Mercedes reveals sports car to rival Porsche 911 In the half-century since Porsche launched the 911, Mercedes has never brought out a sports car that matched the 911 head-on. That changed today with this: the Mercedes-AMG GT — a two-seat, rear-wheel-drive, 463-hp tourer that takes dead aim at the 911 and others. Thomas Weber, the head of Mercedes-Benz research and development said the company is venturing out into a challenging sports car segment with its top-class competitive field. After the SLS, the AMG GT is only the second car designed completely by AMG, once a separate firm but now a wholly owned unit. With a unique 4-liter V-8 twin-turbo engine, the AMG GT boasts 456 hp and 443 lb-ft of torque. Engineers positioned the turbochargers and exhaust manifolds inside the cylinder banks rather than outside, a “hot inner V” layout that makes the engine more efficient and compact. Mercedes-AMG has also eliminated the need for an oil pan, by using a dry sump system, allowing the engine and center of gravity to move closer to the road. Early tests put 0-60 mph times at 3.9 seconds, with a top speed of 189 miles per hour. The AMG GT S edition will sport 503 hp and 479 lb-ft of torque, with a top speed of 193 mph and a 0-60 mph time around 3.7 seconds. The base Porsche 911 takes 4 seconds to make the same run. The new AMG GT has the iconic proportions of a traditional rear-wheel drive car—a long hood paired with a short, wide tail, with the seven-speed dual-clutch transmission located in the rear for a 47/53 weight balance. Bulges on the hood give a subtle hint to the power underneath while two side air intakes give a historical nod to Mercedes sports car of yore. Based on the aluminium chassis of the SLS, the continuous glassed-in cockpit on the AMG GT gives the interior a spaciousness and comfort usually reserved for larger sedans and, despite its size, lines running along the sides give it an agile and light look. For now, however, interested buyers will have to wait to own a piece of both Mercedes past and its future. The GT S won’t be released until the spring of 2015 and the GT won’t be available until 2016. Pricing for AMG GT and GT S versions has yet to be announced — but Porsche, and the rest of the Germans, will be paying close attention.
Posted on: Wed, 10 Sep 2014 10:56:11 +0000
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