Mercedes-AMG GT3 testing?

The racing version has only just been revealed, but could this be the road car equivalent?

Often the game of 'name the test prototype' isn't too difficult. The car is known to be imminent, an educated guess can be made or the manufacturer just hasn't been too thorough with the disguise. This one's a little different though.

Now this looks promising...

Obviously it's a Mercedes-AMG GT, which is a good start. Now the logical assumption would be that a faster AMG product must be a Black Series. That's how the hierarchy works. But Black Series variants always arrive towards the end of an AMG production cycle - see SLS, C63 and CLK. Given the AMG GT hasn't reached customers yet that seems unlikely. And you call those Black Series arches? Pah.

So what is it? A roadgoing version of the GT3 race car has been hinted at (obviously Porsche will ensure it isn't called GT3) which this car could be. The motorsport GT3 will compete from this time next year so perhaps a road car launch could be tied into that. A lighter, faster, harder AMG GT would really be something special. Where that would leave a potential Black Series in the GT line-up we'll have to wait and see.

Who wants to guess a lap time?

Anyway, that's to be confirmed. What of the car here? Look at the front splitter for a start! The wheels also look remarkably similar to those on the SLS Black Series and the rear wing seems larger than standard too. Or that could be a trick of the disguise. Either way, it's a damn fine looking car, one that promises an awful lot whatever it turns out to be.

If indeed this is a GT3 road car and the launch will be linked to the race series (feel free to contribute your own theories here), then a motor show debut just prior to the season would surely make sense. Geneva 2016 maybe?