Carlsson Aigner CK55 RS Mercedes GL500

Exclusive automobile manufacturer Carlsson Autotechnik GmbH, and the luxury leather brand Etienne Aigner AG are proud to present the third model to emerge from their co-operative venture. The Carlsson Aigner CK55 RS Rascasse, based on the Mercedes-Benz GL 500, makes its world premiere at the Geneva Auto Salon. The Rascasse will be an exclusive limited edition of 20 cars.

According to Carlsson, "the star qualities of this car are obvious at a glance." First and foremost, there's the paintwork, consisting of several coats of hand-rubbed wine-red metallic paint applied below the window line accented by black on the upper half of the model. Furthermore, there's a complete Carlsson body kit present, ranging from wider wheel arches, new side skirts and a new front and rear apron all the up to a new bonnet with integrated power domes. And the grille – let's not forget that big mesh, Chevy-looking grille.

So what else does 228,500 euros get you? More power, courtesy of Carlsson's engine conversion system for Mercedes' 5,461cc, 48-valve, DOHC V8. As a result, the Carlsson Aigner CK55 RS Rascasse boasts a total output of 456 hp (335 kW) with 640Nm of torque, enough to propel the model from 0-62 mph in 5.9 seconds. This compares to 6.5 sec for the standard GL500.

To help transmit this extra power and torque to the road, Carlsson use their three-piece 3/11 UL forged alloy wheels with highly polished outer rims in 11J x 23-inch size with 305/30ZR23 tires. The forging process creates a very light but exceptionally strong alloy wheel that helps to counter the increased unsprung weight of the larger diameter wheels and tires. The Carlsson electronic lowering kit, C-Tronic Suspension, drops the ride height of the Airmatic suspension by 40mm. In combination with the wider wheels and tires, this delivers superior handling and roadholding characteristics.

© Source: emercedesbenz
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