Friday 20th February 2015

Mercedes AMG GT3 teased ... again

Follow-up to thundering SLS GT3 for Geneva; Mercedes releases further teaser pic

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We love a good GT3 car don't we. We may scoff at the yoof putting towing eyes, Sparco seatbelt sleeves and homebrew GRP 'aero' on their Saxos but is it really any different from supercar manufacturers offering us GT3-inspired road cars with big wings, engorged bodywork and implication of a direct bloodline to competition cars? Of course not. It's just a question of money.

Anyway, the GT3 version of the AMG GT due at Geneva is not - yet - a road car. But if you're not looking at this most recent teaser pic and transposing the stance, vents and wings onto the road car and contemplating a roadgoing Black Series or similar someone needs to check for a pulse.

Race-only '52 Gullwing referenced in grille?

Such a car may well follow of course but Mercedes is doing it the right way round - get the GT out on track and, hopefully, following in the successful wheel tracks of its thundering SLS predecessor. Ta-da, you've got credibility on which a road car version can trade. They're not saying much about the racer yet though, this picture accompanied by the following caption:

"The sports car and performance brand of Mercedes-Benz is presenting a new customer sport racing car that complies with FIA GT3 race regulations in the form of the new Mercedes-AMG GT3. The superb racetrack performance of the road-going GT forms the ideal basis on which to model the new Mercedes-AMG GT3, which is due to make its debut appearance at the Geneva Motor Show."

Certainly looks the biz, AMG's intent for the GT clear from the start when you look under the skin of the road car and see the industrial strength GT3-spec suspension components and hardpoints carried over from the SLS. The '52 Le Mans/Carrera Panamericana 300SL inspired grille slats is a nice touch too.

We're out with AMG on a launch event next week so will attempt to get more out of them ahead of the show. But for now feast your eyes and look forward to an enlivened GT field in coming years featuring this, the recently announced GT3 versions of the BMW M6, Lexus RC F, Lamborghini Huracan and, hopefully, a GT3 F-Type too.

300SL photo: Mercedes-Benz Archive

[Busso GTA]

Yum!

[unsprung]

Of course it's likely to be a marvel of materials and technology, but how do we feel about that front design?

The current trend for anthropomorphic "faces" on cars is growing a bit old. Sure, there have always been a couple of cars like this. But now there are many. And the execution is often too overt, too self conscious.

[Amirhussain]

Front end looks menacing.

[bobberz]

Looks positively evil!

Glad I'm not the only one who noticed the resemblance to the old 300SL race cars in the grille. It struck me right away. It's a nice touch without being overtly retro.