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Mercedes-Benz has lifted the wraps on two exciting new AMG performance coupes at this year's New York Auto Show. First up is the Mercedes-Benz CLK 63 AMG Black Series, derived from the Formula 1 pace car. Featuring wider bodywork, flared wheelarches, a body lowered by 35 mm to 1365 mm and an increase in power from 481 PS (353 kW) to 507 PS (373 kW), this CLK can hit 100 km/h from rest in a claimed 4.3 seconds (4.6 for the regular CLK 63 AMG). The big news though is that Mercedes-Benz have chosen to limit it not to 250 km/h, as is the norm for most German cars, but to a rather more impressive 300 km/h. The torque from the naturally aspirated 6208 cc V8 engine is unchanged from the ordinary CLK 63 AMG, at 630 Nm, but peaks 250 rpm higher in the rev range, at 5250 rpm. Weight is up a scant 5 kg, to 1760 kg.

Moving up in the range, the second of the two AMG coupes revealed at the 2007 New York Auto Show is the Mercedes-Benz CL 65 AMG. This 5-metre long monster is powered by a 6 litre V12 with twin turbochargers. Despite weighing in at a mammoth 2240 kg, the sheer brute power of this engine means the CL 65 AMG can hit 100 km/h from standstill in 4.4 seconds, although the top end is limited more conventionally than the CLK 63 AMG, to 250 km/h. More astonishing than the performance figures though is the torque. It produces 1000 Nm of torque from 2000 rpm through to 4000 rpm. A five speed automatic gearbox is fitted.