In 1999, Carlsson built a very fast club racer around a CLK430. Dubbed the CM60 RS, this car left the works with a roll cage, big spoilers and a snarling 6.0-liter V8 with 405 bhp and 460 lb-ft of torque. The CLK RS is its direct descendant. The Mercedes CLK has moved on a generation since then and the flagship model of the latest pillarless coupe version comes with the storming 367 bhp 5.5-liter AMG motor. But for some, even that is not enough, so Carlsson decided to take the power infusion to the next level.
The Carlsson/Ogura Clutch supercharger system is based on a Wankel supercharger with 70% efficiency, the highest in the industry. Together with a bespoke high efficiency intercooler system, it boosts output to 480 bhp with 480 lb-ft of torque at 2800 rpm. In line with its sporty mission in life, the CLK RS sounds like a caged NASCAR racer when you start it up. Just quiet enough to pass the tough EU noise levels, it still has enough menace to keep most enthusiasts happy. The enhanced power-to-weight ratio translates into tire burning acceleration. The AMG SpeedShift gearbox slurs ratios perfectly as the powerful engine hurls this relatively light Mercedes down the road. The CLK RS turns in a 4.4-second zero to 62 mph sprint and reaches 124 mph in just 14.2 seconds. The coupe's top speed has been measured at 193.8 mph.
The upgraded suspension drops ride height by 20mm with height-adjustable Bilstein dampers, nine-way adjustable for bump and rebound. The Carlsson big brake kit has massive 14.5-inch cross-drilled, vented discs with six-pot alloy calipers in front and 13.5-inch vented discs with four-pot calipers at the rear. Rolling stock is comprised of Carlsson's ultra-light, forged 16-spoke polished wheels (8.5 and 10x19 inches front and rear with Dunlop SP9000 tires (235/35-19 and 265/30-19).
Carlsson's Recaro-based race-style front seats and the half roll cage make the back seats useless for carrying passengers, but the cage stiffens up the pillarless shell, improving handling on both road and track. Billed as a Club Sport racer, the CLK RS with its menacing DTM front spoiler and five-position adjustable rear wing remains somewhat elegant.-Ian Kuah