Trader Dreamer: Mercedes-Benz CL65 AMG

It’s pretty strange that I’ve yet to feature a Mercedes on this site, it’s a brand I’m very fond of. There’s something about that three-pointed star on the bonnet that makes you want to progress serenely and comfortably to your destination. Older Mercedes’ delivered this very well, combined with a level of over-engineering that made their cars feel like they could last forever. By 2004 Mercedes had lost some of this in an attempt to match BMW’s driver image, but there was one car that went straight onto the Euromillions win shopping list; the CL65 AMG.

The AMG cars of today are very focused drivers cars, able to fight their equivalents from Munich on a level playing field. Their predecessors were different, they focused more on power, and autobahn crushing speed, and the C125 CL65 was very much that sort of car, which means there are plenty of big numbers to throw around here. Many have complained about the F10 M5’s lardy kerb weight of 1870kg, but the CL weighs in at a huge 2055kg. Yet despite this the Mercedes concedes only 1bhp per tonne to the potent new BMW.

It’s powerful then, very powerful, one of the most powerful road cars ever at the time of its launch in fact. Under the bonnet lives a bi-turbo, 6 litre, V12 engine that manages not only 604 bhp, but also a ridiculous 740 lb-ft of torque. Originally the engine developed 885 lb-ft, but the 5-speed auto couldn’t handle that extreme level of twist. That auto gearbox is perhaps the cars first failing; the manual mode is very un-responsive, hardly the lightening quick dual clutch you’d expect these days. The lack of driver involvement continues through to the controls, and a chassis unable to fight the extreme weight.

While you’ll be left behind by a Ford SportKa on twisty back roads, you run no risk of that on the autobahn; derestricted (an official AMG option) the car will do 186mph. Not quite derestricted actually, the car will still be electronically restrained to that speed, any faster and it would destroy it’s own tyres. This turn of speed should surely be sufficient for most however; this is a car that could theoretically get you to Monaco from Calais in within 6 hours.

For the cars original owner this was likely a possibility, undoubtedly having the finance to deal with the inevitable Gendarmerie intervention. They will have paid over £130,000 for the car, which could only be obtained via a special order. Owning one now won’t require quite such big cash reserves however; you can now obtain the car for a little over £30,000. Loosing nearly £100k of it’s value can’t have been fun for the previous owners, but the good part is that you can experience a 604 bhp Mercedes for little more than the cost of a new Insignia VXR with it’s puny 321bhp V6.

Running it may be a little dearer however; 19mpg with careful driving should drain your pockets. Servicing won’t be cheap either, especially with many parts on this car being unique to it. It really is rare too, only around 30 reside on UK roads. Externally their alloy wheels, along with subtle ‘bi-turbo’ badging distinguish them from the lesser CL55 and CL63 AMGs. The overall effect is incredibly subtle, while many would assume a big Mercedes like this is quick, most would not expect it to be producing quite the mental level of power it does.

In reality a 186mph car that weighs two tonnes and looks rather sensible is something that few people desire, especially when it does 19 mpg at best. You will be spending a great deal of money on something that few people will realise is as special as it is. At least you will know how special it is, you will sit in complete luxury with more power than you’ll ever need to use. As I said at the beginning, a large part of a Mercedes’ appeal to me is their ability to cruise, and this a Mercedes that can cruise at nearly any speed.

Here’s some I found

I’ve only found two this week, and the first, slightly cheaper one isn’t as nice to my eyes. It comes in black, which makes the car look a little dodgy when combined with the aftermarket alloys which ape the newer CL65, and look worse than the originals in the process.

Both cars have relatively low mileage, but this £1000 more expensive car has a much better advert, and looks much better. For £32,999 you get a Silver car with the proper alloys with a Mercedes full service history. Who wants to give me a loan?

Specifications

0-60 4.2 seconds
0-100 9.8 seconds
Top Speed 155 (limited) 186 (AMG modified limiter) mph
Power 604 bhp
Torque 740 lb/ft
Weight 2055 kg
Insurance Group 20
MPG 19

Warranty Direct Reliability Index 352
How Many Left 10k +