Mercedes AMG CL65| A €215.000 V12 Grand Tourer on a Budget
By Carlo Brema / Photos Mercedes-Benz Media
Often identified as the coupe variant of the luxurious top of the range S-Class, the CL was according to Mercedes-Benz the ultimate incarnation of a grand tourer which with the AMG treatment would not have made any kind of compromise in terms of performance. Initially available with a 5.4-litre V8 engine and 500 horsepower, the CL65 AMG arrived in 2003, a model ready to drop your jaw to the ground and disintegrate the asphalt under your wheels thanks to a powerful 6-litre twin-turbo V12 engine capable of 612 horsepower. It was something majestic and carried with it the pinnacle of the brand’s experience, transforming a luxurious grand tourer into something more.
At a price of around €215,000, you wouldn’t have brought home a Ferrari or a Lamborghini, but a two-door Mercedes that would have tried in every way to unleash the boundless reserve of power on the rear axle. We are talking about a maximum power that is delivered between 4,800 and 5,100 rpm and a torque peak of 1,000 Nm – yes, you read that right – which between 2,000 and 4,000 rpm could have ended a brand new set of tires, outlining the silhouette of the CL65 from a thick cloud of white smoke. It is perhaps here that the mad rush to extreme power on cars not primarily intended to these numbers began, but without asking why, the experience behind the wheel of a CL65 AMG nonetheless manages to maintain a dual nature, consecrating it as an extraordinary GT, like the SL65 AMG, with which it shares these astounding specs.
By avoiding excessive skidding, it is possible to go from 0 to 100 kph in 4.4 seconds, reach 200 kph in 14 and exceed 330 kph (337, to be precise) once the speed limiter has been removed. Crazy, above all because in the meantime you are pampered by a comfortable leather interior, a step forward compared to the cockpits of contemporary Mercs. With a weight of around 2,250 kg, it is logical to take into account that it will be a car more inclined for long journeys, but provided that you don’t throw it to the mercy of a bunch of hairpin bends, the behavior is still balanced, showing a little understeer when entering corners, which can easily be transformed into some serious oversteer, thanks to the power available to the rear wheels. If you’re wondering, it was extremely rare to cross one 20 years ago and it still is, but thanks to a mammoth devaluation, a certain scenario that certainly didn’t facilitate sales, especially compared to the less absurd CL63 AMG, it is today possible to find a CL65 AMG for just over €40,000. Sure, the market doesn’t offer much, but it can happen that you come across one with a few kilometres, perhaps left collecting dust in some garage. It’s a classic, it was right from the start and although Mercedes-Benz has insisted on the two power steps also on subsequent generations, the charm of the C215’s double round headlight remains unattainable.