New Mercedes-AMG GT 43 arrives with 421hp
The GT gets a 'purist' rear-drive, two-seat option - but there's a catch
So we’ve been here before. You’ll likely recall that the Mercedes-AMG SL43 arrived in the UK last year, featuring the manufacturer’s famed 2.0-litre turbocharged four-pot. We quite liked it, on the basis that it was rear-drive and the best part of 200kg lighter than the V8. But we did voice concerns that maybe the six-figure price tag and lower 382hp output were not doing the model any favours. Well, in one respect (because we don’t know the price yet) the GT version of the ’43 goes one better: it launches with 421hp.
Big whoop, you might think, but the 39hp (and 15lb ft of torque) uplift ought to mean that some of the longitudinally-mounted M139’s missing feistiness in the SL has returned. In the convertible, the toned-down version couldn’t deliver the expected head-rush in the vicinity of its redline; in the GT, hopefully it will. Certainly, it has resulted in 0.3 seconds being shaved from the 0-62mph time - which is useful for getting the entry-level coupe closer to the 4.5-second mark. Which feels like the minimum standard for a high-end performance car these days.
Otherwise, there is much here that ought to seem familiar. The latest variant of the 2.0-litre unit gets the electrically aided turbocharger (i.e. there’s a dinky little motor integrated on the shaft that accelerates the compressor before the exhaust gases take over) which significantly improves throttle response - and is mated to the nine-speed MCT, which stacks its ratios like rugby balls in a training bag (i.e. very close together). Factor in the short-term 14hp boost you get from the starter generator from a standstill, and there ought to be no hesitation at slow speed. Even without an additional driven axle.
Mercedes-AMG doesn’t make it clear how much weight has been lost by shedding the all-wheel-drive system and rear-axle steer (the latter remains an option, mind) although presumably it’s a similar figure to the SL. Otherwise, the slightly slimmer multi-link chassis is comprised of steel coil springs and passive aluminium dampers as standard, with adaptive AMG Ride Control shocks also on the cost option list. The GT 43 gets thinner anti-roll bars (because less weight) although it seems like it retains AMG’s high-performance composite brake system. So expect cornering and stopping to be up to snuff.
Of course, if you have any concerns about the car’s dynamism, Mercedes-AMG will cheerily sell you a Dynamic Plus package which includes adaptive engine mounts, a snappier electronically controlled rear diff, an underbody aerodynamic element that extends to reduce lift on the front axle and the option of a fixed rear wing. Interestingly, it doesn’t seem like the pack adds larger wheels - but you can have these, too, all the way up to forged 21s if you wish. If not, 19-inch alloys are standard.
Inside the more affordable GT is much like the V8-powered variants - meaning it is dominated by an 11.9-inch portrait format touchscreen - and there is a choice of sporty front seats. There’s also a choice of back seats, as the 43 is a two-seater as standard. We’d be inclined to stick with that format (obviously not wanting to ruin the model’s superior weight distribution) but you can return the entry-level model to 2+2 status if you wish. Quite how much that or the GT 43 itself will cost we must wait to find out, although it’s safe to assume that it will represent a fairly substantial saving over the V8-powered variants. Unfortunately, as Mercedes UK has just reminded us (so consider this a forlorn UPDATE to the above), we won't see the cheaper GT in this country as the firm has opted to make the range-topping '63 the exclusive offering for British customers. Which frankly seems like a missed opportunity given the acute lack of direct rivals to the Porsche 911 Carrera. But there we go: PH expats, enjoy.
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