What's all this about?
Power. Lots and lots of power. And torque - enough torque to fill a convention room full of professional conversationalists. Mercedes-AMG has dropped a 6.0-litre biturbo V12 engine into a four-seater open-top for the first time and the resulting monster is the S 65 Cabriolet.
How much power and torque are we torqueing... sorry, talking?
Chow down on 630hp from 4,800- to 5,400rpm and a goliath 1,000Nm from 2,300- to 4,300rpm. This makes the S 65 Cabriolet quite epically rapid for such a big machine. The 0-62mph sprint (provided the Mercedes can find traction with all that twist going to the tarmac) is dealt with in just 4.1 seconds, while the top speed is limited to either 155- or 186mph, depending on whether you specify the AMG Driver's Package or not. Such brutal power means economy of 23.5mpg and 272g/km of CO2 emissions.
Is the S 65 Cabriolet just a cruiser, though?
Hardly. Affalterbach has tuned the Airmatic suspension for its own sporty ends, the steering has a rapid 13.5:1 ratio, the Cabrio's body is said to be as stiff as the Coupé's and you can option up a gargantuan set of carbon-ceramic brakes that are 40 per cent lighter than the car's regular stoppers. It also has a lithium-ion battery, which is more than 20kg less weighty than a regular item you might find down Halfords. And the transmission is a seven-speed AMG Speedshift Plus 7G-Tronic auto with paddle shifts and lightning responses.
Apart from its S 65 badging, how do I spot one of these beasts in the wild?
Look for chrome. So much chrome. It's on the three-pointed star at the front, the 'twin-blade' radiator grille, all the air intakes, the trim around the 'A-wing' front air dam, the side flics, the front splitter, the 'V12 BITURBO' badging on the wings, the inserts in the side skirts, the quad exhaust tips and the rear trim insert above the gloss-black rear diffuser. There's a front splitter and big 20-inch alloys in the arches, too, if all this isn't enough.
How about that roof?
Fabric and multi-layered, it comes in four colours: black, dark blue, dark red and beige, a 1970s hue which seems to be mentioned in every other automotive release these days. You can raise or lower the roof at speeds of up to 31mph, with the action taking just 17 seconds, while Aircap climate control, the Airscarf neck-warmers, four heated seats and even heated arm rests mean the occupants should be comfortable, whatever the weather and position of the S 65's top.
And on the inside?
There are lots of toys, including (but not limited to) head-up display, a 360-degree camera, LED Intelligent Light System, a Burmester high-end 3D sound system and Distronic Plus adaptive cruise control. Acres of opulent leather, crisp, large TFT displays and a sports three-spoke steering wheel ensure the cabin feels as luxurious as you'd expect of such a high-end machine.
So... how much?
No confirmed price as yet but expect it to cost a little more than the £183,000+ S 65 Coupé when it becomes available to order from April 4, 2016 - whereupon it will be the fifth 6.0-litre V12 twin-turbo in the current Mercedes-AMG line-up, sitting alongside the S 65 Saloon, the SL 65 Roadster, G 65 SUV and the S 65 Coupé. First cars will be on the UK's roads in summer.
Matt Robinson - 15 Dec 2015
