2007 Carlsson Mercedes-Benz CL 600 CK60 Review

A coup with the room of an S Class? Anyone looking for a vehicle of this kind need look no further than the same company. The CL, one of the biggest coups around, is one of the most luxurious in its class. Carlsson, one of the most discerning Mercedes-Benz tuners in the business, has focused on the CL and refined the luxury coup with an interior of the highest quality and an engine tweak that improves not only performance but also drivability. The CK60 based on the CL is nothing less than THE dream coup.

In a class of its own: Carlsson CK60 engine kit

Developed especially for the CL 600, the CK60 engine kit accelerates not only the driver's pulse but also the elegant coup in a mere 4.4 seconds from 0 to 100 km/h. No less impressive are the output and torque data after the Carlsson treatment: the tuned V12 develops 600 bhp / 441 kW (standard 517 bhp / 380 kW) at 5000 rpm coupled with a breathtaking 1024 Nm of torque at 3500 rpm. Top speed is an electronically regulated 320 km/h (due to the limitations of the tyres available). The CK60 engine kit has more than enough power and torque in every conceivable situation!

Stainless-steel rear silencer: a more sonorous sound and greater flexibility

The Carlsson sports exhaust system with centre and rear silencers improves performance and generates a particularly powerful sound. The rear view of the CK60 is dominated by the Carlsson sports rear silencers with four tail pipes that impress not only through a dramatic, sonorous sound but also through a reduction in backpressure and optimised pipe run compared to the standard version. The result: more torque and more output.

Ultra-light and elegant: 3/11 Ultra Light or 1/16 Ultra Light wheels
Ultra Light forged wheels are significantly lighter than conventional cast wheels but just as strong. Comparable standard cast wheels weigh around 50 % more than Carlsson forged wheels. Thanks to the weight reduction, they tend to tramp less than their cast equivalents (lower unsprung mass) and thus offer the best possible road contact. For the driver, this means improved handling and, therefore, greater driving safety and comfort.

The Carlsson 3/11 Ultra Light wheel design is characteristic of the company's high-tech orientation. The three-piece, 11-spoke forged wheel was created especially for larger automobiles. For the CL, Carlsson offers 11-spoke wheels in the dimensions 9x21"with Dunlop SP Sport Maxx 255/30 ZR 21 tyres for the front axle and 10x21" with Dunlop SP Sport Maxx 285/30 ZR21 tyres for the rear axle. Dynamic, potent and yet elegant, the wheels complement the lines perfectly and accentuate the sporting character of the luxury coup.

The Carlsson 1/16 Ultra Light wheel design is available for the CL600 in dimensions 8.5x20" with Dunlop SP Sport Maxx 255/35 ZR 20 tyres at the front and 11x20"with Dunlop SP Sport Maxx 275/35 ZR20 tyres at the rear.

Carlsson aerodynamic components: an expression of elegance and power

The lines of the standard CL are elegant. Nevertheless, Carlsson shows how to strengthen this characteristic. Restrained, aerodynamically effective components round off the appearance of the CL in the usual distinguished way. The front-spoiler and rear-skirt lips in typical Carlsson diffuser look, as well as the striking rear spoiler, improve the handling of the luxury car at high speeds. Thus, the CK 60 is fully in line with the safety-first thinking that has characterised Mercedes-Benz since time immemorial. These refinements are rounded off by an electro-polished, stainless-steel grille insert that, on the one hand, improves the flow of air to the radiators and, on the other hand, underscores the sporting nature of the design kit. The front-spoiler lip and grille-insert kits are available separately so customers can determine the degree of individuality themselves.

C-Tronic® SUSPENSION electronic lowering kit
Exclusively for the CL 600, Carlsson offers the C-Tronic® SUSPENSION electronic lowering kit that reduces the ride height of the vehicle by approx. 30 mm. Drivers can be sure that lowering the car gives it a significantly more sporting look.

The C-Tronic® SUSPENSION not only lowers the centre of gravity but also, thanks to the sophisticated technology, interacts intelligently with the road surface. On poor roads on which the suspension has to work hard, the car's ride height is automatically adjusted to ensure the spring travelling remaining is sufficient for constant ride comfort. Drivers notice the effects of the C-Tronic® lowering via a reduced tendency to roll and considerably more agile handling. In other words, the C-Tronic® SUSPENSION also stands for greater driving pleasure.

Additionally, the C-Tronic® SUSPENSION ensures that, even at speeds in excess of 120 km/h, the car is not lowered beyond the standard minimum ride height thus ensuring sufficient compression travel for the suspension.

An incidental effect of lowering the car is a reduction in air resistance and lift because less air flows beneath the car.

Unadulterated luxury inside
Carlsson uses only the very best materials for the interior appointments of the CK60. A combination of Alcantara and leather makes even the longest journeys a pleasure. The attractive rhombus quilting of the leather for the door centre panels matches the discerning requirements of the CL driver perfectly: striking and attractive - yet restrained. With the ergonomically shaped Carlsson sports steering wheel in leather / Alcantara or leather / wood, he or she always has a firm and very pleasant grip on everything.