Mercedes-AMG GT unveiled 10 | 09 | 2014
MERCEDES-BENZ HAS lifted the wraps from its new AMG-GT: the car follows on from the discontinued SLS AMG. Powered by a newly developed twin-turbocharged 4.0-litre V8 engine, the rear-wheel-drive performance coupé arrives in the UK next Spring.
Expect the standard 456bhp GT to cost from around £95,000, with the 503bhp GT S commanding an additional premium of around £15,000. That makes it still significantly less than the £168,485 of the SLS AMG.
Both GT models are powered by the same direct-injection 4.0-litre V8, which itself is unique among production road car engines in that it features twin turbochargers mounted inside the cylinder banks.
At 4546mm long, 1939mm wide and 1289mm tall, it's 92mm shorter, 27mm taller and the same width as the SLS AMG it succeeds.
Power is transmitted to the rear wheels via a revised version of the Getrag-engineered seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox used on the SLS: the car also enjoys a 47:53 rear weight distribution.
Drivers also get the choice of five different driving modes: Controlled Efficiency, Sport, Sport Plus, Individual and – on the GT S only – Race. Both models also receive a standard locking differential.
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The GT sits on 19in alloys fitted with 255/35 front and 295/35 rear tyres. The GT S gets a combination of 19in wheels with 265/35 tyres up front and 20in with 295/30 rubber at the rear.
Alongside standard road tyres, the new car can also be ordered with Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tyres as part of an AMG Dynamic Plus pack.
Ad it's quick. The GT hits 62mph from standstill in 4.0secs and carrie son to a max of 189mph. The GT S, meanwhile, has a is claimed 0-62mph of 3.8sec and a maximum speed of 193mph.
For a supercar, fuel efficiency is attractive: the combined cycle fuel consumption is put at 30.4mpg for the GT and 30.1mpg for the GT S. CO2 emissions are 216g/km and 219g/km respectively.
But don't just think the Mercedes-AMG is simply a sports car. The company has also address aspects of practicality.
As well as receiving front-hinged doors in preference to the SLS’s gullwing arrangement, the new Mercedes-AMG model adopts a liftback-style tailgate in place of a conventional bootlid. That's aimed at making access to the luggage compartment — which can now hold 350 litres — much easier.
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Jim McGill