ONLY FIFTY-FIVE WERE BUILT. AND IN A FLASH, ALL FIFTY-FIVE WERE QUICKLY SOLD.

THE RESULT of a remarkable partnership between Mercedes-AMG Gmbh and IWC Schaffhausen, the exclusive 2006 Mercedes-Benz CLS 55 AMG was designed to capture the essence, as well as to complement the arrival, of the new line of "Ingenieur" watches from IWC. The CLS 55 AMG "IWC Ingenieur" is a unique four-door coupe that features a 5.5-liter supercharged V8 engine, 19-inch five-spoke AMG light-alloy wheels, electrically adjustable AMG sports seats with contour and memory functions, and revolutionary Keyless Go security system.

But what is really striking about the CLS 55 AMG is how it is very much a product of the collaboration between the two design titans. The CLS 55 AMG features an exclusive dark titanium-grey metallic paint coat that closely matches the titanium case of the new Ingenieur AMG watch. The powerful coupe design, with its muscular and sporty contours, reflects the design philosophy of the watch as well.

Inside, the most striking detail is perhaps the AMG instrument cluster, which has been completely redesigned by IWC. The analog clock, speedometer and tachometer now take their design cue from the new Ingenieur AMG watch, down to the new instrument fonts, the decorative rings, titanium edge trim, and, of course, the IWC logo on the clock.

The Mercedes-Benz CLS 55 AMG "IWC Ingenieur'' was designed to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Ingenieur line, which was first produced in 1955, with only 1,000 ever being made.

THE INGENIEUR IS REBORN

IN 1955, IWC unveiled the Ingenieur, and it has since become a name that is synonmous with boldness, technological progress and adventure.

Fifty years and just one thousand watches later, the Ingenieur is staging a powerful comeback, featuring an alliance with another brand that is also synonymous with engineering excellence, Mercedes-AMG.

The 2005 line of IWC Ingenieur watches brings the Ingenieur up to the present day, preserving its original values while bringing the line up to speed with modern technological developments.

As much as the IWC Aquatimer family celebrates the water, and the IWC Pilot series celebrates the air, the IWC Ingenieur line celebrates the earth, Which is why the new Ingenieur line has been designed to be a sporting watche, capable of withstanding incredible shocks and blows, extreme temperature changes, as well as the ever-present electromagnetic fields that emanate from our personal electronics and appliances.

THE INGENIEUR AUTOMATIC

THE FLAGSHIP OF THE INGENIEUR LINE, THE INGENIEUR AUTOMATIC POSSESSES THE DISTINCTIVE LOOK OF THE LEGENDARY INGENIEUR SL FROM 1976 (ALSO KNOWN AS THE "JUMBO").

The Ingenious Automatic features the new calibre 80110 with the Pellaton ratchet winding system and integrated shock absorbers. Nobody has ever been able to improve On the remarkable self- winding system designed by Albert Pellaton, until now. Technicians at IWC have put the brilliant construction into a computer model and applied tests and simulations that were not available to Pellaton in his day. The result is a definite improvement of the already legendary integrated shock absorbing system, and today the 80110 calibre automatic movement has the most effective protection against jolts and jarring.

And as with most Ingenieur models over the past fifty years, the movement is also protected against magnetism using the IWC soft-iron inner case, effectively serving as a cage against electromagnetic fields. The Ingenieur Automatic is guaranteed protection against magnetic fiends of up to 80,000 A/m. Note that the Swiss standard only requires a protection level of 4,800 A/m for antimagnetic watches.

On the outside, the Ingenious features a solid three-part stainless steel case with integrated IWC metal bracelet, a screw-in back a screw-in crown and an anti-reflective coated sapphire glass.

THE INGENIEUR AUTOMATIC AMG

THE RESULT OF A REMARKABLE PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE TWO ENGINEERING BRANDS IWC AND MERCEDES-AMG, THE INGENIEUR AUTOMATIC AMG REPRESENTS THE SYNTHESIS OF SHARED VALUES AND PRECISION ENGINEERING.

The Ingenieur Automatic AMG features the new 80110 calibre automatic movement and the Pellaton winding system. What's more, it features a precision high-performance motor that is designed for the continual strain of everyday use.

All this is protected by IWC'S soft-iron inner case against magnetic fiends of up to 80,000 A/m. The Ingenious Automatic AMG comes in a titanium case, an innovation that IWC introduced in the 1980s. Lighter than steel, comfortable to wear, extremely durable, and allergy-free, the titanium skin has become the symbol of the partnership between IWC and Mercedes-AMG.

The dial design also reflects this partnership with the German high-performance automobile maker, radiating a sporty instrument panel look and discrete signal red elements.

THE INGENIEUR CHRONOGRAPH AND INGENIEUR CHRONOGRAPH AMG

THERE HAVE ALREADY BEEN TWO INSTANCES OF INGENIEURS HAVING STOP FUNCTIONS IN THE LINE'S HISTORY. NOW THERE ARE TWO MORE

The new Ingenieur Chronographs extend the functions the Ingenious Automatics. The inner workings of the timepieces are the same, and they even share similar external features, downto the 42.5 mm diameter, But the addition of the chronograph function seeks to appeal to those who prefer to stop time, if only on their watches. The Chronograph features a 30-minute counter and, aside from the divisions for seconds and eighths of a second, the dial has an external tachymeter scale for precise determination of speed over measured distance.

The Ingenious Chronographs come in two variants: the classic, "purist" edition in stainless steel case; and the Edition Mercedes-AMG, which features a titanium case. Both feature screw-in crowns, anti-reflective sapphire glass, typical Ingenious five-hole bezel, and the IWC bracelet system. In addition, the Edition AMG is also available with a soft strap and pin buckle upon request.

But what sets the Ingenieur Chronographs apart from typical chronographs are its harmoniously designed and functionally integrated operation buttons, first seen in the Ingenieur with chronograph and alarm from 1991.