Photo: S. Baldauf/SB-Medien
Contrary to popular belief, an extreme version of the Mercedes-AMG GT has been in development ever since the standard model was revealed in 2013.
What you see in the adjacent photo gallery is the upcoming track-ready version of the GT during cold-weather testing in Northern Sweden. No, it won't sport the “Black Series” moniker, since that name is reserved for an even more insane version of the Mercedes-AMG GT.
This hasn't been officially confirmed as of yet, but this GT3-like AMG is likely to be called the Mercedes-AMG GT-R when it finally goes on sale in the second part of 2016.
Despite the heavy camouflage, the host of extra aerodynamic bits and design changes compared to the standard model are pretty obvious.
In the front, the most eye-catching feature will probably be the entirely different grille. It has an upside-down design and mimics the one from the Mercedes-AMG GT3, which also harks back to the one found on the 1952 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL (W194) racing car. Two large air intakes accompany it on each side, along with two motorsport-derived air splitters.
Each wheel-arch has been beefed up to accommodate wider wheels while new side skirts complete the side picture.
At the rear, things become a bit more complicated, as there is a new fixed rear wing in there along with a massive air diffuser. A large exhaust sits in the middle of the diffuser and replaces the four tips found on the standard GT. This design move was probably introduced as a nod to the Mercedes-AMG F1 car, which also has a single exhaust exit.
Engine-wise, the 2017 Mercedes-AMG GT-R is expected to feature a modified version of the twin-turbocharged, 4.0-liter V8 (M178) found in the standard model, massaged to deliver north of 550 hp and 750 Nm (553 lb-ft).
Don't hope for figures much higher than those for three reasons. First of all, the dual-clutch transmission in the GT can't quite handle gobs of torque without some extra reinforcement. Second of all, most of the GT-R's performance will come from a lower weight and better aerodynamics. Last but not least, a Mercedes-AMG GT Black Series is also in the pipeline, likely to arrive in a couple of years.
This hasn't been officially confirmed as of yet, but this GT3-like AMG is likely to be called the Mercedes-AMG GT-R when it finally goes on sale in the second part of 2016.
Despite the heavy camouflage, the host of extra aerodynamic bits and design changes compared to the standard model are pretty obvious.
In the front, the most eye-catching feature will probably be the entirely different grille. It has an upside-down design and mimics the one from the Mercedes-AMG GT3, which also harks back to the one found on the 1952 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL (W194) racing car. Two large air intakes accompany it on each side, along with two motorsport-derived air splitters.
Each wheel-arch has been beefed up to accommodate wider wheels while new side skirts complete the side picture.
At the rear, things become a bit more complicated, as there is a new fixed rear wing in there along with a massive air diffuser. A large exhaust sits in the middle of the diffuser and replaces the four tips found on the standard GT. This design move was probably introduced as a nod to the Mercedes-AMG F1 car, which also has a single exhaust exit.
Engine-wise, the 2017 Mercedes-AMG GT-R is expected to feature a modified version of the twin-turbocharged, 4.0-liter V8 (M178) found in the standard model, massaged to deliver north of 550 hp and 750 Nm (553 lb-ft).
Don't hope for figures much higher than those for three reasons. First of all, the dual-clutch transmission in the GT can't quite handle gobs of torque without some extra reinforcement. Second of all, most of the GT-R's performance will come from a lower weight and better aerodynamics. Last but not least, a Mercedes-AMG GT Black Series is also in the pipeline, likely to arrive in a couple of years.
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