As Mercedes have wrapped up their first Formula One drivers title for nine years, launching what is arguably their most extreme performance car to date seems well timed. But unlike Lewis Hamilton’s F1 steed and the under loved SLR this Mercedes has nothing to do with McLaren, it’s the latest offering from the firms in house tuning arm AMG.

This is the third creation to wear the Black Series badge – which signals the highest level of AMG modification – the SL65 Black Series comes with an eye watering price tag but there’s certainly no mistaking it for the standard SL65.??

The car has huge wheel arches and gaping air vents, it’s wide, solid and low and oozes aggression even when standing still.

The brakes and tyres have been up rated, which is crucial because in the Black Series the SL65’s mighty 612bhp 6-litre bi-turbo V12 has been tuned to offer a massive 670bhp. But even restricted the effortless nature of the Black Series’ incredible straight-line acceleration is hard to believe. Few other cars can deliver performance like this as well as look so good and have so much on road presence. The traction control button is much needed but there is a sport mode which turns it off for use on track and possibly other occasions…!