Mercedes CLS63 AMG spied

19th April 2010

As Mercedes grabs the headlines with the style, pace and efficiency of the Shooting Break, tuning arm AMG has been working its magic on the standard new CLS saloon.

The forthcoming CLS 63 will get the 5.5-litre bi-turbo engine, which will debut in the revised CL coupé in the summer. It replaces the outgoing CLS’s naturally aspirated 6.2-litre V8, and has been developed under the ‘AMG Performance 2015’ agenda.

The unit tips the scales at only 204kg, and features stop-start, direct injection and on-demand use of the oil pump. As a result, it could achieve a 25 per cent cut in fuel consumption and 30 per cent cut in CO2 emissions.

But engineers haven’t forgotten about performance. Twin turbochargers help the powerplant produce a mammoth 537bhp and 800Nm of torque. Drivers seeking more thrills will be able to opt for the AMG Performance Package, which boosts turbo pressure to up the stats to 563bhp and 900Nm.

The engine will be hooked up to the 7G-Tronic auto, which will have a Controlled Efficiency mode. This starts the car in second gear and changes up early to keep revs low and boost fuel economy. As a hot E-Class saloon and estate are already offered, an AMG Shooting Break can’t be ruled out.