Mercedes CLS 63 AMG

A year later, GSC is again trying to get attention on its CLS 63 AMG Stealth by painting it bright orange - rendering the car’s name a bit inappropriate in the process. The only thing stealthy about the new version are the black-painted 20-inch wheels and tinted windows.

There are no changes regarding the aerodynamic package, with the side skirts, spoiler lip, vented bonnet, fender flares, rear diffuser, bootlid spoiler and quad tailpipes being carried over from the 2012 CLS 63 AMG Stealth.

The orange theme is continued in the interior, where German Special Customs fitted matching orange leather on the seats, dashboard, center console and door panels. There is also carbon fiber trim on the dashboard and the doors.

Nothing changed under the bonnet, with the same 5.5-liter AMG V8 engine developing 740 hp (750 PS) and peak torque from 700 Nm (516 lb-ft) to 1,150 Nm (848 lb-ft), thanks to GSC’s bigger turbos, additional water cooler, custom exhaust system and software update. Just like before, the car also comes with a KW adjustable suspension on the front axle.

The 0-62 mph (0-100 km/h) is still done in 3.7 seconds, only this time people will notice it more due to the color. Top speed is rated at 217 mph (350 km/h).

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Mercedes-Benz G63 AMG 6x6 Pickup

 The G 63 AMG 6x6 is defined by excess. Take its footprint for instance: it is 5.87 meters (231 inches) long, 2.1 meters (82.7 inches) wide and 2.3 meters tall (90.6 inches), it weighs 3.85 tons and has a ground clearance of 460 mm (18.1 inches), more than double than the standard G63 AMG, which sits “only” 210 mm (8.3 inches) above the ground. Needless to say, the G 63 AMG 6x6 is a machine designed to go anywhere.

Six driven wheels, an off-road low-range ratio in the transfer case, portal axles, no less than five differential locks which can be engaged on the move and a tyre-pressure control system which inflates the huge six tyres from a sand-friendly 0.5 bar to a tarmac-ready 1.8 bar in less than 20 seconds while the vehicle is running – all these features say all about the 6x6 pickup’s off-road capability.

As one would imagine, the 5.5-liter turbo V8 engine developing 544 horsepower and 760 Nm (560 lb-ft) of torque is not quite frugal, especially in this case where it has to move a 3.85-ton vehicle.

Although Mercedes-Benz didn’t reveal fuel economy and performance figures, it did say that it added a 63-liter tank to the standard 96-liter tank, for a total capacity of 159 liters. Given that, people who will buy this pickup won’t care at all about fuel economy, all they need to know is the pickup can complete a trip to the desert with their hunting falcons.

While on the outside the G 63 AMG 6x6 looks set to tackle every challenge nature could throw at it, the cabin is as luxurious as possible. It has four heated and ventilated individual seats upholstered in 'designo' leather with contrasting stitching, leather-covered dashboard and door panels and Alcantara covering on the roof liner and pillars. There also an AMG carbon fiber trim, with even the load area lined with tough bamboo.

Mercedes didn’t offer pricing details, saying it will decide to build the G 63 AMG 6x6 depending on the response to the near-series show vehicle.

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Hardcore Mercedes SLS AMG

The Black Series sports an extra 39HP compared to the recently revised SLS AMG GT, for a total of 622HP (631PS), though its maximum torque has dropped by 11 lb-ft to 468 lb-ft (634Nm). The 0-100 km/h (0-62 mph) sprint takes 3.6 seconds, 0.1 seconds less than the non-Black Series SLS, which is not really that great of an improvement.

Even so, it’s interesting to find out what makes the 2014 SLS AMG Black Series, which goes on sale in the U.S. next summer at a yet-unspecified price, you know, special.

The 6.2-liter V8 now revs up to 8,000 rpm, instead of 7,200. It features revised camshafts and tappets utilizing race-developed coating, new engine mapping and modified air intake ducts to reduce airflow restrictions and adapt to the higher rev limit.

That’s not all: AMG’s engineers have optimized the crank assembly, modified oil bores, added new crankshaft bearings, a new oil pump and fine-tuned the water and oil cooling system for the engine and the transmission.

Moreover, the V8 is now mounted to the chassis by an additional gas-filled strut brace, which according to the company, eliminates load transfer during track driving. In addition, a titanium unit that’s 17 kg (37.5 pounds) lighter and emits an even more distinctive sound has replaced the stock model's steel exhaust system.

A weight-loss regime has also been applied to the bodywork and chassis, with elements like the hood, rear panel behind the seats, underbody diagonal braces, the torque tube between the engine and the transmission and a number of parts of the aluminum spaceframe chassis being manufactured from carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP).

Replacing the normal starter battery with a lithium-ion unit has reduced weight by a further 7.9 kg (17.6 pounds). All in all, the Black Series is 70 kg (154 pounds) lighter than the standard SLS and boasts a power-to-weight ratio of 5.49 lb/hp.

The dual-clutch AMG Speedshift DCT 7-speed gearbox is mounted 1 cm (0.4 inches) lower in order to attain an even lower center of gravity. It still features four drive modes but it has been recalibrated to reduce response time, blip the throttle automatically in downshifts and be more aggressive in the “Manual” and “Sport Plus” programs.

Even though the suspension retains the same basic double wishbone layout all around, it has received a number of modifications.

These include a revised power steering for better response, increased front and rear tracks by 2 and 2.3 cm (0.8 and 0.9 inches) respectively, new wheel mounts on the front axle, a new front stabilizer and front and rear axle elastokinematics made more rigid by 50 and 42 percent for greater stability in turns.

It also sports a tauter base setup for the electronically controlled suspension and lightweight, 10-spoke forged alloy wheels shod in 275/35 R19 front and 325/30 R20 rear Michelin Pilot Cup 2 tires.

The mechanical differential lock has been replaced by an electronically-controlled AMG unit that’s integrated in the transmission housing. It has a variable locking effect under acceleration and deceleration and increases stability by reducing yaw in the vertical axis.

AMG has also tuned all the electronic driver aids, namely the three-stage ESP electronic stability control system and the Race Start launch control to “cooperate” with the new differential in order to optimize traction.

As is the norm for the class, the SLS AMG Black Series features carbon-ceramic brakes as standard. They are two-piece units that measure 15.8 and 14.2 inches in diameter front and rear and reduce weight by 40 percent compared to steel/aluminum discs.

Subtle is not exactly AMG’s game lately, so as you can see in the images that follow, carbon fiber thrives on the front splitter and winglets, the air ducts behind the front wheels, the rear wing and the diffuser.

In the cabin, customers can combine the black “designo” leather with either black or red Alcantara trim. The flat-bottom steering wheel is wrapped in Alcantara for relaying the tactile racing feel to the driver.

Being a Mercedes, all the bells and whistles, including a Bang & Olufsen BeoSound 1,000-watt audio system with 11 speakers are present and accounted for, though, the owner can delete the COMAND multimedia system and have a piece of carbon fiber in its place. He or she will have just the V8 to listen to, but it will also reduce the car’s weight by an additional 6.0 kg (13 pounds).

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