When Mercedes-AMG came up with the GT, it quickly became obvious that Affalterbach would target the same kind of lineup diversity delivered by the Porsche 911. However, now that both the GT and the 991 generation of the Neunelfer have received their mid-cycle revamps, it has become obvious that the two make for unbalanced competitors.
Let's take the GT R and the GT3, for instance. These two won't strike you as direct rivals and there are plenty of reasons for that.
For one thing, the GT3 has remained one of the very few naturally aspirated supercars you can currently find in a showroom, while the GT R is a twin-turbo animal.
The Merc is heavier, but offsets its scale drawback by throwing in more muscle and we're particularly referring to the serious torque advantage it packs when compared to the Porscha.
Then there's the pricing - the Mercedes-AMG is more expensive than the Porsche and yet the hefty starting price difference between the two is partially offset by the richer standard equipment of the V8 bearer.
Interestingly, the detail that traditionally separates the Neunelfer from its competitors, namely the 2+2 layout of the Porsche, isn't present here, since the GT Division badge brings a rear seat delete.
However, as you'll notice after checking out the track battle we've brought along for today, the two make for an awesome pair when you're in for such a brawl.
The pair of supercars were brought together on the Ferté-Gaucher track in France, with the adventure being held by the crew over at L'argus.
Unlike the usual stunts of the sort, the one we have here shows the cars in separate clips. Nevertheless, the on-board take allows us to check out the interaction between the driver and the machine, which means that paying attention to the little details will reveal the character of each beast.
And while these videos don't deliver lap times, the Nurburgring times of these two monsters are close enough to make for an photo finish on a short track like the one we have here - the GT R is a 7:10 car, while the GT3 needs 7:12.7 to get round the Green Hell.
In his quest to bring you the most impressive automotive creations, Andrei relies on learning as a superpower. There's quite a bit of room in the garage that is this aficionado's heart, so factory-condition classics and widebody contraptions with turbos poking through the hood can peacefully coexist. Full profile
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