Mercedes-AMG GT

Mercedes-AMG GT
Overview
Manufacturer	Daimler AG
Production	2014–present
Model years	2015–present
Assembly	Sindelfingen, Germany
Designer	Robert Lesnik, Gabriel Nemeth, Huey Lee, Mark Fetherston (exterior)[1] Jan Kaul (interior)[2]
Body and chassis
Class	Sports car (S)
Body style	2-door fastback coupé 2-door roadster
Layout	FMR layout
Related	Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG
Powertrain
Engine	4.0 L M178 (Mercedes-AMG) twin-turbo V8 petrol
Transmission	7-speed AMG SPEEDSHIFT DCT dual-clutch
Dimensions
Wheelbase	2,630 mm (103.5 in)[3]
Length	4,546 mm (179.0 in)[3]
Width	1,939 mm (76.3 in)[3]
Height	1,288 mm (50.7 in)[3]
Kerb weight	1,615–1,645 kg (3,560–3,627 lb)

The Mercedes-AMG GT (C190 / R190) is a 2-door, 2-seater fastback coupé and roadster produced by Mercedes-AMG. The sports car was presented on 9 September 2014 (2014-09-09) and was officially unveiled to the public in October 2014 at the Paris Motor Show.^[4] After the SLS AMG, it is the second sports car developed entirely in-house by Mercedes-AMG. The car is produced in two performance variations, with the GT S (C120) having a slightly higher performance. Both models went on sale in March 2015, with a GT3 racing variant of the car expected to be released in 2016. All variants are assembled at the Mercedes-Benz plant in Sindelfingen, Germany.

History

Mercedes-AMG GT S

The interior of the Mercedes-AMG GT was previewed on 16 April 2014.^[5] The car made its debut on 9 September 2014 and was officially unveiled to the public in October 2014 at the Paris Motor Show with two performance options: the GT, with 340 kW (462 PS; 456 bhp), and the GT S with 375 kW (510 PS; 503 bhp).^[4] The GT has 600 N·m (443 lb·ft) of torque, and the GT S has 650 N·m (479 lb·ft) of torque.^[4]

Mercedes-AMG GT S Formula 1 safety car

The GT S is Formula 1's current safety car, having made its debut in that role at the 2015 Australian Grand Prix.^[6][7]

Shortly after its release, Mercedes-AMG CEO Tobias Moers promised a Black Series variant of the Mercedes-AMG GT.^[8] Mercedes-Benz has confirmed that the new Mercedes-AMG GT S will cost starting at $129,900.^[9]

Features

The GT's exterior design was kept similar to that of the preceding SLS AMG. It features the wide wheelarches and lower bodywork of the SLS AMG with a fastback-like sloping roofline, but does not employ its gullwing doors, but it looks like a fastback with forward-opening doors. The large hood and slim windscreen have also stayed the same. The exterior lead designer was Mark Fetherston, whose previous works include the W176 A-Class, the CLA-Class and the SLS.^[1] The interior, designed by Jan Kaul, features a large center console and decorative elements in a leather and carbon polymer design.^[2] The trunk offers room for a medium-sized suitcase.

The vehicle structure is made up of 93% aluminum, with the front module base made up of magnesium.

Specifications

M178 V8 in a GT. The turbochargers are visible in the centre, beneath a metallic heat shield

The GT uses a front mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout, with the engine inside the vehicle's wheelbase. The spaceframe chassis and body are made out of aluminium alloys, while the boot lid is steel and the engine bonnet magnesium.^[4] The suspensions are double wishbones front and rear, with forged aluminium wishbones and hub carriers.

The car is powered by a front-mid mounted M178 4-litre twin-turbo V8. This new V8 is in "hot inside V" configuration—with exhaust and turbochargers inside the cylinder banks to reduce turbo lag—and uses dry-sump lubrication. Power is sent to the rear wheels through a transaxle 7-speed AMG SPEEDSHIFT dual-clutch transmission; the GT S model employs an electronically controlled mechanical limited-slip differential.^[10] In a road test executed by Car and Driver, the GT S accelerated from 0–60 mph in 3.8 seconds and ran the quarter mile in 11.2 seconds.^[11]

Variants

Mercedes-AMG GT R (2017– )

Mercedes-AMG GT R at the 2016 Goodwood Festival of Speed

A new, high-performance variant of the GT was revealed at the Goodwood Festival of Speed on 24 June 2016. It features the same 4.0 L twin-turbocharged V8 engine (M178) used in the GT and GT S, but with power increased to 585 PS (430 kW; 577 bhp) and torque increased to 700 N·m (520 lb·ft). The GT R accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 3.6 seconds and has a claimed top speed of 198 mph (319 km/h).^[12]

The GT R has several cosmetic changes compared with the standard car, notably the vertical slats in the front grille, a fixed rear wing, new front air intakes and new front and rear diffusers. The styling of the GT R is more comparable to that of the AMG GT3 race car. The GT R will go on sale in November 2016, with deliveries expected in 2017.^[13]

It completed a lap of the Nürburgring Nordschleife track in 7:10.92, in a test conducted by German magazine Sport Auto.^[14]

Mercedes-AMG GT Roadster and GT C Roadster (2016– )

Mercedes-AMG GT C Roadster

The GT Roadster is the roadster version of the regular GT, while the GT C is derived from the GT S. The two cars made their debut at the 2016 Paris Motor Show.

Motorsport

Mercedes-AMG GT3 at the 2016 Brands Hatch

Mercedes-AMG GT3 at the 2017 Suzuka

2017 Riley Motorsports Mercedes-AMG GT3 that races in GT Daytona in the IMSA SportsCar Championship

In March 2015, Mercedes-AMG presented the AMG GT3, a race version of the GT, at the Geneva Motor Show, which employs the M159 6,208 cc V8 naturally aspirated engine also used in the SLS AMG GT3. It consists largely of carbon-fiber-reinforced polymer to decrease the vehicle's weight to under 1,300 kg (2,900 lb) to comply with FIA regulations for races.^[16] In 2016, AKKA ASP, Black Falcon, HTP Motorsport and Zakspeed compete in the Blancpain Endurance Series. Zakspeed also competes in the ADAC GT Masters. Also, they claimed a 1-2-3-4 and 6 at the 24 Hours Nürburgring.

In the 2016 Super GT GT300 class, Goodsmile Racing with Team UKYO, the number 11 GAINER team, LEON Racing, and Rn-sports will compete with AMG GT3s.

New Zealand born driver Craig Baird gave the new AMG GT3 its first race win anywhere when he took out race 1 of round 2 of the 2016 Australian GT Championship at the Melbourne Grand Prix Circuit on 17 March 2016.^[17] The round was held as a support race to the 2016 Australian Grand Prix.

Riley Technologies will enter two customer AMG GT3s in the 2017 IMSA SportsCar Championship GTD class. One of the teams cars finished 3rd in class and 20th outright at the 2017 24 Hours of Daytona before going on to win the GTD class and finish 16th outright in the 2017 12 Hours of Sebring.

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Mercedes-AMG C190.

• Official website