Review of the new Mercedes-Benz SL 65 AMG Black Series

Massively fast and keen that everyone should know it, the Mercedes SL 65 AMG Black Series marries super aggressive styling with a 670bhp biturbo V12 engine and the kind of sporting focus that we don't always expect from Mercedes-Benz products.

Mercedes-Benz has a lengthy history of producing some of the most powerful cars in the world but they haven't always had the finesse to deploy that monumental oomph effectively. This didn't matter one jot if your objective was to beat a Learjet on a cross-continental dash but in many cases, there was a tendency for all that power to overwhelm the car if unleashed on a twisty road or a race circuit. The Mercedes AMG Black Series models are the antidote to this. They represent a harder, more focused approach in the marque's uber-powerful coupes and in

Mercedes knows its customers and understands that most of them demand a high degree of comfort and refinement, even in a 600bhp super coupe. That's why AMG-tuned versions of the CLK, CL, SLK and SL have always displayed a softer side than rival products from other marques. They were fine launching themselves over long distances or cruising around on their tidal waves of torque but the keen driver, attracted by those stupendous performance figures, would often find his dreams of on-the-limit cornering and heroic lap times evaporated in a haze of flickering traction control lights and tyre smoke. The Black Series sets out to put a stop to all that.

Set your faces to stunned because the SL 65 AMG Black Series is about to redefine your understanding of the word quick. The six-litre AMG V12 biturbocharged engine that resides in the car develops 670bhp and an electronically limited 1,000Nm of torque. Without the electronics to reign the engine in, it would produce 1200Nm. Eminent physicists suggest that could be enough to tear up the road surface beneath the car, roll it up like a carpet and launch it missile-like into the upper atmosphere. With 1,000Nm, the SL 65 AMG Black Series merely steams through the 0-62mph sprint in 3.9s and will thunder onward until another electronic limiter intervenes at 199mph.

To achieve its devastating performance, the engine in the Black Series has under gone a series of modifications over the one in the 'normal' SL 65. Two larger turbochargers are installed, the air intake ducts are modified for sharper response, a special exhaust system reduces back pressure and the cooling system is upgraded to enhance durability at high operating temperatures. The gearbox has a big job on in marshalling all that power but AMG's Speedshift Plus five-speed auto should be up to the task with its four transmission modes offering increasingly faster shift times.

"Mercedes has given us fast cars before but few have had the sporting focus of the SL 65 AMG Black Series."

We've almost come to expect cars with this kind of mind bending power from Mercedes although the SL Black Series does move the game on a step or two. What's more significant in this model are the steps Mercedes has taken to make the power usable. The weight of the car has been cut by 250kg compared to an SL 65 AMG thanks to numerous lightweight components including carbon fibre bodywork sections. Unlike all other SL models, the Black Series is not a convertible, with the Vario folding roof replaced by a lower, lighter carbon fibre hard top. The suspension system is AMG's latest fully adjustable sports set-up, while the track of the car has been widened by 97mm at the front and 85mm at the rear to enhance stability. This sort of power might suggest that traction will be an issue but a multi-disc limited slip differential and a 3-stage ESP stability control system should help.

The SL 65 AMG Black Series will leave nobody in any doubt that it's a monstrously capable car with a collection of extravagant styling enhancements the like of which we've rarely seen before from Mercedes-Benz. The bodywork bulges with barely contained muscle, plus huge wheel arches and cave-like air intakes give the car serious road presence. If the look of the car when stationary doesn't attract enough attention, a rear spoiler extends 12cm from the rear when the speed of 75mph is reached and may as well trail a banner reading 'stop me, I'm speeding'.

Mercedes had teamed up with McLaren to compete in the supercar sector with the Mercedes McLaren SLR but now that cosy partnership has been broken up, the SL 65 Black Series is on hand to fill the void. Competing in this rarefied company without a super exotic badge isn't always easy but only 350 cars are scheduled to be built and with 200 going to the US market, UK dealers should have no problem shifting their allocation, even at an asking price of around £215,000.

Running an AMG Mercedes is never cheap. Not only do you have the thirst of the high performance engine to consider but lots of AMGs have the disconcerting habit of falling out of bed price wise as soon as they're driven from the dealer's forecourt. The exclusivity of the Black Series seems certain to help in this respect but you'll still be paying through the nose to keep it fuelled and replace those exotic parts.

The Mercedes SL 65 AMG Black Series certainly looks fast and even the briefest glance at its performance figures reveals that it is. Few cars can match the power generated by its twin turbo V12 and the pace on offer is easily enough to guarantee entry into the most exclusive echelons of the supercar club.

Mercedes has given us fast cars before but few have had the sporting focus of the SL 65 AMG Black Series. Weight saving modifications, suspension upgrades and aerodynamic tweaks demonstrate that this is a car designed to impress as much through the bends as it does on the straights. With only a tiny number due to arrive in the UK, those with the cash and the inclination had better move fast. The Black Series could easily be sold out by the time you read this.

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