The New Black
Driving Mercedes’ CLK63 AMG Black Series is a very formal affair
When you see the words “black tie” on an invitation, you know you’re going to a classy affair. When you see the words “Black Series” on the trunk-mounted AMG badge of the 2008 Mercedes CLK, you know you’re going to arrive in style.
2008 Mercedes CLK63
AMG Black Series
Price as Tested: $139,675
Engine: 500 hp, 6.2-liter V-8
Curb Weight: 3,948 pounds
The 2008 Mercedes CLK63 AMG Black Series is an exclusive beast. AMG is Mercedes’ in-house tuning division. It turns out special-edition performance versions of various models in Mercedes’ lineup. But the CLK63 AMG Black Series is the rarest of all current Mercedes, with production limited to about 700 cars, 350 of which are en route to the United States.
Mercedes kindly rushed one to me from Florida in time to meet my deadline. Considering that the CLK63 AMG Black Series retails for about $140,000 and wraps supercar performance in Benz luxury, that was quite a gesture. Thanks, gents.
Look at the photo above and tell me this doesn’t look like a racing car. The resemblance is purely intentional. The CLK63 Black Series is essentially a road-going version of the CLK coupe that Mercedes uses to pace Formula One races. Mercedes has also raced the CLK in the high-tech German Touring Car series. Thus, the Black Series’ body cladding, aggressive front spoiler, carbon-fiber fender flares, rear wing, rear diffuser, and beautiful 19-inch wheels don’t just suggest raciness; they are derived from racing.
The exterior accents are not only functional (adding aerodynamic downforce), they make the Black Series look better than its more pedestrian CLK cousins. Form follows function inside as well. The black (what else?) leather interior is accented with carbon fiber around the instrument cluster, center dash stack, and doors. The deep front buckets offer race-worthy support, while the backseats — well, there are no backseats. Such is the sporting intent of the CLK63 Black Series.
That racing intent is likely the reason there’s no complicated electronic interface in the center dash. Mercedes’ earlier-generation COMAND navigation/audio screen display sits above straightforward HVAC controls. I can’t resist saying that I find this layout far more efficient and less distracting than the latest version of the COMAND interface.
A dainty milled aluminum shifter between the front buckets is used to select gears in full automatic mode. Paddles on the back of the steering wheel allow for Formula One–style shifting in manual mode. Unfortunately, I found a serious, worrisome flaw here. The paddles themselves are really too small for dedicated racetrack use. While that’s a minor issue, the fact that the right-side upshift paddle failed to command the transmission as I drove out of Washington, D.C., is not. I pulled over to investigate, and not only did a restart fail to cure the problem, the right paddle flopped out of the steering wheel into my palm.
That is a safety issue, folks. It’s unacceptable in a $30,000 car and outrageous in one with racing pretensions costing nearly five times as much. I drove in full auto mode the rest of the week.
It’s a shame because otherwise the Black Series is an absolute blast to drive. It turns into corners fabulously, accelerates like a hammer (zero to 60 in four seconds), and sounds like an offshore powerboat racing at full gallop. The suspension is stiff, but I found the ride comfortable enough for commuting. The car offers very high lateral grip, and its fat (265/285) Pirelli P Zero Corsa tires stick until controllable understeer creeps in. With 500 horsepower, injudicious use of throttle can whip the back end out in a blink. Fortunately, the CLK’s electronic stability control effectively mutes that tendency without being too intrusive.
Despite its use of lightweight materials, the car is still a bit heavy (just over 3,900 pounds), and critics rightly point out that one can enjoy the same (or better) performance for about $30,000 less from a Porsche GT3. But as rare a bird as the GT3 is, you’re more likely to see one than the CLK63 AMG Black Series. The Black Series is an instant collectible. Sadly, I didn’t have any black-tie engagements during my time with the Black Series, but merely sitting in it was just as satisfying.
— Eric Tegler
