Carlsson CK50
Layout
Longitudinal front engine, rear-wheel drive
Engine
5.0-liter V8, supercharged and intercooled, Carlsson intake manifolds, sport exhaust, software
Suspension
Sport lowering kit
Wheels and Tires
Carlsson 3/11 UL, 21-inch Dunlop SP Sport Maxx
Exterior
Carlsson front lip, grille and rear apron
Performance
Peak Power: 424 bhp @ 6000 rpm
Peak Torque: 479 lb-ft @ 2800 rpm
0-62 mph: 5.1 sec.
Top Speed: 183 mph
Carlson CM50K
Subtle as a sledgehammer
by Nick Hall
Carlsson let rip with the full conversion on this machine: 100 new components under the bonnet and full-bore sound effects. A Wankel supercharger, unlike the screw-type favored by AMG, gives a more progressive surge of power. That's not so important in a car like this that weighs 4410 pounds and has four-wheel drive, but in an E-Class it can mean the difference between a perfect set of black lines around a corner and a trip to the accident repair shop.
A new air intake with an integrated intercooler that comes with its own radiator, water pumps and expansion tank form the centerpiece, together with new injectors, air filter and a sport exhaust system with four oval tailpipes--all combining to provide a monumental shove for a car this, erm, monumental. It feels vaguely ridiculous to get pushed so violently back into the plush armchair and hear all four wheels desperately trying to grip cold tarmac, but this machine will still hit 60 mph in 5.8 seconds and top out at 165 mph, although an emergency stop from such speeds would burn the brakes faster than napalm.
The car benefits from the sport kit, lowering the car by 35mm on to 20-inch Brilliant Edition wheels while a front lip and new rear apron complete the look. The nose sports Carlsson's oversized badge, but it's a rampant machine in any case and therefore doesn't look so out of place. It works.
SUV tuning is becoming big business, thanks to the ostentatious folk that veer towards them, and the slick new ML is a potential star of the boulevard scene. Carlsson's mods have toughened it up and the noise alone is almost worth the 17,440-Euro ($21,878.47) price of the engine conversion.