Harnessing the power of the Mercedes AMG range is not so easy when you turn off the modern electronics. Shane O'Donoghuelearned all about it at the Bruntingthorpe airfield
I'VE SEEN the numbers before I open the heavy door to the CL 65 and as incredible as 604bhp and 1,000Nm sound, it's the opulence and craftsmanship of the big coupé's interior that first gets my attention. Then again, when you're spending the equivalent of a nice house on a car, you'd hope its interior is plush.
Thankfully the CL's luscious cabin does not disappoint. Despite being almost as large as an S-Class on the outside, the CL seats just four occupants, albeit comfortably. But I'm not here today to assess the comfort of any car. We're at the Bruntingthorpe Proving Grounds in Leicestershire, England to push a selection of AMG-fettled Mercedes-Benz models to their limits in a controlled and supervised manner.
Supervision is in the form of several professional driving instructors, including members of the Silver Arrows Display Team. This elite squad regularly performs stunt displays at the Mercedes-Benz World in Brooklands, a performance that includes power sliding and drifting in close quarters to each other in various AMG models. The hope is that we'll gain a better understanding of the abilities of these cars by pushing them to and beyond their limits. Of course, it's expected to be a lot of fun too.
An assortment of AMG-badged machinery is lined up on the concrete. Along with the massive CL, there's one SL 63 and several C 63 AMGs - in saloon and estate guises. The sun is beating down, though it will take more than a hot day to melt the surface on this track - most of it is comprised of a high friction concrete, originally laid to help slow down heavy US Airforce bombers. The abrasive surface would be a bonus if we were interested in setting lap records, but not much use when cajoling the rear tyres to relinquish their grip.
Before we get to the tyre-shredding part of the day, the usual safety briefing and installation laps are taken care of, and then a few simple exercises to demonstrate the cars' electronic safety systems. Virtually every new car features anti-lock brakes as standard these days, but it's useful to be reminded that they are to allow the driver to steer around an obstacle while braking rather than actually reducing the braking distance.
ESP is just as useful in an emergency manoeuvre. We were encouraged to drive straight at a pile of old tyres at about 140km/h and at the last second swerve to avoid the obstacle, but without touching the brakes.
The exercise replicates a very real scenario, in which the driver does not have time to react with the brakes, but instinctively steers suddenly. Without ESP, it is possible that a car will go out of control after the first impulsive movement, but with ESP switched on, there is virtually no drama.
Next, we switch the ESP system to Sport mode, which allows the driver to slide the car a little further before the electronics step in. With the considerable torque on tap, it doesn't take much to unstick the rear tyres on exiting tighter turns, despite the considerable grip, but no sooner have you dialled in a few degrees of controlling lock and the ESP system has already reduced the power. It's not intrusive to fun though, and is a perfect mode for tackling your favourite deserted back road.
However, we've got an airfield to play on, so there's no need for such restraint. Once the instructors are convinced that we're not likely to quickly end their career with an expensive accident, the go ahead is given to switch off the ESP altogether.
Modern electronics make high-performance cars a doddle to drive, so it focuses the mind when you realise you are completely responsible for the 451bhp under your right foot.
Only a few corners are suitable for amateur tail-out antics in Bruntingthorpe, as the infield is dominated by the rather solid presence of a clapped-out Boeing 747 and the perimeter of the track approaches a collection of older military aircraft too. To make our lives easier, Mercedes has enlisted the on-site fire fighting team, which dutifully soaks one of the tighter bends.
Even with plenty of run-off and an encouraging instructor, it takes a few attempts to fully relax and let the car slide further than feels intuitive. In third gear (we had the excellent seven-speed automatics in manual mode), the C 63 has plenty of torque, but until your technique improves, it's all too easy to get the nose of the car to push on instead of lighting up the rear tyres.
Eventually it happens, and a flaring of V8-engined revs indicates that a power slide has begun. On the wet surface you have to be quick to allow the wheel to rotate in the opposite direction to control the slide, but the most difficult part is the transition from that to going straight again. To start with, it's a jerky affair, but with practice it becomes a more fluid motion.
By the time the water has evaporated, we're having delusions of becoming a member of the Silver Arrows team and there is smoke billowing off the rear tyres on every pass.
Sadly, we run out of time, but before it's time to leave, the experts show me how it should be done. It's a humbling display of confident car control, even in the rather friskier SL 63.
Which brings me back to the first drive of the day, in the CL 65. Weighing in at over 2,200kg, it would be foolishness to slide it around for very long, but where it does impress is in its ability to effortlessly and silently hit its 250km/h limiter in only half the length of the available runway.
Plenty of time then to marvel at its comfort.
Factfile AMG range
• Mercedes-Benz C 63 AMG:V8 petrol; 451bhp @ 6,800rpm; 600Nm @ 5,000rpm; seven-speed automatic, rear-wheel drive; performance: 0-100km/h: 4.5 secs; top speed: 250km/h (limited); emissions: 319g/km CO2: combcycle fuel economy:13.1 l/100km; price:€99,505
• Mercedes-Benz C 63 AMG Estate:V8 petrol; 451bhp @ 6,800rpm; 600Nm @ 5,000rpm; seven-speed automatic, rear-wheel drive; performance: 0-100km/h: 4.6 secs; top speed: 250km/h (limited); emissions: 326g/km CO2; comb cycle fuel economy 13.7 l/100km; price: €103,280
• Mercedes-Benz SL 63 AMG:V8 petrol; 518bhp @ 6,800rpm; 630Nm @ 5,200rpm; seven-speed automatic, rear-wheel drive; performance: 0-100km/h: 4.6 secs; top speed: 250km/h (limited); emissions: 330g/km CO2; comb cycle fuel economy: 13.9 litres/100km; price: to be confirmed
• Mercedes-Benz CL 65 AMG:twin-turbo V12 petrol; 604bhp @ 4,800-5,100rpm; 1,000Nm @ 2,000- 4,000rpm; five-speed automatic, rear-wheel drive; performance: 0-100km/h: 4.4 secs; top speed: 250km/h (limited); emissions: 355g/km CO2; comb cycle fuel: 14.8l/100km; price: €315,730