls their beige, take it up with them. I'm just telling you what the color is called. There are other versions and tone of beige avail, they had to be differentiated somehow. I suppose they could have been called Beige #1, Beige #2.. but what is the fun in that?

you can spend your $176K on a red one if you like. and no its not just "brown". The pics dont show it too well but its a mutli color metallic over a brown metallic base. The effect in the sun is very nice.

 

nope. Press Car.

I dont have $176K to spend on a car.

Its easily the equal of the Bentley GT that costs more. And yes, I've driven both, back to back. Not saying one is better than the other, they are different, but if you would consider one you'd do well to look hard at the other.