Mercedes-Benz's S 65 AMG Coupe ladles excess for a quarter-million
Mercedes-Benz loves its V12 engines, and the potent powerplant has found itself another suitable home under the lengthy hood of the S 65 AMG Coupé, a monstrous 6-liter biturbo beast pushing out 630 HP. Limited to 155 mph, and capable of doing the 0-60 mph dash in just 4.1 seconds, the S 65 AMG replaces the CL 65 AMG for V12 purists, combining 738 lb-ft of torque with a cosseting cabin.
Lift the hood and AMG has clad the engine with a carbon fiber and aluminum cover, which is also where the engineer's signature is to be found, presumably in case you want to send a thank-you note.
Otherwise, there's an aluminum crankcase, forged alloy-steel crankshaft, 12 twin-spark multi-spark ignition system, air-to-water intercooler, and an ECO function. The latter might be useful if you're at all cost-conscious: Mercedes expects the Coupé to return around 19.8 mpg, which is an improvement on the outgoing car but still not something that would leave a Prius worrying.
Of course, the Prius driver won't get half of the technology and luxury the S 65 AMG Coupé owner enjoys, either. There's a triple-mode transmission which can jab the throttle during gearchanges for a throatier growl, and Magic Body Control which actively scans the upcoming road surface and then tilts the car into the corners like a skier.
Twin cameras behind the windshield can spot the curves of the road from up to 15 miters away, while cameras also keep an eye on the condition of the road to tweak the suspension settings. Composite brakes haul things to a stop, with red calipers an option; they're selected for cutting curb weight, too, as is the li-ion battery which is 20kg lighter than its regular counterpart.
Inside, there's exclusive AMG leather and speak sports seats; more leather is on the roof, across the dashboard, and on the doors. There's a new AMG-badged wheel, keyless-go, and a 360-degree camera system for easier parking.
A head-up display is standard, projecting a virtual 21 x 7 cm screen over the hood of the car, and Mercedes-Benz has baked a touchpad controller into the armrest for navigating the infotainment system.
No word on US pricing at this stage, but the S 65 AMG will be €244,009.50 (including German tax) when it hits forecourts at the end of September. A US release is likely to happen before the end of the year.
