Video: Bernd Schneider drives the Mercedes SL65 AMG Black Series

Comparing a street-legal car with a dedicated race car is almost always an unfair proposition. Doing away with the necessity for street-legal operation means performance can be maximized at the cost of every remaining ounce of practicality, often yielding a car that is so ill-mannered the driver actually has to wear earplugs or risk hearing damage. In the case of the Mercedes-Benz SL65 AMG Black Series, however, the comparison is not entirely unfair, and the fact that it was made by DTM (German Touring Car Masters) driver Bernd Schneider makes the comparison all the more compelling.

At 550lb (250kg) lighter than the standard SL65, with bulging flared fenders and a twin-turbocharged 6.0L V12 developing 661hp (493kW) at 5,400 rpm and 738 lb-ft (1,000Nm) of torque, the SL65 AMG Black Series is a street car with few rivals, on or off the track. In this video, Schneider takes the car through its paces, illustrating the blazing pace of a luxury supercar capable of 3.9 second 0-62mph (100km/h) runs and a 200mph (320km/h) top speed. Having been instrumental in the development of the car himself, his familiarity with it makes for genuine entertainment.



Mercedes-Benz SL65 AMG Black Series