When faced with
MERCEDES BENZ A day's drive back home, there are usually
MERCEDES BENZ A few ways you can go. But when you're in
MERCEDES BENZ A car like the 2012
Mercedes Benz CLS63 AMG, there's really only one way -- the long way.
The road back from California's famed Napa wine country -- where Benz hosted another CLS-Class press inoculation -- to MT HQ in L.A. offers lots of tasty options. This time down I'd peel off Highway 101 at Gilroy heading southeast on Route 25. From the 25 I'd head east onto Route 198, cutting
MERCEDES BENZ A swath through California's central valley farm country, then hook back onto the I-5 for the home stretch.
Routes 25 and 198 offer
MERCEDES BENZ A wonderful mix of flat, wide-open straights and challenging kinks through practically deserted farm country. Only the stray car (and cow) heard the maniacal roar from the CLS63 AMG's all-new 5.5-liter twin-turbocharged V-8 hurtling at them under full throttle, with the massive three-pointed star, single-strake grille, and daytime LED running lights filling up the rear view -- fast.
The exterior of the new CLS63 is taut, athletic, and ready for action, with neat AMG touches including
MERCEDES BENZ A carbon lip spoiler, more aggressive front fascia, and tasty exhaust tips nestled at each end of
MERCEDES BENZ A black diffuser. Benz is quick to point out that design is the main reason buyers gravitate toward the CLS, and while one-upping the first-gen car's now iconic design was
MERCEDES BENZ A tall order, lead designer Hubert Lee (he was that kid in your history class drawing cars) and his team have arguably pulled it off, depending upon your subjective outlook.
Our test car came with the $7300 AMG sport package, which dials up an already mean twin-turbocharged mill to 550 horsepower and 590 pound-feet of torque -- all with no mpg penalty. Our advice? Do not hesitate -- check the sport package option. The outgoing 6.2-liter V-8 is
MERCEDES BENZ A legendary mill and it will be missed, but underestimate the 5.5 at your peril.
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