Yesterday I went for a ride.....
Now when a friend says "I'll get you a ride in my mates..." it's not likely it'll ever happen. After all friend-of-a-friend stories never work out.
Until now that is. Mind you I was in disbelief. This little gem was meant to happen 2 months ago!
Last night TiG and I were while innocently ambushing US Marines as any worthwhile NVA would do. Meanwhile we were in the midst of frustrated phone calls from my t'other half who was doing battle with the Glastonbury ticket hot-line.
Bring, bring, lo lov... evening mate what's up? In in 45min...yeah, mate's over, 612bhp.......612bhp!
A little over an hour later the sound of knuckles on wood signifies the arrival of an over-excited version of my affore mentioned friend. The cause of his excitement glistened under the lamp light at the end of the drive.
It's amazing how new cars have an extra glow about them, something that no later cleaning can really bring back. This though was something even more special (and I'm assured it'll always look that way due to the ceramic bonding in the paintwork), low and sleek, clean smooth lines, slightly fussy 19" rims, protruding quad-pipes oh and the small matter of the "V12 Bi-Turbo" badge nestling discretely on each wing aft of the front arches.
What we have here is a "proper" car. This is a hair-dresser free zone in no uncertain terms despite it being a full 4-seat coupe.
"We only got five minutes, just back from a sprint to Northampton."
I needed no more prompting. The fantastic seats hug just enough as the door does a double take and shuts us in. It's a strange place, the cabin of this car, a bit like being hermetically sealed inside futuristic pod designed to transport its occupants in leather-lined luxury from A-to-B-to-C and then a bit further still. Friend-of-a-friend leaps in, the seat and steering wheel move to meet him and we're away. Smoothly.
I soon realise we 'approach' and 'arrive' everywhere. The sense of occasion is fantastic, the size and bulk of this two-tonne beast are telling but the great view out and beautifull composure make it all feel insignificant.
Then the engine makes EVERYTHING feel insignificant.
It's night and the local dual-carriage ways are quiet so a little flexing of the right foot is not the usual danger-ridden nightmare. I soon learn a slight twitch will change 80mph to three figures, instantaneously. From there the 17" brake discs are gob-smackingly good. The time to stop and distance travelled makes a mockery of anything the highway code could think of for cars at 40mph.
Then we waited for an empty stretch of carriageway to present itself.
I've spent all day trying to pin down how this cars engine operates. Its twin-turbos are parallel and not sequential like many seriously fast motors (last generation Porsche 911 Turbo for one). There is 612bhp available with 737lbft of torque. The torque is limited because the (automatic) gearbox needed to handle more is not yet available. It has electronic gizmos all over the place to keep you on the straight and narrow but in this car they're tweaked to allow the driver those hooligan sideways moments.
Take-off is smooth but forcefull, a slight chirrup from the rears, engine uttering a muted roar. Another chirrup as the 'box allocates second and we really begin to advance. No lag, just serine progress. Power delivery is totally linear and while the seats caress you the road is being sucked into the front intakes and hurled out those quad pipes.
This car acquires speed like an airliner. Remember the last time you sat were thrilled when the pilot on your last flight opened the throttle and raced along the runway on takeoff? It's the same here, the same gathering of momentum, same shove from head-to-toe and not just in the small of your back like lesser automobiles might manage.
I'd guess we accelerated for about 15secs and the numbers showing would make it an eminently acceptable way of trouncing lesser machinery at the pod, four-up.
The pootle home was full of discussion about the toys onboard, the 3d sat-nav and settable speed limiter (for the more conscientious amoungst us).
Back at base we all got round and discussed the nitty gritty. The lack of any fuses (circuit-breakers instead), the intelligent lighting system that can switch functions around the car if the LEDs should fail and the affore mentioned paint. Under the bonnet resides 'the beast' but there's little evidence of the working gubbins.
And then they were gone. Until then I been immensely impressed by everything about the car and could forgive the wheels as something with a £150k price tag deserves a little fuss.
As they pulled away friend-of-a-friend gently flexed his right foot once again and all TiG and I could do was grin. Inside it might be all comfy and subdued but outside there is a guttural roar of vehemence. It’s pure music to my ears.
The one sad note was the lack of time for TiG to get the same treat. However a deeply appologetic friend-of-a-friend promised to be back. Maybe with the same car de-limited from 155mph. Or maybe an SLR.
Do we believe him? After all he is a friend-of-a-friend and we know how successfull those stories are.....
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Can you tell what it is yet?
We're talking Mercedes CL65 AMG. The engine is lifted from the Maybach and is a masterpiece of totally bonkers proportions. This particular example had only 75miles on the clock and looks like it's going to get one hell of a run-in.
I've had a quick scrounge for official links but Merc 'only' have the CL55 AMG on their site:
http://www.mercedesbenz.co.uk/pc/pc_...class/nav.asp?
I did have a little google success however:
Top Gear Review
EuropeanCarWeb.com
Specs & Pics @ SuperCarSite.com
An owners 1/4mile stats
