Of all the words used to describe the new AMG GT, Gordon Wagener, Vice President Design at Mercedes, said it best: This new supercar is an amalgam of good old power and seriously sophisticated technology.
The emotion is sourced from the anticipation brought forth by the GT’s breathtaking and carnal shape, and the promise of speed. The intellect comes from the fact that you could be killed while driving this car as hard as it was meant to be driven.
Another great line comes from one of the Keno Brothers (I can’t tell them apart) where they said the following about performance cars: “They are very primal and involve all of our senses.” I think this too is very appropriate when it comes to the AMG GT S.
Anticipation
These are the thoughts and feelings I had swimming in my mind and heart when I was handed the keys to my Designo Diamond White Metallic AMG GT S Coupe. My toes and finger tips were tingling, my soul was fizzing, and I was expecting this car to rearrange my face (in the nicest possible way). Many things did occur when I drove off with the GT and throughout the week I was with it -- but not all lived up to my anticipation.
I really get the impression that Mercedes tried genuinely hard with this car. I’m not saying that Dodge pooped out their Viper or that Porsche threw their GT3 RS together. If I think back to the SLS and my brief time with it, I was more under the impression that Merc was simply showing off its knowhow, not trying all that hard to make the car as good as it was.
This time around, the GT S is all about expressing thoughts, feelings and desire, and it’s all over the top. Somehow, the SLS AMG spoke for itself, whereas the GT needs a team of spokespeople.
Maybe it’s me.
Not a GT
Regardless; I will share with you one portion of my conclusion, and that is that the AMG GT is less of a GT than the SLS. And by GT I mean grand tourer. If you want a definition of the term, look it up on Wikipedia and you’ll actually see a picture of the SLS. How’s that? Now read how Sam Dawson describes what a GT is.
I’ll get right to the point: the AMG GT S is not a comfortable car. It’s a gorgeous piece of art on wheels, but unless I was barrelling down a freeway, I was being tossed around in my seat as though in a GT3 -- I wasn’t expecting this at all. And yes, it’s possible that the name of the car is its only true fault. At least, that’s what I’d told myself on day one.
All performance and prestige cars evoke emotions. From a simple Cayman to an exotic Lambo Huracan, all provide a feast for all of our senses. The AMG GT is way up there as a main course in the current mega hot-car buffet. It’s styling is sleeker and racier than the SLS, resembling more of a cross between the latter and the legendary SLR. The amount of work and detail in the car’s outer shell is impressive, but pales in comparison to what’s going on inside the GT’s intimate cockpit.
The emotion is sourced from the anticipation brought forth by the GT’s breathtaking and carnal shape, and the promise of speed. The intellect comes from the fact that you could be killed while driving this car as hard as it was meant to be driven.
Another great line comes from one of the Keno Brothers (I can’t tell them apart) where they said the following about performance cars: “They are very primal and involve all of our senses.” I think this too is very appropriate when it comes to the AMG GT S.
Anticipation
These are the thoughts and feelings I had swimming in my mind and heart when I was handed the keys to my Designo Diamond White Metallic AMG GT S Coupe. My toes and finger tips were tingling, my soul was fizzing, and I was expecting this car to rearrange my face (in the nicest possible way). Many things did occur when I drove off with the GT and throughout the week I was with it -- but not all lived up to my anticipation.
I really get the impression that Mercedes tried genuinely hard with this car. I’m not saying that Dodge pooped out their Viper or that Porsche threw their GT3 RS together. If I think back to the SLS and my brief time with it, I was more under the impression that Merc was simply showing off its knowhow, not trying all that hard to make the car as good as it was.
This time around, the GT S is all about expressing thoughts, feelings and desire, and it’s all over the top. Somehow, the SLS AMG spoke for itself, whereas the GT needs a team of spokespeople.
Maybe it’s me.
Not a GT
Regardless; I will share with you one portion of my conclusion, and that is that the AMG GT is less of a GT than the SLS. And by GT I mean grand tourer. If you want a definition of the term, look it up on Wikipedia and you’ll actually see a picture of the SLS. How’s that? Now read how Sam Dawson describes what a GT is.
I’ll get right to the point: the AMG GT S is not a comfortable car. It’s a gorgeous piece of art on wheels, but unless I was barrelling down a freeway, I was being tossed around in my seat as though in a GT3 -- I wasn’t expecting this at all. And yes, it’s possible that the name of the car is its only true fault. At least, that’s what I’d told myself on day one.
All performance and prestige cars evoke emotions. From a simple Cayman to an exotic Lambo Huracan, all provide a feast for all of our senses. The AMG GT is way up there as a main course in the current mega hot-car buffet. It’s styling is sleeker and racier than the SLS, resembling more of a cross between the latter and the legendary SLR. The amount of work and detail in the car’s outer shell is impressive, but pales in comparison to what’s going on inside the GT’s intimate cockpit.
The AMG GT S is a modern supercar and nowhere is this modernity more evident than in its engine design. Powering the car is a twin-turbocharged 4.0L V8 engine producing 503 hp. AMG have generally shied away from turbocharging, due to the associated lag in throttle response. However for the AMG GT S, the turbos have actually been housed between the two cylinder banks, making for a much shorter trip from the turbos to the engine. As a result, turbo lag is nearly eliminated and throttle response is excellent. While mileage has never been the goal of the AMG GT, the use of turbochargers produces significantly better mileage than an equivalently powerful non-turbo engine.
Harnessing all that turbocharged grunt, is a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission, which can function as an automatic or be shifted manually via paddles mounted behind the steering wheel. Power is sent to the rear wheels.
Though looking at the engine alone could convince one otherwise, the AMG GT S is much more than just a muscle car. It rides on double wishbone suspension all around and has electronically adjustable shock absorbers, allowing drivers to choose one of four different settings to adjust the ride quality and handling prowess of the car. With the stiffer suspension settings engaged, the AMG GT S becomes one of the best handling cars on the road, capable of out-cornering all but the most expensive exotics.
The AMG GT S is still a Mercedes-Benz however, and that means that it's a spectacular place to spend time in on a long journey; packed full of new technology and comfortable for long periods of time. The AMG GT S is currently only sold in one comprehensive trim level that includes a long list of goodies. An incomplete list of convenience features includes an 8.4-inch integrated touchscreen display for apps, a rearview camera and the navigation system, Napa leather seating surfaces available in a huge number of colors and designs, power adjustable and heated front seats with a memory system, a surround sound stereo with satellite radio and a dual-zone automatic climate control system.
There are still options however, for those who want the best of the best. These include an upgraded Burmester stereo, a variety of 19" and 20" wheel designs, a blind spot warning system, dynamic engine mounts to help with handling and carbon-ceramic brake discs
