The GL 500 promises a good combination of long-range ability and excellent performance. As the CK50 by Carlsson, however, it surpasses its standard counterpart by far in terms of power, speed and luxury.

In a class of its own: Carlsson CK50 engine kit
Developed by Carlsson especially for the GL, the CK50 engine kit accelerates not only the driver’s pulse but also the elegant automobile in just 6.1 seconds from 0 to 100 km/h. No less impressive is the engine output after being given the Carlsson treatment: the tuned V8 develops 435 bhp / 320 kW (standard 388 bhp / 285 kW) at 6000 rpm coupled with 600 Nm of torque at 2800-4800 rpm. Top speed according to Carlsson is 248 km/h.

Stainless steel double tail pipes
The goose bumps generating sound of the CK50 is released through four oval Carlsson-tail pipes. At the same time, they help the corpulent rear of this offroader look notedly more individual and sporty for a long time. Because the used material, namely stainless steel, withstands the most adverse environmental conditions.

C-Tronic® SUSPENSION electronic lowering kit
Exclusively for the GL 500, Carlsson offers the C-Tronic® SUSPENSION electronic lowering kit that reduces the ride height of the vehicle by approx. 35 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.

For a perfect finish: 2/11 BE
The aim of the Carlsson engineers with the 2/11 BE was to develop a sporting and elegant wheel which is comparatively light and yet of high strength. The multi-spoke design of the wheel 2/11 is the perfect solution for a weight-optimized wheel. The power which affect the wheel is optimally led into the wheel spider by the uniform distribution of the 11 spokes. In this way an overdimensioned wall thickness can be avoided and a minor weight of the wheel can be reached. Another important benefit, especially in the case of bigger cars, is the excellent brake ventilation, which results in improved braking characteristics.
The 2/11 BE is offered with the unique surface-finish combination ‘Brilliant Edition’. The juxtaposition of a highly polished rim base and a brilliantly painted centre underlines the elegant design of the new Carlsson light-metal wheel. In the Mercedes-Benz tuning sector this combination of two different surface finishes can only be found exclusively at Carlsson and makes this wheel an inimitable accessory.
Carlsson offers the wheel in 10 x 22“ with 305/35 22 tyres.

Wheel 1/11 Evo BE
The design of the Carlsson 1/11 Evo BE is a further development of the tried, tested and popular 1/11 BE wheel. With the new wheel, Carlsson has once again confirmed that the company’s claim that a wheel should not only have a visual impact but also offer technical benefits, e.g., that it is as light as possible.
For the GL-Class, Carlsson offers its 11-spoke wheel 1/11 Evo BE in the dimensions 10×22“ with 295/35 ZR tyres.

Elegance with a high comfort factor
Anyone familiar with Carlsson knows that the Merzig-based automobile specialists have a fine sense for luxury. Carlsson uses only top-quality parts and materials. No matter whether the finest nappa leather, combinations of Alcantara and leather, multi-media conversions or appointments in carbon and precious wood, Carlsson converts and individualises every GL in accordance with the customer’s wishes. Customer satisfaction has the highest priority. Get in, feel at home and drive off – Carlsson turns every GL into a mobile wellness zone.

The monstrous 6.2-liter AMG engine already pumped out 507hp and 630Nm of torque but the Mercedes tuner has managed to pump this up up to 550hp with an additional 60-80Nm of torque. Achieved with a bit of ECU tuning and the addition of long-tube headers and a motorsports style exhaust sharpening throttle response.

“Real-world performance is all about torque, not so much about a peak horsepower number at very high rpm,” explains Hartmut Feyhl, company founder. “It can be very easy to build high rpm horsepower, but to get instant throttle response and mid-range acceleration it is more difficult, and this is where customers really want to feel that improvement.”

For additional drivability Renntech has intsalled its own sport suspension system lowering the car by an extra ¾ inch and added carbon fibre stut braces to both the front and the rear along with fully-adjustable camber bushings at all four corners which enhance mechanical grip in fast corner. The Aerodynamics are enhanced with the addition of a front splitter and rear diffuser along with the striking carbon fibre rear wing.

Powerful increased-displacement engines with up to 730 hp (720 hp SAE net) / 537 kW of power, a striking designer suit, high-quality light-alloy wheels with diameters of up to 20 inches, professional suspension tuning and custom interior design: The BRABUS program leaves nothing to be desired.

The top-of-the-heap BRABUS power source for the SL 600 is the BRABUS SV12 S Biturbo engine, developed originally for the BRABUS ROCKET, the world’s fastest sedan. 730 hp (720 hp SAE net) / 537 kW of power and a whopping peak torque of 1,320 Nm (973 lb-ft), electronically limited in the car to 1,100 Nm (811 lb-ft), are the result of numerous modifications. During the displacement increase from 5.5 to 6.3 liters the engine’s interior is completely reworked. In addition the engine is fitted with a more efficient turbocharging system and a stainless-steel high-performance exhaust system with metal catalysts. Power is transferred via a reinforced five-speed automatic transmission and a special BRABUS limited-slip differential that is available for all SL models.

A sprint time of 4.0 seconds from rest to 100 km/h (62 mph), 10.5 seconds to 200 km/h (124 mph) and – depending on final drive ratio and tire speed rating – an electronically limited top speed of 350 km/h (219 mph) make the BRABUS SV12 S Biturbo roadster one of the world’s fastest sports cars.

BRABUS tuning is also available for the SL 65: The BRABUS T 12 S performance kit increases power output by 40 hp (DIN and SAE net) / 29.4 kW. The BRABUS T 65 S power kit bumps power output to 715 hp (705 hp SAE net) / 526 kW and peak torque to 1,100 Nm (811 lb-ft).

The SL 63 AMG also receives some added power with BRABUS B63 S tuning. Sport air filter, high-performance metal catalysts and newly programmed engine electronics add 40 hp (DIN and SAE net) 29.5 kW to the power output of the fast-revving V8 engine, and increase top speed to 320 km/h (200 mph).
The four-valve-V8 engine of the SL 500 (US: SL550) with BRABUS 6.1 S displacement increase produces 462 hp (456 hp SAE net) / 340 kW of power at 6,200 rpm and a peak torque of 615 Nm (453 lb-ft) at 3,100 rpm. The BRABUS 4.0 displacement engine with 332 hp (327 hp SAE net) / 244 kW of power and 420 Nm (310 lb-ft) of torque is available for the V6 four-valve engines of the SL 280 and SL 350.

The stainless-steel BRABUS sport exhaust system with four chrome-plated tailpipes is a must for all BRABUS high-performance engines. But it is also the answer for all SL owners wishing for a sportier exhaust note and for a more striking rear appearance of their two-seater.

To add sporty emphasis to the elegant lines of the new Mercedes SL series, the BRABUS designers went into the wind tunnel to develop a strikingly styled aerodynamic-enhancement kit.

The front of the SL receives some added pizzazz with the BRABUS front apron that replaces the production bumper. It features LED daytime running lights as well as auxiliary high beams and fog lamps, and reduces lift on the front axle at high speeds.

The elegantly shaped BRABUS rocker panels each have three entrance lights integrated into their underside. The lights are activated with the keyless fob or by pulling on an inside door handle. The LED lights illuminate the ground on either side of the vehicle and help avoid unfortunate missteps into puddles or holes in the dark.

The BRABUS design package for the latest SL-class is rounded out by a rear component that integrates environmental lighting, a centrally mounted rear reflector and two cutouts for the sport exhaust system.

Just as important for a customized look are one-piece and multi-piece BRABUS Monoblock light-alloy wheels, which can be mounted on the new roadster in four different designs and with diameters of 17, 18, 19 and 20 inches. The largest possible tire/wheel combination on the new SL features BRABUS Monoblock VI, E or S wheels in size 9Jx20 in front with size 255/30 ZR 20 tires. The rear axle rolls on size 10.5Jx20 wheels with size 305/25 ZR 20 tires. BRABUS recommends high-performance tires from Pirelli and YOKOHAMA.

To further improve the already potent handling capabilities of the new Mercedes SL, BRABUS has developed special suspension solutions. For the SL 280 and 350 models with conventional suspension BRABUS offers its sport springs. For all SL models with ABC active suspension BRABUS has developed an electronic module that lowers the ride height by some 25 millimeters. Sport sway bars reduce body roll.

BRABUS high-performance brake systems for the SL-Class are available in four different versions. The largest one features vented and cross-drilled front discs measuring 375 x 36 mm (14.8 x 1.4 inches), and 12-piston fixed calipers. The rear discs measure 355 x 28 mm (14.0 x 1.1 inches) and come with six-piston fixed calipers.

BRABUS also customizes the interior of the two-seater by upping the level of luxury. The list of products includes scuff plates with illuminated BRABUS-logo, an ergonomically shaped sport steering wheel with shift paddles, and an exclusive BRABUS custom interior crafted from an exquisite combination of especially soft yet durable BRABUS Mastik leather and Alcantara.

More pictures on the SL Gallery

The Mercedes-Benz W209 cars have been produced since 2002. They are sold under the CLK-Class model names. The W209 is based on the W203 C-Class. It replaced the C208 CLK-Class after 2004 which were the first car to carry the CLK moniker.
The W209 is available in two body styles, a coupe and a cabriolet, and is manufactured with diesel and petrol engines ranging from four cylinder (CLK200) to eight cylinder (CLK500 and CLK63AMG). The cabriolet (Designated with an A, as in CLK500A) features a fully automatic retractable soft top covered by a metal tonneau that can be raised and lowered from outside the vehicle using the key fob.

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And what is more, those additional seats guarantee a Black Edition with a significantly improved road capability. But, Kicherer will even delight design and sports enthusiasts.

The radiator grill, already quite impressive on the standard version, is replaced by an even sportier variant made of carbon and featuring carbon fibre struts. The beautiful forged three-part wheel, Kicherer RS-1, also fulfils a double function as it is a visual and – thanks to weight reduction – also a sportive gain.

The chassis – specially developed for Kicherer by DTM specialist H&R – also improves the racer’s cornering dynamics by several degrees. Since the Kicherer engineers have taken care of the engine, too, they have further underlined their reinterpretation by carbon mirror shells.

With its 540 hp, the Kicherer CLK racer gained about 33 hp. Even the torque has been improved by another 20 Nm. Thus equipped, the Kicherer CLK only needs 4.1 seconds from 0 to 100 km/h and runs fasterthan 300 km/h – thanks to a derestricted V/max.

In order to delight any fellow passenger’s vision, Kicherer has equipped the car with additional carbon intarsia. These do not only include – as is usually the case – parts of the centre console and of the door linings, but also ultra-light front seat buckets made of genuine carbon. Therefore, even at a red light, the “normal” Black Edition becomes a Kicherer Racer.