2011 Mercedes AMG CL63 Puts Out Just 563 hp

In the world of super-fast, super-expensive luxury coupes, there really aren’t many that surpass the CL. Actually, if you’re talking coupes — and not sports cars like, say, a Ferrari — the AMG CL may be at the top of the heap next to the Bentley Continental GT. And who wants to be caught in one of those anymore?

For 2011, the CL gets some exterior design tweaks, most noticeably in the front, which looks a little more snub-nosed than before. There really wasn’t anything wrong with the last model, but there’s nothing really wrong with this one, either.

Most people will care most about what’s under the hood — after making sure they see the AMG logo emblazoned on the wheels and the badge on the back. The AMG CL63 gets a new engine in a 5.5-liter twin-turbo V-8 good for 563 horsepower and 664 pounds-feet of torque. That’s 45 more hp and a mind-numbing 199 more pounds-feet of torque. But really, Mercedes, you couldn’t eke out one more pound-foot of torque to make the math easier on us journalists? It hits 60 mph in 4.4 seconds, according to the automaker. Add the Performance Package, and it’ll shave off a little time.

If you read above and think we’re poking fun at the CL, that’s not the case. We’ve driven the current CL-Class and have hated turning the keys over. Getting all this added power for 2011 just makes us a little more anxious to drive one. The outgoing 2010 CL63 started at $145,200, and we expect the 2011 will be a tad pricier when it goes on sale in November.