Mercedes
S65 AMG Coupé
The 2015 S65 AMG coupe is among the most fetching and
luxurious vehicles on the planet, with almost ridiculous levels of equipment.
But it's a beast first and foremost, a menacing and more evil one than its
V-8–powered S63 sibling. For starters, like the S65 sedan, the S65 coupe is
rear-wheel-drive only; presumably, the twin-turbocharged V-12 engine's 621
horsepower and 738 lb-ft of torque would fry the 577 hp S63’s 4MATIC
all-wheel-drive components. Mashing the throttle should not be done carelessly.
The all-aluminum, three-valve-per-cylinder M275 V-12, as before, likely will
emit a most refined but sinister sound.
Sheer numbers don't do the S65 justice, but they are
impressive nonetheless: AMG claims the sprint to 60 mph occurs in just four
seconds flat, and top speed is governed at a sweet 186 mph. Surely, the S65 AMG
coupe could exceed the magic 200-mph barrier, but saner engineers—ones equipped
with electronic limiters—at Daimler prevailed. Buyers who plan on regularly reaching
for the S65’s top speed should plan to pony up for the optional carbon-ceramic
brakes.
In
an attempt to curb the big, twin-turbocharged 6.0-liter V-12’s thirst, Benz
fitted a seven-speed automatic in place of the old CL65 AMG’s five-cog unit, an
engine stop-start system, and lightweight technology such as a lithium-ion
battery that saves 44 pounds. The automaker claims the S65 coupe can travel
slightly farther on a unit of gasoline than the outgoing CL65 AMG, but seeing
as how we recorded a meager 16 mpg in our test of the 2013 CL65, don’t expect
owners of the new coupe to break friendships with their local gas-station
proprietors.
As
if its straight-line performance weren’t impressive enough, the S65 AMG coupe
attempts to wow in the corners, as well. It is equipped with a “Curve Tilting”
function, which at speeds between 10 and 111 mph actually leans the body into
corners the way a motorcycle rider would. But it isn’t a performance-enhancing
tool; as Mercedes puts it, Curve Tilting is designed as a comfort feature.
Another such perk is Magic Body Control, which first debuted on the latest
S-class sedan and uses cameras to scan the road surface and feed data to the
dampers, which preload themselves to compensate for impending road-surface
irregularities.
The
electromechanical power-steering system has Comfort and higher-effort Sport
settings, both of which are linked to the eponymous driver-selectable
suspension modes. The Sport algorithm, according to the press release, offers
“a sportily stiff level of steering assistance.” To set the S65 AMG apart from
its lesser S-class coupe siblings, it gets an extra dollop of chrome—people
will know—and it has gorgeous 20-inch forged-aluminum wheels.
Have
we mentioned the insane level of luxurious equipment? This coupe packs every
imaginable goody and feature in Mercedes-Benz’s playbook, and then some. There
is a standard head-up display, Benz’s new touchpad COMAND system, a 360-degree
parking camera, active park assist, Distronic Plus adaptive cruise control,
cross-traffic alert, blind-spot monitoring, lane-keeping assist, AMG-exclusive
nappa leather interior trimmings, a Burmester surround-sound audio system, and
a 12.2-inch color TFT center display. Daimler is a leader in safety technology,
telematics, and assistance systems, and this is one area where the automaker’s
ultrapowerful coupe trounces competitors from the likes of Aston Martin and
Bentley.
Of
course, any car with this much luxury, not to mention one uttered in the same
breath as “Aston Martin” or “Bentley,” is going to be pricey. Mercedes-Benz
hasn’t slapped a price tag on the S65 AMG coupe yet, but given the substantial
price buffer between the S63 AMG coupe and S63 AMG sedan, it is safe to predict
a starting point comfortably north of the S65 AMG sedan’s estimated US$ 220,000
asking price.
