The AMG V8 version of the R230-chassis Mercedes-Benz SL was a beast. One of the last of the cars to use AMG’s lovely 5.4-liter supercharged V8, it was also one of the last Benz models where the name was even close to the engine’s displacement.
Despite that mean V8, though, it was never the top of the line for the R230. That honor went to the SL 65 AMG with its 6.0-liter twin-turbo V12 engine. This car, though, sits above both. It’s a CK55 RS580 by German tuner Carlsson, and it started life as an SL 55 AMG. The engine has been thoroughly re-worked to make much more power than standard, with plenty of other upgrades to transform this grand tourer into a monster.
German Tuner Added Nearly 100 Horses To V8 SL
Carlsson was a tuning company headquartered in Merzig, Germany. It was best known for its incredible wheel designs for Mercedes-Benz vehicles, but the company also built some serious performance cars.
Its lineup based on the 55 AMG models (including the SL, CLS, and others) was one of those. Carlsson replaced the pulley on the M113’s supercharger to help it make more boost. It added larger fuel injectors, a new intake, a new intercooler, and a stainless steel exhaust. Combined with new engine management, horsepower was boosted from 493 horsepower to 580 hp, with torque climbing from 516 to 575 lb-ft.
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A V12 too tame for your sporty Benz? Back in 2001 AMG thought so, so they strapped not one, but two turbochargers to their V12 engine.
From the outside, the car looks largely stock. Pop the hood, and the bright blue Carlsson engine covers give the game away, though.
There are some other exterior changes to make this a CK 55. These include subtle new spoilers at both the front and the rear. It also has an ultra-rare set of Carlsson 20-inch forged wheels. The suspension is nearly an inch lower than stock thanks to a Carlsson module for the air suspension, though it maintains its ability to raise up for driveway clearance.
Ultra-Low Miles And One Of Just Three
This one, of course, is for sale, with a well-documented history covering its entire life.
The original owner took it to Birds UK, which was the Carlsson dealer in the country at the time. It was modified after it had a few miles on it to bring it up to RS580 spec. The shop that built it says it’s one of only three in the UK that got the full Carlsson engine upgrades.
It’s finished in Tanzanite Blue paint, with an Alpaca Gray cabin and a few of Carlsson’s carbon fiber trim pieces scattered about the interior. The car only has 22,728 miles on the odometer, remarkably low for a more than 20-year-old car.
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It’s for sale at a UK dealer called Quick and Big. This 580-horsepower SL seems to tick both of those boxes. At an asking price of £59,990 ($80,600), this car isn’t cheap. But it’s probably well under half of what it cost when it was new. This generation SL is starting to get popular, and that means prices are sneaking up. Especially for examples like this one.
Source: Pistonheads
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