2006 Chicago: 2007 Mercedes-Benz ML63 and R63 AMG Video

Motor Trends Todd Lassa will introduce the 2007 Mercedes-Benz ML63 and R63 AMG from the 2006 Chicag...

Transcript

00:00 News from Mercedes-Benz at the 2006 Chicago Auto Show was concerning the AMG division.

00:15 Now Southern California and Florida are traditionally the largest markets for the high performance

00:20 AMG cars.

00:21 But here in Chicago, Mercedes brought out two new AMG models which may appeal to performance

00:27 enthusiasts even in four season Northern Tier states.

00:31 Our Detroit editor Todd Lassa tells us more.

00:34 Here in Chicago, Mercedes showed two new AMG models.

00:37 There's the ML63 AMG which of course is based on its five seat sport utility vehicle and

00:43 then there's the new R63 AMG which is based on its R-Class which is kind of a people mover.

00:50 Some detractors say it's more of a minivan but it's a big luxurious six passenger vehicle.

00:56 The most significant component in the ML63 and the R63 is that 6.3 liter V8 engine which

01:02 is actually a 6.2 but AMG likes to call it a 6.3 because it recalls a famous engine in

01:08 Mercedes from the late 60s and early 70s and the big monster sedan they sold back then.

01:13 AMG in the past has always taken a Mercedes engine as its basis and built it up to a tuner

01:19 engine for more power with turbochargers, compressors and so on and so forth.

01:25 This engine started life as an AMG engine.

01:27 The 6.3 makes 503 horsepower and 465 pound feet of torque.

01:33 That power number compares with a Corvette Z06, with a Dodge Viper.

01:37 It's a lot of power to be putting through four wheels of a sport utility vehicle.

01:42 The ML63 AMG goes on sale in August.

01:46 The R-Class, the R63 AMG goes on sale a month later.

01:50 Pricing should be somewhere in the mid $80,000 range but better get your order in early because

01:56 production numbers will be very low, fewer than a thousand of each model sold in the

02:00 US per year.

02:01 [engine noise]