The first time you hit the gas in one of Mercedes' newest AMG models, you might think it's powered by rocket fuel. Well, not really. But as your cranium hits the headrest, it becomes quite clear that there's no ordinary V6 under the hood.

The C32 sedan and SLK32 roadster are the latest in a series of specialized models from AMG, a DaimlerChrysler subsidiary that modifies engines and suspensions of basic production cars for high performance. On the road, it takes a conscious effort to slow to the flow of traffic. Mercedes claims 0 to 62 mph in 5.2 seconds. We believe it.