Mercedes' Largest and Latest AMG Sedan is Capable of Reaching 100 km/h in 4.4 Seconds
Detroit, Michigan is the undisputed muscle car capital of the world,
the epicenter of big-block performance, if you will. On the other hand, it's also the place where automakers from around the globe come to show off their latest creations, as Detroit is the home of the North American International Auto Show. At this year's event, European luxury carmaker Mercedes-Benz has whipped up a different kind of muscle car to display: a leather-lined, wood-trimmed luxury sedan based on the all-new S-Class.
While Mercedes has made leaps and bounds in the technology department with the new S-Class, on paper, the S65 AMG's powertrain - the muscle in this muscle car - hasn't advanced at all. All things considered, the hand-built 6.0-litre twin-turbocharged V12 is a pretty impressive unit, generating 612 horsepower and 732 lb-ft of
torque, figures sure to gain respect from everyone at the drag strip. Alas, it doesn't offer anything different from the other AMG cars that bear the V12 Biturbo '65 AMG' badge, or the new Maybach 57S.
Interestingly, after three years, Mercedes still hasn't found a way to beef up its 7G-Tronic seven-speed automatic gearbox to cope with the twin-turbo motor's torque. As such, the new S65 carries on with the old, but effective 5-speed automatic gearbox, which can be controlled through a column-mounted shifter or "paddles" integrated within the backs of the steering wheel spokes.
Detroit, Michigan is the undisputed muscle car capital of the world,
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| This is Germany's idea of a muscle car: the new 2007 Mercedes-Benz S65 AMG. (Photo: Mercedes-Benz Canada) |
While Mercedes has made leaps and bounds in the technology department with the new S-Class, on paper, the S65 AMG's powertrain - the muscle in this muscle car - hasn't advanced at all. All things considered, the hand-built 6.0-litre twin-turbocharged V12 is a pretty impressive unit, generating 612 horsepower and 732 lb-ft of
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| As featured in the CL65, SL65 and Maybach 57S, the twin-turbo V12 is at home in the new S-Class. (Photo: Mercedes-Benz Canada) |
Interestingly, after three years, Mercedes still hasn't found a way to beef up its 7G-Tronic seven-speed automatic gearbox to cope with the twin-turbo motor's torque. As such, the new S65 carries on with the old, but effective 5-speed automatic gearbox, which can be controlled through a column-mounted shifter or "paddles" integrated within the backs of the steering wheel spokes.