Mercedes-Benz CLK63 AMG 2007 review

If you're past the age of 12 and haven't won some kind of international racing championship, your Formula One prospects are rather dim. But as a consolation, AMG now builds a genuine F1 ride for the cashed-up everyman.

The Mercedes-Benz AMG CLK63 Black Series is a replica of the F1 safety car. That's the hot, silver number with the steroidal flared guards and carbonfibre air-scoops you see every grand prix weekend, sweeping behind (and in front of) the grid, packed to the rafters with Band-Aids, cough drops and whatever else F1 safety cars carry these days.

The civilian version (sans flashing lights and the regular CLK's back seats) costs about $255,000 in Europe or $155K in the US, the two markets in which AMG will sell it so far. Right-hook versions are almost certain to be built, though, so don't book your place in the 911 GT3 queue just yet.

An F1 doctor's car has to be spry, lest it be lapped before Turn 2 (one reason Bernie Ecclestone doesn't use Ladas), so AMG wedges in a 6.2-litre dohc 32-valve V8 and seven-speed auto with paddleshifters. Hand-assembled in the basement of AMG's engine workshop, it's a tweaked variant Benz's new high-revving V8 engine that's reinvigorating Mercedes performance across the line.

In the Black Series, the bent-eight generates 373kW and a tyre-shearing 630Nm, or 19kW more than the base CLK63 (rated torque is identical). AMG chalks this power gain up to larger intake tracts and lower backpressure in the exhaust, all of which give a brawny bellow and the power to execute smoky doughnuts at whim on the pit straight at Spa. Or your neighbour's driveway.

The 100km/h mark is run down in 4.1 seconds, which is an intoxicating hoot when it's your torso being crushed into one of the two leather seats (European buyers will get carbonfibre buckets). And if you're thinking the CLK63 Black Series sounds like a very expensive German Monaro, you'd be more or less correct.

But it doesn't handle like one. Despite weighing 1778kg, this Black Series corners with astounding grip and zero body motion relative to its 19-inch forged alloy wheels. Much of the suspension is custom-made and adjustable, including damper rebound and compression settings, and ride height. You can even adjust the front camber if livelier steering is called for at your local Bi-Lo.

This CLK63 has some of the steering isolation typical of AMGs, but turn-in is more eager and it feels friskier. It'll never touch a 911 GT3 in the corners, but when the road straightens, the Black Series is one bad-ass Band-Aid hauler.