Carlsson Aigner CK65 RS Blanchimont

We had the opportunity to sample the CL-Class based Carlsson Aigner CK65 RS Eau Rouge late last year, and now Carlsson has gone ahead with their next limited edition luxury car, the S-Class based Carlsson Aigner CK65 RS Blanchimont. Like the Eau Rouge, this CK65 RS is named after the famous Blanchimont turn at the Spa Francorchamps track in Belgium.

With prices starting at 464,100 EUR in Germany and 390,000 EUR for export, the Carlsson Aigner CK65 RS Blanchimont, seeks to fill the gap left by the S-Class and Maybach while maintaining the concept of bespoke manufacturing and maximum performance.

Conceived in cooperation with leather and lifestyle brand Etienne Aigner AG, the CK65 RS Blanchimont is fully equipped with all comfort and safety features Mercedes offers in the S-Class.

However, the interior is where the CK65 RS Blanchimont shows its talent. Available from more than 30 different combinations of Aigner leather, Aigner Alcantara, aluminium and a combination of selected woods, all materials are fitted exclusively by hand in a process that requires individual stages of cooling and setting. The production and installation of the entire interior takes over two weeks.

Besides the fit and finish of the interior trim, the high end entertainment and business package is where the CK65 RS Blanchimont revels. The Carlsson Office Concert Hall Infotainment System with components by Alpine and Focal features Focal's three-way intercom system, 7-inch monitors behind the headrests, 15-inch monitor integrated into the roof, an assortment of sub-woofers, speakers and amplifiers integrated into the vehicle body plus Alpine's F#1 Status DVD tuner with 6.1 surround sound.

Another highlight includes a WLAN UMTS router, enabling three laptops to go online, wireless and completely independent of each other. You don’t need a UMTS card – all you need is a WLAN-enabled laptop. So users have their own personal hot spot right inside the car – in fact, they can even use it a short distance away from the CK65 RS Blanchimont.

The Blanchimont with its 6.0-liter V12 bi-turbo engine receives a newly tuned electronic control unit, sports air filters, stainless steel sports exhaust system plus improved intercoolers. The result is 705 hp (10 more than the CK65 RS Eau Rouge) and an electronically limited torque of 1,100 Nm. Top speed of 320 km/h (electronically limited) together with an acceleration of 0-100 km/h in just 3.9 seconds makes “the Carlsson Aigner CK65 RS Blanchimont the most powerful luxury limousine in the world.” declares Markus Schuster, CEO of Carlsson Autotechnik GmbH.