New Car: 2010 Mercedes SL65 AMG Black Series

The next Black Series is out of the bag. Mercedes-Benz's AMG offered a small group of journalists a sneak peek of its 670-horsepower supercar at the New York show last month, issued with the world's most vague embargo. So here we are with details. AMG says the SL65 Black Series is capable of 220 mph, but it's speed-limited to 300 kp/h, or about 186 mph and can do 0-60 mph in less than 4 seconds.

AMG squeezed an extra 66 horsepower out of the 6.0-liter, bi-turbo V-12, but torque remains unmoved from the magic 1000 Newton-Meter number, equal to 738 pound-feet. (Like the "standard" SL65, it comes only with a five-speed automatic transmission.) The power improvements instead are connected more to AMG's weight-reduction program, which results in a 6.1-pounds per horsepower ratio. The "standard" SL65 has a 7.7-pounds per horsepower ratio. Beyond its engine, the SL65 AMG Black Series is roughly akin to the SL65 AMG what a Dodge Charger Nextel Cup car is to a Dodge Charger SRT-8. The folding top has been made a fixed roof, the track widened (AMG refused to say how much), the fenders have been flared and the front fenders, hood and roof sheetmetal has been replaced with carbon fiber. The electro-hydraulic Active Body Control suspension has been tossed for a fully adjustable coil spring suspension. Dunlop Maxx GTs are 265/35ZR-19s front, 325/30ZR-20s, rear on one-piece forged alloy wheels. Brake discs are larger and because AMG plans to build just 350 units for worldwide sales, the car is exempt from European pedestrian crash standards, so the front grille is squatter than the new one on the SL-Series and the hood is lower.Running on the automotive treadmill shaves 570 pounds off the car's curb weight, 88 pounds of which are the result of switching to a fixed roof. It's now a relatively svelt 4,080 pounds. The rear diffuser also is carbon fiber. The subtle rear lip spoiler provides about 77 pounds of downforce, and rises to a full spoiler at 62 mph.Your office space for controlling all this includes two carbon-fiber racing-shell seats -- there's no back seat -- a flat-bottom steering wheel and yards of Alcantara. Paint color choices are white, black, red or silver. It goes on sale in the U.S. next year at an if-you've-gotta-ask price well north of the SL65's $188,025 sticker.