Spotted: Mercedes CLK63 AMG Black Series

Monkey gets excited about AMG's Black Series CLK - deservedly by all accounts

Hopes were not high for the CLK Black Series - because it was predated by the rather baffling 2006 SLK Black Series. This was a small convertible given a carbon roof, some more poke, a jerkier gearshift and lashings of extra list price. As someone wisely pointed out on an Autocar group test event that year, "The only thing to like about the SLK was the folding roof, and they've ditched that."

The base CLK C209 at the time wasn't a great car. The AMG 63 version was of the old AMG school with nothing more than mild chassis upgrades and a socking great engine wedged into the front. These now make stunning value Q-cars because they look so ordinary, but an E46 M3 was a much more exciting machine to drive.

Stripped back, but just far enough

So, in 2007 Black Series didn't mean much and the CLK was nothing special. Accordingly, the CLK Black Series was the biggest shock of 2007. And much of 2008.

For starters it looked like it had driven straight from a late 90s DTM meeting. The front track was 75mm wider, the rear 66mm wider, and both ends were wrapped in vast extended arches. The bodyshell was strengthened and both sets of struts were linked with braces. Until this point, AMG had just bolted big engines into unassuming Benzes: this was the company's watershed moment, created to celebrate its 40th anniversary and it started the momentum that has created a string of cars that now has BMW M wondering how to respond. It was also £100,000.

Power was 507hp, up 26hp on a regular CLK thanks to better intake an exhaust. It would hit 0-62mph in 4.3sec and the limiter was raised to 186mph. Without it 200mph was on the cards.

Dinky alloy shifter cool, autobox less so

From the moment I first drove the CLK Black Series, I thought it was stunning. It sat square on the road, the steering was much more direct and heavier than the standard car's and it felt like a proper fast road car. The adjustable dampers gave a firm but very controlled ride.

The only real downside was the transmission, which was just the standard 7G-Tronic with a slightly faster shift map. It was slow to respond to upshifts and didn't blip on downshifts.

It still doesn't. But the CLK Black is still a cracking car. It's the antidote to the usual Porsche/BMW occasional track toy because you could use it everyday if you so wished. This one's for sale at Dick Lovett where even among the pornographic quantities of exotica on display, it still looks sensational. One I'd seen it, I had to go for a little squirt. Dan is now calling this new sub-genre of 'Spotted' a 'Spotted-Plus". I can live with the OCD categorisation if I get to drive cars like this.

About the best use of one of the great V8s

The noise on start-up is silly. The cabin looks fresh, the carbon door-cards look very expensive. The little steering wheel sits slightly offset from the seating position , but this and the little ally T-bar of a gearlever make the car feel much more special than a standard AMG.

It's still fast, the rear 285s still feel undercooked for the job and the ride is still impressive for something so hardcore. I'd want to spend a bit of time adjusting the dampers on this car though.

Otherwise, I think it's very a very desirable bit of kit. Only 25 came to the UK in RHD. This car has covered just 9,000 miles. It's worth the asking price for that outrageous rear diffuser alone.

See the original advert here.

MERCEDES CLK63 AMG BLACK SERIES
Engine: 6,208cc V8
Transmission: 7-speed auto
Power (hp): 507@6,800rpm
Torque (lb ft): 465@5,250rpm
MPG: N/A
CO2: N/A
First registered: 2008
Recorded mileage: 9,206
Price new: c. £100K
Yours for: £89,990