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Mercedes-AMG S65 C217 Coupé V12 biturbo: the V12 in all its majesty, the exhaust system guide

11 min read

Mercedes-AMG S65 C217 Coupé V12 biturbo: the V12 in all its majesty, the exhaust system guide

The S65 Coupé C217 sat at the top of the Mercedes-AMG range of its day: a large luxury coupé powered by a 6.0-litre biturbo V12 with 630 hp and 1,000 Nm. Immense power, delivered in almost total silence, because the factory exhaust was designed precisely for that. This guide helps you choose a ROG exhaust that finally lets this V12 be heard, while preserving the refinement of your coupé.

Written by ROG Motorsport · Updated

ROG valved exhaust system for Mercedes-AMG S65 C217 Coupé V12 biturbo

Your ROG exhaust for the Mercedes-AMG S65 C217 Coupé V12 biturbo

From €3,990 in stainless steel, €4,990 in titanium

Configure my exhaust
Vehicles
Mercedes-AMG S65 C217 Coupé 6.0 V12 biturbo (2014-2020)
Engine
M279 · 630 hp · 1000 Nm
Exhaust
Valved cat-back, built for your VIN
Material
304 stainless steel or titanium
Front section
Optional: catted downpipe with 200 or 100 cells, or decat
Valves
ROG remote, or factory control if your vehicle has it
Lead time
20 working days from order confirmation to delivery
Warranty
3 years, parts and workmanship

Closely related versions have their own guide: Mercedes-AMG S63 C217 Coupé 4.0 V8 biturbo, Mercedes-AMG S63 C217 Coupé 5.5 V8 biturbo, Mercedes-AMG S65 W222 6.0 V12 biturbo.

The 6.0 biturbo V12: extraordinary torque for the S65 Coupé

The S65 C217 is one of the few production cars powered by a biturbo V12. This 6.0-litre engine produces 630 hp and, above all, 1,000 Nm of torque, available very low in the rev range. Here, the power has nothing nervous about it: it arrives like a continuous wave, moving this grand coupé with an ease and smoothness that few engines can offer.

On a biturbo V12, the turbos and the factory exhaust form a double filter: the natural sound of the twelve cylinders, rich and silky, barely reaches the cabin. The ROG valved exhaust replaces this system and lets you decide. With the valves closed, the S65 keeps the refinement of a grand coupé; with them open, the V12 finds its voice again, with no work on the engine or the ECU.

How the exhaust on your Mercedes-AMG S65 C217 Coupé V12 biturbo is put together

An exhaust system is best understood in two parts. Here is what each one does, and what ROG replaces.

How the exhaust system is laid out From left to right: the engine, the front section, then the ROG cat-back with its valved silencer and tips.Front sectionROG cat-back: the complete exhaustM279
Valves closed: the gases pass through the silencer chambers and the car stays composed.Valves open: the gases take the direct route and the engine speaks freely.Schematic only; the actual routing depends on the vehicle.

The cat-back is the complete exhaust system

It is everything you can see under your Mercedes-AMG S65 C217 Coupé V12 biturbo, from the outlet of the front section to the tips: pipes, silencers, valves. This is where our research and development is focused, and it is what shapes the sound. On its own, it changes the character of the car.

The front section, where the catalytic converter sits

On your Mercedes-AMG S65 C217 Coupé V12 biturbo, it is the downpipe, the pipe leading from the turbo. It contains the factory catalytic converter: the second restriction in the exhaust, after the silencer. Replacing this part is optional: it frees up the flow, and an ECU remap is what turns that into power.

The figures for your Mercedes-AMG S65 C217 Coupé V12 biturbo

On a modern car, an exhaust system first changes the voice, the breathing and the weight at the rear. Power, on the other hand, comes from an ECU remap.

Power

Factory630 hp
Stage 2730 hp

Torque

Factory1000 Nm
Stage 21200 Nm

Published manufacturer and Stage 2 figures.

Our exhaust systems work perfectly with or without an ECU remap. On your Mercedes-AMG S65 C217 Coupé V12 biturbo, however, we recommend having one done at an approved tuning centre: that is what lets the engine reach its full potential.

Configuring your exhaust, step by step

3 choices, in the same order as the product page configurator.

  1. Step 1 of 3: Material: stainless steel or titanium

    For your Mercedes-AMG S65 C217 Coupé V12 biturbo, the exhaust costs €3,990 in stainless steel and €4,990 in titanium.

    304 stainless steel

    3 990 €

    Weight
    Baseline
    Sound
    Full and rounded

    The benchmark for high-end exhausts: tough, corrosion-proof, with a full, rounded sound. The choice of most of our customers.

    Titanium

    4 990 €

    Weight
    Around 40% lighter
    Sound
    Metallic, crystal-clear

    Around 40% lighter than stainless steel for the same design, with a more metallic sound that turns crystal-clear at high revs. Its finish ranges from brushed to blued tints.

    Over time, both hold up: 304 stainless steel stands up to winter salt and damp, and titanium does not rust. Stainless steel or titanium: what really changes.

  2. Step 2 of 3: Front section: downpipe and catalytic converter

    Optional: the downpipe on your Mercedes-AMG S65 C217 Coupé V12 biturbo, with its catalytic converter. Sound intensity is rated on our scale of 0 to 10, valves open; the factory exhaust scores 3.

    Cat-back only

    Included

    7/10

    Factory emissions control

    The factory catalytic converter stays in place. The starting point and, for many of our customers, more than enough.

    200-cell sports catalytic converter

    +1 420 €

    8/10

    Road use and French MOT

    Emissions control is still very much there, and flow improves noticeably. The choice for everyday driving.

    100-cell sports catalytic converter

    +1 420 €

    9/10

    French MOT pass not guaranteed

    Half as many cells: flow comes close to a decat and the sound gains real aggression at high revs.

    Decat

    +1 000 €

    10/10

    Track use only

    No emissions control: maximum flow, raw sound, the sharpest revving.

    Sound intensity, on a scale of 0 to 10

    1. 10/10Decat downpipe + ROG cat-back
    2. 9/10100-cell sports catalytic converter + ROG cat-back
    3. 8/10200-cell sports catalytic converter + ROG cat-back
    4. 7/10ROG cat-back only, factory catalytic converter retained
    5. 3/10Factory exhaust, for comparison

    Valves open. With the valves closed, every configuration becomes discreet again.

    What about the engine warning light? A sports catalytic converter can trigger it: the oxygen sensor after the catalytic converter detects less cleaning than with the factory unit. It is not a fault. An ECU remap recalibrates the sensor, and a session with a diagnostic tool clears the fault code. With a decat, the warning light is almost certain without a remap. If it happens to you, call us and we will point you in the right direction. Passing the French MOT with a sports exhaust.

  3. Step 3 of 3: Valves: ROG remote or factory control

    Two ways to control the valves on your Mercedes-AMG S65 C217 Coupé V12 biturbo.

    ROG remote

    ROG remote for opening and closing the valves

    A small control unit fits in the boot. Two buttons, open and closed: the valves respond at any moment, whatever the drive mode. Simple to fit, and we stay on hand throughout the installation.

    Factory control

    • Only for vehicles fitted with factory valves
    • Controlled by the drive modes

    If your vehicle is fitted with factory valves, the exhaust keeps their existing control. The drive modes decide, just as they did from the factory, with no added electronics.

    On the motorway, with the valves closed, the gases pass through the silencer, designed for cruising: no drone at a steady speed. You open up when you feel like it, not when the motorway decides for you. More about exhaust drone.

The ROG sound signature on the S65 Coupé's V12

A V12 has a sound all its own: denser than a V8, smoother too, with a tone reminiscent of the great exotic sports cars. On the S65 C217, the factory exhaust reduces it to a muffled murmur, in keeping with the image of absolute discretion the brand was after.

With the ROG exhaust and the valves open, the V12 lets out a deep rumble on start-up, then a smooth, continuous song under every acceleration. With the valves closed, the S65 regains the calm of a lounge on wheels, for travelling far without the slightest unwanted noise.

Valves open and valves closed: the gas path through the ROG silencer
Valves open, valves closed: the path the gases take through the silencer.

From order to fitting

  1. Configuration

    You choose your exhaust and enter your VIN, found in box E of your registration certificate.

  2. Check

    We check compatibility with your VIN before manufacturing begins.

  3. Manufacturing

    Your exhaust is made to order, for your car.

  4. Delivery

    Free in Europe, insured to your door, tracked from dispatch.

  5. Fitting

    No welding or cutting: clamps and gaskets, around two hours on a lift.

20 working days from order confirmation to delivery

Warranty
3 years, parts and workmanship, from the date of delivery
Payment
In instalments with Klarna
Installation
At the garage of your choice

What about the manufacturer's warranty on your Mercedes-AMG S65 C217 Coupé V12 biturbo? In Europe, a manufacturer cannot refuse warranty cover simply because a part from another brand has been fitted: it has to prove that the fault was caused by that part. Our article on the manufacturer's warranty.

Our recommendations for your Mercedes-AMG S65 C217 Coupé V12 biturbo

  • Daily driving

    3 990 €

    • Stainless
    • Cat-back only
    • ROG remote

    Your Mercedes-AMG S65 C217 Coupé V12 biturbo stays easy to live with, the factory emissions control is retained, and you open the valves whenever you decide.

    View this configuration
  • Fast road

    6 410 €

    • Titanium
    • 200-cell downpipe
    • ECU remap

    More sound, more breathing, and a car you can still present at the French MOT.

    View this configuration
  • Track

    5 990 €

    • Titanium
    • Decat downpipe
    • Stage 2

    The most extreme configuration, for track use only.

    View this configuration

And if you are still unsure, that is perfectly normal: it is exactly why we answer the phone.

Mercedes-AMG S65 C217 Coupé V12 biturbo: your questions

How much power does an exhaust system add to the Mercedes-AMG S65 C217 Coupé V12 biturbo?

As standard, the Mercedes-AMG S65 C217 Coupé V12 biturbo produces 630 hp and 1000 Nm. An exhaust system on its own mainly changes the sound, the breathing and the weight; power is gained with an ECU remap. With a Stage 2 build, the published figures reach 730 hp and 1200 Nm.

Stainless steel or titanium: which material for the Mercedes-AMG S65 C217 Coupé V12 biturbo?

For the Mercedes-AMG S65 C217 Coupé V12 biturbo, the ROG exhaust costs €3,990 in stainless steel and €4,990 in titanium. 304 stainless steel is tough, rounded in tone and the most popular choice; titanium is around 40% lighter for the same design, with a more metallic sound at high revs.

Do you need to replace the catalytic converter on the Mercedes-AMG S65 C217 Coupé V12 biturbo?

No. On the Mercedes-AMG S65 C217 Coupé V12 biturbo, the cat-back alone carries the valves and already transforms the sound. Replacing the downpipe is an option for going further: with a 200-cell sports catalytic converter for the road, 100-cell or decat for more radical use, with an ECU remap to turn it into power.

Will the Mercedes-AMG S65 C217 Coupé V12 biturbo pass the French MOT with a ROG exhaust?

With the cat-back only or the 200-cell sports catalytic converter, emissions control is retained: present the car with the valves closed. The 100-cell converter no longer guarantees a pass, and the decat fails the emissions test.

How is the ROG exhaust fitted to the Mercedes-AMG S65 C217 Coupé V12 biturbo?

No welding or cutting, using clamps and gaskets. Allow two hours on average for a well-equipped mechanic. The exhaust is built for your VIN, which guarantees compatibility before it ships.

What does a ROG exhaust cost for the Mercedes-AMG S65 C217 Coupé V12 biturbo, and how long does it take?

From €3,990 to €6,410 depending on the configuration. Allow 20 working days from order confirmation to delivery. Free delivery in Europe and a 3-year warranty.

Unsure about your configuration? Give us a call.

Stainless steel or titanium, cat-back only or the complete system: the right choice depends on how you drive and on your Mercedes-AMG S65 C217 Coupé V12 biturbo. We take the time to talk it through before you order, with a reply within 24 hours. We are not here to sell to you over the phone: we help you choose, even if that means a cheaper option because it suits the way you drive.

RogMotorsport is a French brand built on one conviction: with an exhaust system, the support matters as much as the product. More than 500 exhaust systems fitted and a rating of 4.9 out of 5.

Further reading