Nicky Hayden Gets a New Mercedes CLS 63 AMG

Shortly after the Jerez race, where he clinched third place, Ducati rider Nicky Hayden paid a visit to Affalterbach to take delivery of his new Mercedes-Benz CLS 63 AMG from Ola Kallenius, CEO of Mercedes-AMG GmbH. Hayden went for the special limited-series "Edition One" model.

Nicky Hayden's CLS 63 AMG is powered by the AMG 5.5-litre V8 engine that delivers 557 hp and a maximum torque of 800 Nm (590 lb.ft.), along with an AMG engine cover in genuine carbon fibre, an AMG spoiler lip on the boot lid, also in genuine carbon fibre; red-painted brake calipers and an AMG Performance steering wheel with Alcantara inserts in the grip area.

Italian motorcycle manufacturer Ducati has recently partnered with AMG in a move that will focus around joint marketing and sponsoring activities. For example, AMG will support the Ducati MotoGP Team as the Official Car Partner from 2011.

"My visit to Affalterbach was a great opportunity to see for myself the enthusiasm and precision with which the staff at AMG work. You can really see similarities with Ducati in Bologna - AMG and Ducati complement each other perfectly," commented the American.

"I was impressed not only by the skilled workmanship involved, but also by the exciting insight I was given into the Performance Studio, truly the home of automotive dreams. I'm now looking forward to doing some thorough test driving and to getting to know the new CLS 63 AMG properly, back home in Kentucky. The design of the car is already breathtaking, and I'm quite sure I shan't be disappointed by its performance!" Hayden continued.

In the World Championship points table, after two races, Nicky Hayden is currently in fourth place with 23 points, ahead of teammate Valentino Rossi (20 points).