When it comes to tuning high-dollar, high-performance cars, you have to get a little creative. How do you improve on the finest from Porsche or Mercedes? German tuner Mansory added gold trim to a Bugatti Veyron and built a 720 horsepower Rolls-Royce, among other things, so they’re not afraid to go to extreme lengths to build unique cars. Their latest creation is an enhanced Mercedes-Benz CLS63 AMG.
The stock CLS’ main selling point is its styling. A low, streamlined silhouette turns this sedan into what Mercedes calls a “four-door coupe.” However, that was not enough for Mansory; the company said the stock CLS “looks positively conventional beside the Mansory wide-body version.”
To make the CLS63 AMG less pedestrian, Mansory stretched the fenders by two inches in the front and three inches in the rear. This gives the Mansory CLS a more aggressive look, like a DTM race car, and makes room for bigger wheels and tires. Under the bulked-up fenders are 20-inch rims with 265/30ZR20 tires up front and 305/25/ZR20 tires at the rear. A carbon fiber body kit gives the CLS a new hood, front and rear bumpers, and a rear diffuser. The car also has front and rear spoilers for added downforce.
In stock form, the CLS63 AMG backs up its looks with power, in the form of a 5.5-liter, twin-turbocharged V8 producing 557 hp and 590 lb-ft of torque, when equipped with the optional Sport package. Again, Mansory couldn’t leave well enough alone. With a new ECU and air filter, the Mansory CLS makes 631 hp and 664 lb-ft of torque. Mansory did not release performance numbers, but the extra power, combined with the car’s lightweight carbon fiber bodywork, should make this tuned CLS even faster than the stock version. The CLS63 AMG may be a performance car, but it is also a large sedan and, thus, a bit portly. With stock curb weight of 4,200-4,300 pounds, the CLS could use a diet.
The interior also gets some custom touches, including black leather seat and dashboard covers with carbon fiber trim. Everyone’s favorite lightweight material can be found on the steering wheel, dashboard, doors, and center stack.
Mansory did not mention the car’s price, but with a stock CLS63 AMG starting at $99,775, expect the Mansory mods to cost a little more than that. That will buy a car with serious street presence. Just like the stock CLS, the Mansory’s most important element will probably be its styling. People will argue over whether the body kit is an improvement, but this car certainly won’t look any other CLS on the road, and that is the most important thing about any custom car.
