ZZZZMD

Anyone know if the CL600 gives up anything in performance to the CL55, especially with the sport package? Also, any clue as to whether the CL65 will be offered in the USA, and at what price? Thanks in advance for your kind assistance.

absent

Drove both , 600 is faster,in particular over 100 mph,but is less fun then 55.
You have to invest in Renntech ECU to remove the 600's 130mph limiter.55 is limited to 155mph.

victoryroad

The CL65 is likely to be available in the US.
I plan to put its 19" dual spoke AMG, two piece wheels on my 03 CL55. Probably will not do any engine modification. The 55 is a very fast car and I have no reason to test its performance at very high speeds. It corners remarkably well for a 4300 lb. car-- feels at least 500 or 600 lbs lighter than it is. One can go very fast very easily, perhaps too easily.

Wolfman

Would be great, but I need to see something official from MBUSA to believe that.

Unlike the 55's which are regular production cars, the CL65 is a small series production car, produced at less than 5% of the Cl55 volume, carrying a $60K - $70K (according to German magazines) premium over the CL600.

You can call AMG today and order it anyway, but that MB will carry this car through their dealer network with all the associated costs is questionable at best. They certainly haven't done it for the 02 CL63 and other V12 AMG's before that.

Wolfman

ZZZZMD

Thank you, gentlemen. I don't think I'll be able to spend $200K on a car unless I discover platinum under my deck. In terms of value, though, it may be worth it when you look at the price of the Porsche Carrera GT, Lamborghini Murcielago, etc. The 65 will probably equal their straight-line performance, if not their track abilities.

benznut

My local dealer had both of them, CL600 and CL55 in their lot, both black over ash. The CL600 had the sport package. They looked nearly identical, except for the extra wood in the steering wheel in the CL600, the Alcantera headliner (again CL600), the ruffled leather (you guesses it, CL600) and the sports seats (CL55). Overall, the CL600 seemed equipped better in terms of my own personal taste. considering that it also has a slightly more powerful, and a lot more refined engine, it was a clear winner to me.

Wolfman

The biggest diffferences will be in the driving and suspension characteristics, rather than the options and looks, which are minimal at best.

Not that I don't love the Alcantara headliner (which is actually standard in the SL55's), I actually don't like the wood/leather steering wheel. Had it in the CL500; looks great, feels only so so when driving (too slippery, at least when my hands swet and it's fingerprint galore). Have mixed feelings about the ruffled leather (certainly not a high-end option as they are on the ML and E-class as well).

When the SL55 and the SL600 were compared in Germany, the testers were clear that the SL55 encouraged sporty driving (sound, suspension) while the Sl600 was quieter and softer, designed for people that enjoy drive more leisurely and only occasionally open it up, even though it beat the SL55 by 4/10th of second from 0-200 Km/h (124 mph). Speed from 0-100 Km/h (62 mph) was the same and the braking distance was longer on the SL600.

What was interesting is that even though both cars have ABC suspension, it was tuned very differently, even in Sport mode. This is probably accomlished by tighter springs and different ABC calibration.

One other area to consider: Resale value. The CL (215 body) AMG models hold their values significantly better than the Cl600. I have seen $50K drops on the '02 V12's. The twin turbo will unfortunately not change that

Wolfman

AmgBoy

I actually prefer the CL55 AMG over the CL600! The combination of it being an AMG vehicle and having a sportier side while maintaining ALMOST the same amount of luxury as the TT CL600 is what sells me.

I agree with Wolfman on the statement about the wood steering wheel, I also prefer the standard wheel.

The amount of luxury avaliable for the CL55 is incredible already, why would you need more? People forget that a car is for driving and being involved in it and they get caught up in the "Ultimate Luxury War" if you will.

So my vote goes to the CL55 because of the sportier AMG parts and characteristics!

Cheers.

victoryroad

Wolfman's comments about the AMG tuned suspension are quite correct and reflect a primary difference between the CL55 and the CL600 Sport. The Napa leather in the CL55 is very soft and the seats are far more supportive than those of the CL600. The brakes on the CL55 are also much better. As to power, when one has driven the CL55 for more than a few minutes, I am confident that anyone would find that it has prodigous torque. Motor Trend just tested it and it beat the Z06 in the standing quarter mile and 0-60 mph, albeit only by a couple of hundredths, but it weighs alomst 4300 lbs. BTW, the CL55 topped out at 187, which is where MB set the limiter, Unlimited, it would be well into the 190's. It did not do especially well in the slalom, but apparently that was because the ESP interferred. The high speed stats really do not matter unless you are on the Autobahn anyway. The CL55 is extremely luxurious, even without the Alcantera headliner.