Mercedes coming to Detroit with S65 AMG

Mercedes-Benz will flex its considerable muscle at the upcoming North American International Auto Show in Detroit when it unveils a rapid new S65 AMG. Due to reach North American showrooms in July, the luxury performance sedan carries over the hand-built twin-turbocharged 6.0-liter V12 engine and five-speed automatic transmission from the previous S65 AMG, all wrapped up in the body of the all-new S-Class.

Mercedes says the reworked Maybach mill, with 612 hp at 4750 rpm and an enormous 738 lb-ft of torque beginning at 2000 rpm, should be slightly faster than an S600 and should match the older S65’s 0-to-62-mph time of 4.4 seconds, despite a small increase in weight. Top speed is limited to 155 mph, though buyers of all high-end AMG models these days can pay extra to have the electronic limiter recalibrated to 186 mph.

With the new S-Class chassis, S65 buyers get a wholesale lift in performance with a tauter suspension, reworked active body control and stronger brakes.

The S65 AMG is distinguished from lesser S-Class models by a heavily styled front bumper with a gaping central air duct, chunkier sills, a deeper rear bumper with a quartet of chrome oval tailpipes, and five-spoke 19-inch wheels. Inside, there’s unique instrument graphics, new gear shift paddles behind the steering wheel, sport seats, and a Racetimer device that allows the driver to record lap times or acceleration splits via a menu in the instrument binnacle.

Together with the S65 AMG, Mercedes-Benz is also developing a new S63 AMG model running the new 510-hp naturally aspirated 6.3-liter V8 engine unveiled in the ML63 AMG and Vision R63 concepts at the Frankfurt motor show last September. Don’t look for those models to go into production until later in 2006, however.
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