Kleemann
Encyclopedia
Kleemann A/S is an after-market tuning company for Mercedes-Benz
sports cars, sedans, and SUVs
headquartered in Farum
, Denmark
.
Kleemann's slogan is "Comfort Power," referring to its low-boost, high-output engines that create substantially more power than standard Mercedes models. Kleemann vehicles also include structural and mechanical integrity improvements often lacking in tuned sports cars. Its corporate logo is an abstract arrow which some corporate representatives refer to as the Kleemann carrot.
Any vehicle on the Mercedes lineup can be tuned in a number of ways from SLK roadsters
to G-Class Wagons
. Customers can specify custom seats, floormats, and interior fabrics as well as carbon fiber
body kits, carbon front and rear splitters, and carbon interior panelling. Customers can order simple ECU
upgrades that change transmission
shift times and valve timing
, or they can more aggressively have the engine bored and supercharged
, install camshaft
s and high-flow headers
. Kleemann also manufactures its own racing wheels, racing LSD
s, racing suspension
components, and multi-piston brakes
. Kleemann can even install Lamborghini
-style vertical doors on their modified vehicles.
(446 kW) Kleemann E 55K (W210
model) making it the world's fastest four-door car. Less than a year later a Kleemann tuned ML 55K clocked a remarkable 282 km/h (175 mph) on the Nardò Ring
in southern Italy
making it the world's fastest SUV
. However, both records have since been broken by Brabus
in Bottrop
, Germany
.
, and an intercooler
into one single unit atop the engine block known as the Kleemann Kompressor. This is markedly different from the "Kompressors" or superchargers found on Mercedes-AMG
vehicles, although AMG has since begun manufacturing only twin-turbo
engines. Kleemann also utilizes twin-screw superchargers instead of roots type supercharger
s of conventionally belt-driven boost systems.
Mercedes-Benz
Mercedes-Benz is a German manufacturer of automobiles, buses, coaches, and trucks. Mercedes-Benz is a division of its parent company, Daimler AG...
sports cars, sedans, and SUVs
Sport utility vehicle
A sport utility vehicle is a generic marketing term for a vehicle similar to a station wagon, but built on a light-truck chassis. It is usually equipped with four-wheel drive for on- or off-road ability, and with some pretension or ability to be used as an off-road vehicle. Not all four-wheel...
headquartered in Farum
Farum municipality
Farum municipality was a municipality in the northeast of the island of Zealand in eastern Denmark. On January 1, 2007 it merged with Værløse municipality to form the new Furesø municipality as a consequence of Denmark's Municipal Reform....
, Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
.
Kleemann's slogan is "Comfort Power," referring to its low-boost, high-output engines that create substantially more power than standard Mercedes models. Kleemann vehicles also include structural and mechanical integrity improvements often lacking in tuned sports cars. Its corporate logo is an abstract arrow which some corporate representatives refer to as the Kleemann carrot.
Any vehicle on the Mercedes lineup can be tuned in a number of ways from SLK roadsters
Mercedes-Benz SLK-Class
The SLK is a compact roadster manufactured by Mercedes-Benz in three generations; R170 launched in 1996, the R171 in 2004 and R172 in 2011....
to G-Class Wagons
Mercedes-Benz G-Class
The original 460-series Geländewagen went on sale for civilian buyers in 1979, after having debuted in February of that year. It was offered with two wheelbases, a short wheelbase of 2,400 mm and a long one of 2,850 mm. One could choose between three body styles: A two-door short...
. Customers can specify custom seats, floormats, and interior fabrics as well as carbon fiber
Carbon fiber
Carbon fiber, alternatively graphite fiber, carbon graphite or CF, is a material consisting of fibers about 5–10 μm in diameter and composed mostly of carbon atoms. The carbon atoms are bonded together in crystals that are more or less aligned parallel to the long axis of the fiber...
body kits, carbon front and rear splitters, and carbon interior panelling. Customers can order simple ECU
Engine Control Unit
An engine control unit is a type of electronic control unit that determines the amount of fuel, ignition timing and other parameters an internal combustion engine needs to keep running...
upgrades that change transmission
Transmission (mechanics)
A machine consists of a power source and a power transmission system, which provides controlled application of the power. Merriam-Webster defines transmission as: an assembly of parts including the speed-changing gears and the propeller shaft by which the power is transmitted from an engine to a...
shift times and valve timing
Valve timing
In a piston engine, the valve timing is the precise timing of the opening and closing of the valves.In four-stroke cycle engines and some two-stroke cycle engines, the valve timing is controlled by the camshaft. It can be varied by modifying the camshaft, or it can be varied during engine operation...
, or they can more aggressively have the engine bored and supercharged
Supercharger
A supercharger is an air compressor used for forced induction of an internal combustion engine.The greater mass flow-rate provides more oxygen to support combustion than would be available in a naturally aspirated engine, which allows more fuel to be burned and more work to be done per cycle,...
, install camshaft
Camshaft
A camshaft is a shaft to which a cam is fastened or of which a cam forms an integral part.-History:An early cam was built into Hellenistic water-driven automata from the 3rd century BC. The camshaft was later described in Iraq by Al-Jazari in 1206. He employed it as part of his automata,...
s and high-flow headers
Exhaust manifold
In automotive engineering, an exhaust manifold collects the exhaust gases from multiple cylinders into one pipe. The word manifold comes from the Old English word manigfeald and refers to the folding together of multiple inputs and outputs.In contrast, an inlet manifold is the part of an engine...
. Kleemann also manufactures its own racing wheels, racing LSD
Limited slip differential
A limited slip differential is a type of differential gear arrangement that allows for some difference in angular velocity of the output shafts, but imposes a mechanical bound on the disparity...
s, racing suspension
Suspension (vehicle)
Suspension is the term given to the system of springs, shock absorbers and linkages that connects a vehicle to its wheels. Suspension systems serve a dual purpose — contributing to the car's roadholding/handling and braking for good active safety and driving pleasure, and keeping vehicle occupants...
components, and multi-piston brakes
Disc brake
The disc brake or disk brake is a device for slowing or stopping the rotation of a wheel while it is in motion.A brake disc is usually made of cast iron, but may in some cases be made of composites such as reinforced carbon–carbon or ceramic matrix composites. This is connected to the wheel and/or...
. Kleemann can even install Lamborghini
Lamborghini
Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A., commonly referred to as Lamborghini , is an Italian car manufacturer. The company was founded by manufacturing magnate Ferruccio Lamborghini in 1963, with the objective of producing a refined grand touring car to compete with established offerings from marques like...
-style vertical doors on their modified vehicles.
Records
In 2002 Danish race driver Jason Watt drove 338 km/h (210 mph) in a 607 hpHorsepower
Horsepower is the name of several units of measurement of power. The most common definitions equal between 735.5 and 750 watts.Horsepower was originally defined to compare the output of steam engines with the power of draft horses in continuous operation. The unit was widely adopted to measure the...
(446 kW) Kleemann E 55K (W210
Mercedes-Benz W210
The Mercedes-Benz W210 is a mid-size luxury car–executive car which was produced by the German automaker Mercedes-Benz from 1995 through 2002 . The W210 replaced the W124 model. They were sold under the E-Class model names in both sedan and station wagon body types...
model) making it the world's fastest four-door car. Less than a year later a Kleemann tuned ML 55K clocked a remarkable 282 km/h (175 mph) on the Nardò Ring
Nardò Ring
The Nardò Ring, is a high speed test track located near the town of Nardò, Italy, in the southern region of Apulia, in the province of Lecce....
in southern Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
making it the world's fastest SUV
Sport utility vehicle
A sport utility vehicle is a generic marketing term for a vehicle similar to a station wagon, but built on a light-truck chassis. It is usually equipped with four-wheel drive for on- or off-road ability, and with some pretension or ability to be used as an off-road vehicle. Not all four-wheel...
. However, both records have since been broken by Brabus
BRABUS
Brabus, founded 1977 in Bottrop , Germany , is a high-performance aftermarket tuning company which specializes in Mercedes-Benz, Smart and Maybach vehicles....
in Bottrop
Bottrop
Bottrop is a city in west central Germany, on the Rhine-Herne Canal, in North Rhine-Westphalia. Located in the Ruhr industrial area, Bottrop adjoins Essen, Oberhausen, Gladbeck and Dorsten. The city had been a coal-mining and rail center and contains factories producing coal-tar derivatives,...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
.
Innovations
Kleemann is credited with being the first company to combine a supercharger, intake manifoldInlet manifold
In automotive engineering, an inlet manifold or intake manifold is the part of an engine that supplies the fuel/air mixture to the cylinders...
, and an intercooler
Intercooler
An intercooler , or charge air cooler, is an air-to-air or air-to-liquid heat exchange device used on turbocharged and supercharged internal combustion engines to improve their volumetric efficiency by increasing intake air charge density through nearly isobaric cooling, which removes...
into one single unit atop the engine block known as the Kleemann Kompressor. This is markedly different from the "Kompressors" or superchargers found on Mercedes-AMG
Mercedes-AMG
Mercedes-AMG GmbH, commonly known as AMG, is a subsidiary of the Mercedes-Benz car company specializing in high-performance luxury cars....
vehicles, although AMG has since begun manufacturing only twin-turbo
Twin-turbo
Twin-turbo refers to a turbocharged engine, in which two turbochargers compress the intake charge. There are two commonly used twin turbo configurations: parallel twin-turbo and sequential twin-turbo...
engines. Kleemann also utilizes twin-screw superchargers instead of roots type supercharger
Roots type supercharger
The Roots type supercharger or Roots blower is a positive displacement lobe pump which operates by pumping fluids with a pair of meshing lobes not unlike a set of stretched gears. Fluid is trapped in pockets surrounding the lobes and carried from the intake side to the exhaust...
s of conventionally belt-driven boost systems.
Competing Mercedes-Benz performance specialists
- BrabusBRABUSBrabus, founded 1977 in Bottrop , Germany , is a high-performance aftermarket tuning company which specializes in Mercedes-Benz, Smart and Maybach vehicles....
- CarlssonCarlsson (car company)Carlsson is a German car tuning manufacturer specialising in Mercedes-Benz cars. The Carlsson tuning house was founded by brothers Rolf and Andreas Hartge in 1989. Carlsson's products are available for the entire current range of Mercedes-Benz models including the R-Class , SL-Class , C-Class and...
- RenntechRENNtechRenntech is a Florida company established in 1989 by Hartmut Feyhl. It is best known for performance modifications of Mercedes-AMG automobiles....
- Mercedes-AMGMercedes-AMGMercedes-AMG GmbH, commonly known as AMG, is a subsidiary of the Mercedes-Benz car company specializing in high-performance luxury cars....