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Halo Car for CLK Range is a Street-Legal Race Car
For the 2007MY, the Mercedes-Benz CLK 63 AMG replaces the CLK 55 AMG as AMG does away with most supercharged engines in favor of naturally aspirated units. The normally aspirated 6.3L 32v V8 delivers 475HP in the CLK 63 AMG and gets a seven-speed transmission. That isn’t quite enough for some, though, especially as the same engine delivers 503HP in the R 63 AMG and ML 63 AMG. Plus, Mercedes has an F1 Safety Car derived from the CLK. Why not make one you could buy, assuming the right income level?

Pricing for the CLK 63 AMG Black Series has not been announced, introduced at the 2007 New York auto show, but on the stand it looked terrific, and the photos don’t do justice to the impact of the front bodywork and the seriously aggressive impression the car gives in person. This vehicle will be rare, expensive, and a serious toy for the rich boy racer in you. Not only does it look great, but the details on the transformation from CLK 63 AMG to CLK 63 AMG Black Series is just as impressive.

Painted silver instead of black, but indicated by the black 63 AMG badge, as a street-legal version of the official F1 safety car the Black Series gets design and technology from F1, as well as 500HP instead of the CLK 63 AMG’s 475HP. The extra power comes from redesigned intake and exhaust systems. The Black Series gets larger intake ducts, an AMG sport exhaust with full-length twin pipes, and a recalibrated engine control unit provides quicker throttle response.

It also gets carbon-fiber flared fenders; larger, staggered-width wheels and tires; AMG forged aluminum wheels with Pirelli PZero Corsa tires; larger vented and perforated composite disc brakes; a new front apron with carbon cooling air intakes in the front bumper and lateral air outlets in the front fenders; redesigned side skirts; and new rear apron with carbon-fiber air-diffuser fins. All of this looks good in photos, but the changes to the front and rear fascias really pop in person.

From the F1 Safety Car the Black Series takes the AMG exhaust, a limited-slip rear differential, and separate oil cooler for the rear final drive, and a carbon-fiber spoiler on the trunklid to reduce lift at speed. It also gets an adjustable suspension (with new spring links, wheel carriers, thrust arms, and camber and torque struts), though the adjustment needs to be done by a technician. The ride height and compression and rebound of the shock dampers and camber and toe-in can be adjusted. The standard ASR traction control and ESP stability control are calibrated for more intense track driving.


The purpose-built two-seat Black Series also deletes rear seats and uses bucket front seats with nappa leather and AMG embroidered logos. Losing the rear seats is what relegates this from being usable in the real world to a barely legal street racing car. Befitting a sports car, the Black Series gets carbon-fiber interior trim stamped with the AMG logo, a black headliner, a bespoke aluminum shift lever, and an AMG sport steering wheel (more than a half-inch smaller and with aluminum shift paddles).