Racing technology for the road: this was the guiding principle behind Mercedes-Benz's presentation of the CL 55 AMG "F1 Limited Edition" at the end of May 2000 to coincide with the Formula 1 season. It was one of the luxury coupés in the C 215 model series, which was built from 1999 to 2006. The technical specification and design of the innovative super sports car was closely based on the then current safety car, driven by Bernd Mayländer.
Expensive collector's item
Not only the price of the special model of 330,000 DM ensures exclusivity, but also the limited number of units: only 55 vehicles will be built by 2001. This makes it a collector's item right from the start. Production of the impressive coupé began in the summer of 2000, with deliveries starting in the fall. One of these extremely rare vehicles is now part of the extensive Mercedes-Benz Classic vehicle collection.
The CL 55 AMG "F1 Limited Edition" is not stingy with its charms: it has a high-performance AMG V8 engine with a displacement of 5.5 liters. This develops 265 kW (360 hp) at 5,500 rpm and a torque of 530 Newton meters at 3,150 to 4,500 rpm. The top speed is electronically limited to 250 km/h. Another outstanding feature is that it is the world's first road-legal car to use a ceramic braking system for deceleration. During emergency braking from top speed, it delivers a braking power of up to 1,471 kW (2,000 hp). This extraordinary performance value is the result of the interaction between the internally ventilated brake discs made of fiber-reinforced ceramic and specially developed eight-piston brake calipers from the supplier Brembo.
The advantages of this technology, which was completely new for series production vehicles at the time, lie in the sensitive response behavior, the extremely high heat resistance and the lower weight of the brake discs, which is 60 percent less than the conventional steel version. The noticeable reduction in unsprung masses gives the driver of the special model a plus in driving dynamics and driving pleasure.
High-tech brake discs from our own production
The press release from May 2000 on the special model quotes Mika Häkkinen, 1998 and 1999 Formula 1 World Champion in a McLaren-Mercedes: "The most important thing in a sports car is not the engine, but the brakes." The brake discs for the Coupé are manufactured at the Mercedes-Benz plant in Esslingen-Mettingen. It is a high-tech process: Carbon fiber, carbon powder and resin are pressed into shape under high pressure and then baked at 1,000 degrees Celsius. After cooling, the brake discs undergo a brief mechanical treatment before being treated with liquid silicon. The carbon matrix absorbs the silicon like a sponge and reacts to form the ceramic.
A particularly exclusive specification underlines the character of the CL 55 AMG "F1 Limited Edition". On the outside, the vehicle impresses with its AMG styling. 8.5-inch (front) and 9.5-inch (rear) wide 19-inch AMG light-alloy wheels with 255/40 ZR 19 tires at the front and 285/35 ZR 19 tires at the rear make the sporty aspirations clear. Lower offsets on the AMG rims result in optimized track widths, which in combination with the widened rear fenders make the CL 55 AMG appear even beefier. The sportier set-up of the ABC (Active Body Control) suspension also ensures a particularly dynamic driving experience. The anti-lock braking system, Brake Assist and the ESP® Electronic Stability Program have also been carefully adapted to the new braking system.
Motorsport aspects in the interior
The exclusive coupé, which is only available in brilliant silver metallic, differs from its series counterpart in several other equipment details and documents its proximity to the then current Formula 1 safety car. These include "F1 Limited Edition" lettering on the front fenders, on the illuminated door sills and on the center console, where it is numbered consecutively. Front seats with a distinctly sporty design and optimized lateral support, black and silver leather upholstery with embroidered AMG logos, an AMG sports steering wheel with perforated leather cover, carbon trim, the automatic gear selector lever in a leather/carbon combination and floor mats with AMG logos also add motorsport accents to the interior.
