Mercedes-Benz Black Series powers up

The Mercedes-Benz SL65 AMG Black Series is finally out in the open. With a twin-turbocharged 6.0-litre V12 and only 200 units on their way to the US, it’s a serious stopgap between the deceased SLR and Mercedes’ 2011 SLC gullwing supercar.

The SL65 AMG Black Series features a carbon fibre hood, fenders and trunk, along with a fixed carbon fibre roof with an integrated roll cage. As such, the Black is 550 pounds lighter than the stock SL65, coming in at 4122 pounds.

Seven vents – three in the bumper, two on the hood and two in the fenders – feed air to the engine, fitted with a duo of upgraded turbochargers. Power is up to 661hp available at 5400 rpm, while torque remains the same at 738 lb.-ft. With a five-speed automatic gearbox equipped with AMG’s speedshift software, the Black can hit 60mph in 3.9 seconds on its way to a gearing-limited top speed of 199mph.

The SL65 AMG Black Series is expected to debut in Paris, with sales beginning in the US early next year.