Mercedes-AMG GT R teased on video ahead of Goodwood

Mercedes-AMG will launch a hardcore variant of its GT sports car at this year's Festival of Speed; its V8 will produce around 570bhp
17 June 2016

The hotly anticipated Mercedes-AMG GT R has been officially teased with a new video following a leak of images onto the internet ahead of its world debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed this June.

The AMG GT R has now been revealed. Read about it here.

Four dimly-lit photos reveal little more than that the new model will evolve the already muscular exterior of the regular GT, but do at least suggest that an earlier Autocar rendering (the fifth picture in our gallery) was quite accurate.

The track-inspired version of the range-topping GT has been spotted on several occasions development testing in the cold climates of the Arctic Circle, as shown by the other images in our gallery.

When it eventually goes on sale, the new two-seater is expected to be a key rival to Mercedes' Stuttgart neighbour Porsche and its highly rated 911 GT3 RS. It'll be built on the same assembly line as the GT and GT S at Mercedes-Benz’s Sindelfingen factory in Germany.

The GT R is the third in a planned five-model line-up and is the most aggressive incarnation of the GT yet. Together with an upgraded engine delivering around 570bhp, it receives heavily reworked underpinnings developed as part of a homologation package for the GT3 race car unveiled at last year’s Geneva motor show.

 

Although AMG remains tight-lipped about production plans for the GT R, information supplied to dealers by Mercedes-Benz suggests volumes will be limited in a move that will push the price of the GT R well above the £110,500 of the GT S.

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Reflecting its track focus, the GT R receives a number of functional aerodynamic upgrades aimed at improving airflow to and from the engine bay, as well as increasing the downforce acting on the front and rear axles for improved stability and cornering speeds.

The GT R has a new front bumper that features a prominent splitter element, along with an enlarged central air duct and altered secondary ducts on each side.

These are joined by a modified duct within the trailing edge of the long front wings, wider rear wings and a boot-mounted carbonfibre rear wing. In addition, there is a new rear bumper that houses a horizontal air duct to extract hot air from the rear differential, a large hexagonal-shaped central exhaust and a reworked dual-channel diffuser.

However, the most distinctive stylistic change is the adoption of what Mercedes-AMG officials describe as a new Panamericana grille originally unveiled on the track-only GT3 race car late last year.

Inspired by the grille treatment of Mercedes-Benz’s 1952 SL Panamericana race car, it features an altered shape along with 15 vertical slats among the familiar three-pointed star emblem. The effect is to give the GT R a more instantly aggressive presence than the standard GT.

According to a leading member of the Mercedes-Benz design team, the new grille is set to become a signature element of future AMG models, replacing the blade-style treatment of today’s models.

As part of efforts to reduce the kerb weight of the GT R below the 1570kg of the GT S, its bonnet, wings and bootlid are made from carbonfibre. Although the GT R has yet to undergo certification at the hands of the German Transport Authority, AMG insiders hint that weight has dropped by up to 60kg, suggesting it will hit the scales at around 1520kg in production trim.

By comparison, the smaller but less powerful 911 GT3 RS has a kerb weight of 1420kg.

The weight-saving touches continue inside, with the GT R sporting a lightly reworked version of the standard GT S’s dashboard and manually operated seats, among other changes.

Mercedes-AMG’s latest model is powered by a more heavily tuned version of the GT and GT S’s twin-turbocharged 4.0-litre V8 petrol engine. New performance-enhancing features include a revised inlet manifold, extra boost pressure and a more free-flowing titanium exhaust system.

Details remains scarce ahead of the new model’s unveiling this summer, but sources close to Mercedes-Benz’s performance car division say the M178- designated V8 will pack in the region of 425kW. This equates to 570bhp, which would give the new GT R at least 60bhp more than the GT S.

AMG’s powertrain engineers, headed by Christian Enderle, have also raised the torque loading of the 90deg V8. Again, nothing is official, but Autocar has been told the new track-focused model is to receive up to 552lb ft, or some 70lb ft more than the less highly tuned version of the engine used in the GT S.

To put this into perspective, the naturally aspirated 4.0-litre flat six engine used by the latest 911 GT3 RS kicks out 493bhp and 384lb ft. The added reserves of the GT R are channelled through a strengthened version of AMG’s seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transaxle gearbox. It features revised ratios and a recalibrated electronically operated rear differential.

Although development has focused more on providing the GT R with added circuit prowess than outright speed, the new model is expected to undercut the straight-line performance of the GT S, which has an official 0-62mph time of 3.8sec and a 193mph top speed.

The underpinnings have also been suitably upgraded, with adjustable springs and dampers, revised bushings up front and a rear axle that is bolted directly to the body structure. The wheels have a diameter of 19in up front, with 275/35 tyres, and 20in at the rear, with 325/30 tyres.

The introduction of the GT R later this year will not be the final flourish for AMG’s high-performance coupé. Plans also call for the launch of an even more powerful GT Black Series next year, as well as a GT Roadster in 2018.

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Comments
16

289

24 October 2014
.....I am not usually a fan of coupe's, but this looks fantastic.
I would choose this over a 911 GT3 any day.

xSullx

24 October 2014
Quote from the article:
"A 550bhp GT weighing 80kg would provide a power to weight ratio of 369bhp per tonne"
If the GT would really weigh 80kg and have 500bhp. Then the power to weight ration would be 6875bhp per tonne.

madmac

24 October 2014
Wow! it will be almost as fast as an E63AMG'S' 4Matic wagon but a TTRS APR stage II will blow it away! Why? no 4Matic of course.OK its a "track" car fair enough but wouldn't get up a snowy driveway.Nice though.
Interesting [and commendable]Ftype is coming with 4WD,great news for us here in Canada.

Peter Cavellini

24 October 2014
Dodge Viper anyone.....?no?,from side view it is like the Viper,still, it gets good reviews a good move for Mercedes.

Peter Cavellini

20 February 2015
Anyone had old posts applied to new stories?,this is a great looking car by the way!

J13Dog

24 October 2014
I hope the stacked tail pipes make it but I guess this a rendering.
I hope that they continue with the SLS exterior mirrors in the new aerodynamic dept they are so cool. /I love this car and wasn't sure initially but its a grower.

M Hooper

25 October 2014
Wow, this car looks amazing... or at least this rendition. If the 2016 production model looked anything like this, then I think a lot of people would buy the GT over the 911 GT3. The figures sound perfect, 550bhp, 1500kg and around 370bhp per tonne along with revised suspension, aero tweaks and a nice wide bodykit. I do hope they keep the 'Black Series' name though, it seems a bit odd dropping it after using it for a decade. As for pricing, given that the GTS costs around £110,000, I'd say it's potentially worth £140,000+. Although this then puts the GT out of the 911 GT3 price range by a premium of £40,000+. Which can be expected given that the SLS Black Series cost £230,000, which is a £60,000 premium over the standard SLS AMG variant. On the whole, I think it's great car, for 2016 I reckon this will be one of the most exciting new cars... along with the BMW M2 of course!

janeleonard

31 October 2014
Mercedes has began a new venture these days and it is said to enhance its technological and innovative aspects with the recent car productions. This has more likeliness for its car series to elevate in its sales.
seasoncars.com/fleet/mercedes-car-hire

Symanski

12 February 2015
It does make you wonder how long F1 has to go. Billions spent every year, and yet the racing is as dull as... Whereas GT cars have a fraction of the budget, and right now producing much much more interesting racing. Plus the cars look like, well, CARS!

Marv

20 February 2015
....but I like the use of the veritcal grille strakes just like the Silver Arrows race cars of 1950's.

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