Only 350 of the 2009 Mercedes SL65 AMG Black Series supercars will ever be made, but that hasn't stopped one from appearing at the Pebble Beach Concours. The $320,000 Benz has a staggering 661 HP, but that's topped by the 6.0-liter V12's 738 lb.-ft of torque.


(Thanks to J.F. Musial for the tip!)

Now that is one spicy German monster of a meatball.

That's because we're told to only expect a limited run of 350 over a 12-month period. Luckily, 200 of them are slotted to hit U.S. shores, so there's at least a shot of seeing one of these amazing monsters of Deutschland on the streets.

Jalopnik Snap Judgement: Although we totally dig the styling, and those horsepower numbers are through the roof, at that pricepoint, we'd rather wait for the 2011 Mercedes SLC gullwing supercar. Of course, if we had the money to play in this price range, we'd probably just buy 'em both. You know, to have one for the missus. [via Edmunds]

To achieve this level of performance, 300kg has been taken out of the SL's body, largely by replacing the folding hard top with a fixed carbon fiber roof. In fact, the only body panels shared with the standard model are the doors. This is made additionally necessary by the widened tracks front and rear.

The SL65 Black Series will make a track appearance at this year's Grand Prix of Germany in July, followed by an official unveiling towards the end of the year. [Via Autocar]

RENNtech PKG365

Lake Park, FL - 28JAN2008 - RENNtech PKG365

The last few years have seen a flood of 500 horsepower sedans almost
pouring out of Germany from BMW, Audi, and Mercedes-Benz. Earlier
this month, however, representatives from Mercedes and AMG announced
that the "horsepower wars" were over, saying that outright power would
no longer be the "main focus" for future sports sedans.

Apparently, no-one sent that "war over" memo to RENNTECH.

This morning, RENNTECH announced a new "stage 3" tune for the 2008 65
series AMG models, which makes use of what RENNTECH calls
"next-generation ECU software" to get 695 hp and 890 lb-ft of torque
from the AMG's twin-turbo V12.

"Power will always be important to many customers, especially torque."
explains Hartmut Feyhl, RENNTECH's president and ex technical director
of AMG North America. "Our cars have always been able to make
considerable torque, and have been praised in magazines for their
drivability. Still, we are constantly trying to improve our product."

Commitment to constant improvement is one reason RENNTECH has become
known as one of the world's premier tuning firms, and America's
foremost authority on Mercedes-Benz. RENNTECH believes their new
software will further cement that knowledge in the public mind. "We
now have two in-house engineers that are doing software full-time, and
others that work with the software on a part-time or contract basis.
We are always looking for improvements. The latest software takes
advantage of the increased power of the new engine computers, and
offers a number of small improvements that add up to a big 'overall'
improvement," Feyhl explains. "It really is that 'next-generation'
sort of product that is much more advanced than what we were capable
of offering before. Compared to earlier versions, our new software
gives customers more power and better drivability in a way that is
more reliable, smoother power curve, and even improves emissions and
gas mileage."

In addition to the software upgrades, RENNTECH adds a larger
intercooler pump and secondary heat exchanger, as well as a pair of
carbon fiber airboxes to improve the flow of cool air into the big
AMG's V12. The intercooler system upgrades reduce air intake
temperatures by more than 20 degrees, delivering more consistent power
compared to stock and allowing RENNTECH to more safely increase boost
throughout the rpm range.

RENNTECH's stainless steel sport mufflers (also part of the new
package) produce a deep, distinctive growl that is suitably aggressive
for a high-end luxury car. Feyhl suggests that his mufflers "let the
car sound the way it is supposed to sound."

With almost 900 lb-ft of torque available from the engine, RENNTECH's
upgrades deliver a real, noticeable improvement in terms power and
acceleration compared to the already impressive performance of the
stock 65 series AMG cars. MSRP for RENNTECH's new performance "PKG3"
for 65 series AMG is $18,990 (plus installation). PKG365 is available
for S65, CL65, and SL65 AMG. Contact RENNTECH for more.

There are companies all over the company country that offer this service with varying rates and fleets. One of the larger companies is Gotham Dream Cars, which offers fleets in Florida and the Northeast. If you're in the NYC area, prices range from a somewhat reasonable $695 for a full day with a BMW M5 to an outrageous $11,950 for a week with a Lamborghini Murcielago. It's not the most original gift, but it might be nice for someone who has an important event coming up and feels a little insecure. [Gotham Dream Cars]