Mercedes-AMG GT R Pro | Spotted
Half the price of a Black Series but certainly not half the car
It’s easy to get lost in the AMG GT range. There was the two-door one, the four-door one, the record-breaking one, the four-door record breaking one, the convertible, the track-focused one, the track-focused convertible one… and that’s before thinking about the hybrid four-door, and whatever happens to the GT now there’s a new AMG SL in the world.
However confusing it might have been, though, the GT range has been blessed with some incredible sports cars over the years. Means plenty of choice for buyers in future, too, with early two-doors available from less than £60k already. Some were undoubtedly more special than others, however, and while it’s easy to obsess over the Black Series, there was a circuit version with an absurdly fast Nurburgring lap time to its name before - the AMG GT R Pro.
It's very easy to forget about the Pro, sandwiched between the earlier (and very often bright green) GT R that introduced the snazzy traction control and all-wheel steer and the later, very orange, madly powerful Black. But it was a properly special car, one that was treated to very serious upgrades in the pursuit of a lap time. It ditched the GT R’s variable suspension for four-way adjustable manually adjustable coilovers (with a separate manual to show the owner what to do), further stiffened the chassis with a carbon fibre shear panel, rose jointed the entire rear end and added another 100kg of downforce. Perhaps most tellingly, the Pro gained not a single extra horsepower over the 585hp GT R; almost unheard of for an AMG special edition, and proof of how committed it was about making a difference to the drive with the chassis and just crazy straight-line speed.
It definitely made a difference, and not just in a Nurburgring lap time seven seconds faster than the R. The Pro was my favourite car of 2019, a verdict reached in a twin test with a McLaren 600LT. The GT really was that good, damn near as exciting to drive as the Longtail but blessed with a more charming powertrain and a surprisingly liveable demeanour. The term ‘bandwidth’ isn’t a nice one, but it often came to mind with the Pro, perfectly combining the best of both Mercedes and of AMG. I fondly recall being scared silly by it initially, by the width and the dartiness of the four-wheel steer, only to get familiar with it over time and grow ever fonder of the way it drove. Like all the best cars, there’s a lot to learn and a lot to love; don’t forget the very best part of 600hp from the much-loved hot-V V8, too.
Furthermore, despite the Pro being so good and so rare - it’s reckoned that only around 50 cars were allocated for the UK - the emergence of the Black Series as an even more powerful and even faster GT after has meant it hasn’t shot up in value as some may have expected. What was a £190k car new is now available for £150k with fewer than eight thousand miles, as this Brilliant Blue Metallic car shows. Hardly now bargain Benz territory, sure, but somewhat against convention as far as limited-run, track-focused supercars go.
Of course, it still looks awesome as well, front splitter and flics seemingly borrowed straight from the GT3 car and rear end as aggressive as might be expected from a car capable of lapping the Nordschleife in barely seven minutes. The interior Alcantara and leather show precious little wear, with that nine-stage traction control dial still taking pride of place inside. There aren’t many cars that can pull off bucket seats and a Burmester stereo, but the Pro most certainly can. Just don’t get it confused with all the other GTs out there…
SPECFICIATION | MERCEDES-AMG GT R PRO
Engine: 3,982cc V8, turbocharged
Transmission: 7-speed dual-clutch automatic, rear-wheel drive
Power (hp): 585@6,250rpm
Torque (lb ft): 516@1,900-5,500rpm
0-62mph: 3.6sec (claimed)
Top speed: 198mph (claimed)
Weight: 1,575kg (DIN, without driver)
MPG: 22.1
CO2: 284g/km
Year registered: 2019
Recorded mileage: 7,275 (at last service)
Price new: £188,425
Yours for: £149,995
I'd be very happy in the GTS model too, and I've wanted one for years. They are my kind of car.
Best praise I can give them is they are like a German TVR but can also be driven like a normal car.
AMG are incredibly good at doing the playful thing with their cars and right from the base GT through to the Pro and black they are awesome things. Each one being a decent step up from the model below but without making the lower models any less of an event!
The sole thing i miss from my TVR is the noise but the TT V8 in these is an absolute work of art.
Best praise I can give them is they are like a German TVR but can also be driven like a normal car.
AMG are incredibly good at doing the playful thing with their cars and right from the base GT through to the Pro and black they are awesome things. Each one being a decent step up from the model below but without making the lower models any less of an event!
The sole thing i miss from my TVR is the noise but the TT V8 in these is an absolute work of art.
Give me the 'normal' AMG GT R 2016-2018 model with the nicer console, more analoge knobs, although I like the facelift steering more with the round airbag look.
But all in all, my favorite stays at the AMG GT R 2016-2018 model, with bucketseats, contrast color stitching, alcantara and some carbon and I guess I can be a happy driver
Bullet proof reliability, 20k miles, 20 odd track days, stage 2 of the horn is all thats broken
Its so different to its counterpart track brethren, very much like the old TVRs in terms of long nose & rear arch sitting position. Think, very well evolved Griffith with twice the power.
Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff