Autoblog

We've already been given a taste of what the next Mercedes SL will look like ahead of its official unveiling in Geneva this March and despite the previous spy shots, we were still in the dark about what would come after AMG worked its wizardry on Mercedes' new high-dollar coupe. CAR was able to get the exclusive details on the SL65, which is being built in cooperation with HWA, the same folks who develop vehicles for the DTM/German Touring Car Championship.

That means that prodigious power is only the tip of the iceberg. But to be specific, 670 hp and 737 lb.-ft. of torque will be squeezed from the supercharged V8, with torque being limited to 555 lb.-ft. in first and second gears to avoid all the oily bits from being strewn across the tarmac.

In keeping with the Black tradition, AMG will outfit the coupe with massively flared fenders, plenty of aero-enhanced body panels (made up of carbon fiber), upgraded brakes, and a new Sportshift transmission that uses a wet clutch to transmit power to seven speeds. 19-inch wheels will be mounted in front, with 20-inchers out back and according to CAR, the Black Series will be around 550 pounds lighter than its pedestrian counterpart.

To make sure that absolute power doesn't corrupt absolutely, the price of the SL65 Black Series is set around £193,000. Stiff, but considering the SL can be flung to 60 in 3.9 seconds and can top out at 200 mph, it's officially in supercar territory. Sales will begin six to nine months after the last SLR rolls off the line and will share the McMerc's exclusivity with only 400 examples being produced.

[Source: CAR]