Mercedes-AMG GT teased
It's V8-powered GT but, AMG promises, a red-blooded one at that
Fate has conspired to give the all-dominant Porsche 911 its first real challengers in generations too. As the Porsche inexorably creeps towards being a six-figure purchase it's elevated into the true junior supercar ranks where it's all of a sudden going to face some pretty stiff competition. We all know McLaren is working on a sub-650S model that'll challenge top-end Turbos and GT3s and there's a new Audi R8 on the way too. Nibbling at its heels lower down the model range the Jaguar F-Type and venerable Aston V8 Vantage offer charismatic competition for what was once a default choice in the sub-£100K sports car market.
Inspirations include V8s and NACA ducts - nice
Mercedes hasn't pulled the covers off the exterior yet, though spy shots doing the rounds suggest similar proportions to the SLS with a long bonnet, rear-set cabin and 300SL-inspired rounded tail.
It has shown images of the interior though, including centre console switchgear laid out like the cylinders in a V8 engine. No prizes for guessing what'll be under the bonnet then. Well, what were you expecting? One thing's for sure, Aston Martin will be counting the days for that engine supply dealto kick in and AMG V8s - likely based on this unit - to arrive at Gaydon and bring the Vantage up to date.
Meanwhile boss Tobias Moers has offered further hints about the new car and its positioning. "The new Mercedes-AMG GT shows that we will be positioning AMG more vehemently and aggressively than to date as a dynamic sports car brand," he says, making good on a promise he made us when we met at the Frankfurt show last year. "The technological substance of the Mercedes-AMG GT underscores our high aspirations with regard to driving dynamics, agility and sportiness. Following the global success of the SLS AMG, the new GT is the second sports car developed fully independently by Mercedes-AMG. An initial exclusive look at the design of the interior shows what is in store for our customers: a GT sports car in its purest form."
An engineer at heart it seems Moers has got up to pace with the corporate lingo too but there are playful touches - like the NACA duct inspired centre console - that suggest a sense of fun lives on under his leadership. And given the quality of the cars signed off under his watch has head of AMG development in the last 12 years we'd have to be hopeful that'll carry through into the way it drives too.
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