Mercedes unveils SL65 AMG 21 | 03 | 2012

THIS IS OUR first look at the all-new Mercedes SL65 AMG. Adopting the aluminium body shell and other weight saving measures of the lesser-powered SL63, the newcomer has slashed its kerb weight by 170kg to 1950kg.

Power for the SL65 comes from a mildly reworked version of the old SL65 AMG’s potent twin-turbocharged 6.0-litre V12 engine. The result is a leap of 18bhp, from 603 to 621bhp.

All that power is delivered straight to the rear wheels via Merc’s 7G-Tronic seven-speed auto gearbox. The new model also benefits from a raft of BlueEfficiency features, including automatic stop-start.

See more official photos of the new Merc SL65 AMG

Economy therefore is boosted by a whopping 17%. But don't hold your breath: that equates to just 24.4mpg. Let's be honest though: that's mightily impressive for a 6.0-litre V12. CO2 emissions drop to 270g/km.

Performance? Impressive. Merc's AMG division claims the 0-62mph sprint is covered in 4.0sec: that's 0.3sec inside the time for the SL63. Like the smaller version, the SL65 is electronically limited to a max of 155mph.

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Jim McGill