Mercedes-Benz has controversially eschewed any traditional reference to its founder Karl Benz in the name of its new 500bhp plus twin-turbocharged 4.0-litre V8 powered sports car, which the German car maker has confirmed will be called the Mercedes-AMG GT when sales begin later this year.
Set to make its debut in September, the new two-seater indirectly replaces the SLS AMG, becoming the second stand-alone model to be conceived, engineered and produced by Mercedes-Benz’s AMG performance car off-shoot at its headquarters in Affalterbach on the outskirts of Stuttgart, Germany.
"The new Mercedes-AMG GT shows that we will be positioning AMG more vehemently and aggressively than to date," says AMG boss, Tobias Moers, who describes the new car as “a GT sports car in its purest form”.
The announcement of the official name for the GT at the New York motor show this week coincided with the issuing of two photographs that reveal the stylish interior of the new car, which has previously been referred to by Mercedes-Benz officials under its internal C190 codename.
The GT receives a snug two seat interior featuring high quality materials and trims together with a combination of bespoke controls and switchgear borrowed from other Mercedes-Benz models, most notably the new fourth-generation Mercedes-Benz C-Class.
A heavily structured dashboard finished in leather and carbon fibre features a hooded instrument binnacle, multi-function steering wheel with shift paddles, free standing infotainment monitor and six round air vents dominates the cabin, which is described as being roughly the same size as that of the SLS AMG.
As with its predecessor, the new Mercedes-AMG also receives a high set centre console housing all of the major controls. The centre piece is a touchpad controller similar to that introduced on the new C-class. It is mounted ahead of a stubby gear lever for the GT’s standard seven speed dual clutch auto gearbox and is surrounded by four round buttons – two of which boast a rotary function.
A close study of the controls reveals the GT will receive four different driving modes and race start feature, two stage variable dampers, locking differential and a sports exhaust function. The new rear-wheel-drive Porsche 911 rival will also offer a full suite of connectivity options, including a range of new AMG specific apps.
In a move aimed at answering criticism of the lack of oddment space in the SLS, the new car boasts a cupholder unit in the forward section of the centre console and larger door pockets.
Holding true to the aviation theme featured on the SLS AMG, the new GT also boasts a row of switches within the roof liner separate to those for the lighting. Included are switches for the seat heaters, rear spoiler and warning lights.
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Removing Benz would be like
jonboy4969 wrote: after all
The key to your misunderstanding is that Benz was the first to PATENT the car, but it was invented by De Dion one year earlier. Most likely De Dion was too busy perfecting his invention to realise Benz was busy patenting it.
MB has been good at conveniently forgetting the difference and then spinning a misleading PR line.
Who invented the car?
It is interesting that the company has significantly reduced the profile of Benz in recent years - starting with dropping his name from Daimler-Benz during the DaimlerChrysler merger/takeover, and then reverting to plain old Daimler when they jettisoned Chrysler. And although I agree that "Mercedes-AMG" sounds better than the clunkier "Mercedes-Benz-AMG", it's still interesting that Benz is being diminished. We abbreviate the cars to "Mercedes" over here, but most Germans abbreviate to "Benz" instead.
As he usually does, you
A German sports car interior with the wow factor
@ Roadster
BMW you may have forgotten where the first to use alternative dashboard colour lighting (Red), with the E21 3 series in 1975 which took its cues from the E12 5series of 1972!
This brought the concept of a wrap around dashboard with the red lighting and caused quite a stir....one of the first things punters in the showroom asked to see was the red instrument lighting.
Coming further up to date VW's Golf Mk4 was the first volume car to have a really classy interior with high grade soft touch plastics and Blue/Red lighting, followed by Audi with its red lighting and widely seen as the class act for others to follow in the industry in terms of interior design..
If you view a dashboard as exciting or 'special' when it resembles Las Vegas at night - with stupid logos lighting up and rising gear selectors then I understand a current Jaguar or A-M interior will appeal to you.
But I wouldn't call this style and substance...more circus act.
289 wrote:...rarely have I
I think you have missed the point.