Car Black Blog: Carlsson new cars, car reviews, car pictures and auto industry trends

Carlsson showed up at the Geneva Salon with a new version of its C25 supercar dubbed Royale. Based on the Mercedes-Benz SL 65 AMG, the heavily customized coupe with the fixed rooftop will be built in a limited run of 25 units. Company officials said six vehicles have already been sold and will be delivered to the customers in 2011. According to Carlsson, each C25 Royale takes six months from order to delivery.

Compared to the Mercedes SL65 AMG coupe-cabriolet, the C25 Royale is 180 kilograms lighter, thanks to the extensive use of carbon fiber, which is found on the hood and the fixed roof. This contributes to a lower center of gravity, in addition to the revision of the weight distribution, both aimed at offering improved handling.

Other weight-saving measures include the fitting of a full ceramic brake system, which is 50 percent lighter than on the SL 65 AMG. The German sports car also features a C-Tronic Suspension system developed by Carlsson, which detects road conditions and driving style and acts accordingly. For instance, on bad roads, the car is raised to offer better ride comfort.

At the heart of the C25 Royale is the biturbo V12-engine, tuned to deliver753 horsepower and 1,320 Nm of torque (973 lb-ft), which is electronically limited to 1,150 Nm (848 lb-ft). These impressive figures allow the C25 Royale to go from 0 to 100 km/h in 3,7 seconds and reach a top speed of 352 km/h (219 mph).

The custom exterior styling is matched to a bespoke interior with Carlsson offering buyers a variety of choices in features and materials.

Carlsson is the german tuning company specialized in modifying Mercedes Benz models. They wanted to improve the Mercedes SL CK63 RS and with more performance, a complete aerodynamics kit, fine leather in the car’s interior and an exclusive varnish their final result is a masterpiece. The car’s engine has the same cubic capacity but after a couple of improvements it could develop up to 600 HP instead of the serial 525 HP. The maximum torque also rises from 630 Nm at 5,200 rpm to 705 Nm at 5,100 rpm. After this power refinement the car could accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in just 4.1 seconds and it’s half a second faster than the AMG model.

The 250 km/h speed limit was also lifted and this ride could reach a respectable 325 km/h top speed. To improve the car’s aerodynamics the guys from Carlsoon made a special kit with a new front and rear diffuser made of polyurethane and a lot of carbon fiber elements which direct the air flow for the best road grip. The car’s stability and road holding got beter with the electronic lowering kit C-Tronic Suspension by Carlsson combined with the ABC sports running gear by AMG. This brings the Mercedes SL CK63 RS lower with up to 30 millimeters and with the new aerodynamics and high performance brakes this ride would handle really well at high speeds.

The car impresses with its breathtaking varnish called Stealth Titanium Graphite which is probably the most matt black color ever produced. Carlsson got help from the expert for varnishes Standox from Wuppertal and they made a lovely job together. Apart from the new paint job, body kit and performance upgrades Carlsson also equipped this CK63 RS with a new stylish interior. The seat sides, the inner lining of the doors and the cockpit hood scoop are made of charcoal colored ultra suede. The car mats and headrests are made from soft velour which is adormed with the Carlsson horse. Probably the most exciting change for this ride are the gull-wing RS doors which open the path for any customer to a car unique in the world. After the driver steps over the door he can see a light ornamental seam which renders an elegant contrast in the car’s interior and an illuminated manufacturer logo.

The price? It might seem extremely expensive but we’re sure this car is worth every penny. Carlsson offer this new model for 272,500 Euro.