Mercedes-AMG GT R: Germany's Bad Boy
CARS.COM — When the new Mercedes-AMG GT arrived, it was hailed as an interesting alternative to the Porsche 911. It costs about the same but goes about its business in a very different way. They both share a two-door coupe format, but that’s really where the similarities end.
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The two couldn’t be more mechanically different: The GT is low, with a long hood that houses a brutal twin-turbo V-8 engine, while the Porsche’s flat-six sits out back over the rear wheels. The AMG GT’s cabin is squashed, with a low roof and steeply raked bunker-style windshield, while the 911’s cabin is upright, airy and easy to see out of. Stab the throttle and the Porsche will wail – whereas the AMG will bellow.
Their mission is to go after the same kind of affluent buyer looking for a personal sports coupe — but while the Porsche is a sports car first and a grand tourer second, the AMG GT has it the other way around. Style and luxurious trimmings come first in the AMG, followed by its ability to beat challengers at stoplight races … except for this version: the 2018 Mercedes-AMG GT R.
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Shop the 2018 Mercedes-Benz AMG GT near you
The GT R is top of the hierarchy of AMG GT models in terms of capability and sporty preparedness. It’s set to take on a racetrack right off the showroom floor. Its 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V-8 makes a punishing 577 horsepower and 516 pounds-feet of torque. It hits the rear wheels through a standard AMG Speedshift seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. Mercedes estimates that it hits 60 mph in just 3.5 seconds and will top out at 198 mph if you can find a stretch long enough to get up to that speed.
But it’s also chock full of racing bits. There’s a new front bumper cover with active aerodynamic flaps, a large spoiler out back and a new grille to set it apart visually. Mechanically, there’s active rear-wheel steering, an adjustable suspension and a unique nine-position adjustable traction control system that allows for varying levels of electronic nannying when the car is placed in track mode. There are lightweight forged wheels at all corners wearing Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires, which are basically street-legal racing rubber.
The result is a beast that powers down the track and charges through corners with strength and purpose. Check out the photo gallery above to see what the Mercedes-AMG GT R looks like in action at Roebling Road Raceway outside Savannah, Ga., where we recently acquainted ourselves with its fire and fury.
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