autoevolution
 

Mercedes-AMG GT Black Series Inspection Reveals Some Peculiar Design Choices

Mercedes is one of those few car brands that absolutely everyone associates with luxury and high status. But things aren't always what they're cracked up to be, and even major players in the automotive market aren't perfect, as evidenced by this Mercedes AMG GT Black Series undergoing a routine check-up.
Mercedes AMG GT Black Series 12 photos
Photo: YouTube / Shmee150
Mercedes AMG GT Black SeriesMercedes AMG GT Black SeriesMercedes AMG GT Black SeriesMercedes AMG GT Black SeriesMercedes AMG GT Black SeriesMercedes AMG GT Black SeriesMercedes AMG GT Black SeriesMercedes AMG GT Black SeriesMercedes AMG GT Black SeriesMercedes AMG GT Black SeriesMercedes AMG GT Black Series
Remember, this is not to criticize anything but rather to poke fun at some rather peculiar choices made in the design of this car. First, the inspection in question took place after about 20,000 miles, with the vehicle having seen some track use, so some wear and tear are absolutely normal, and we're not going to look into that.

What we're going to look at instead is far more interesting, especially considering the astronomical price tag of this car. And it all starts with the engine, the monstrous 730 hp (740 ps) beating heart of this incredible machine. What's mind-boggling here is that Mercedes's factory blow-off valves have plastic actuators, which could warp and get stuck slightly open.

Now, this is important for two main reasons, and there's a bit of an explanation for that, so bear with me. When driving aggressively as this car would on a track, at wide open throttle, there's a high flow of air going into the engine. That, in turn, means a lot of exhaust gasses that generate high air pressure within the turbo.

The problem occurs when lifting off the throttle, as you would before a braking zone on a track. There's no longer a high airflow as the throttle plate is closed. That, in turn, causes the pressure in the turbo piping to rise even higher, potentially damaging the engine or the intercooler. If the pressure is high enough, it could even overpower the compressor wheel blades of the turbine and leak back out of the intake.

Mercedes AMG GT Black Series
Photo: YouTube / Shmee150
This can cause premature wear in the turbo, which is why high-performance sports cars and even some tuners feature blow-off valves. But if, in this case, the actuators get stuck due to warping, they would no longer dump excess air but constantly leak air even when high pressure is desired for increased power.

Some other issues we get to see are related to the breaks, and again, it's nothing major or obnoxious, but it's just weird to see, as it seems like a rookie oversight. First, the brakes on both wheels in the back of the car have one piston calipers, which despite getting the job done just fine, don't take advantage of the entire width of the disk.

It's worth noting that the car has enough stopping power despite this design choice, but it just seems odd, as it can cause premature wear on those expensive carbon brakes. Speaking of wear, the sensor is only placed on the left side. While this would not be an issue on a road car, it could potentially become one with heavy track use, as driving a car hard can cause electronic safety features to interfere. When that happens, brakes can wear unevenly, and if the sensor is only placed on one side, it can't detect it.

According to the service center worker, the final quirk concerns the floor, which can cause sensor issues in early production models. And while I was shocked to learn about these oversights, it's mostly due to the exclusivity of the AMG GT Black Series. I've had the chance to experience some recent Mercedes products, including a 2022 GLE 53 AMG and a 2019 CLS 400d Edition One, and they had their issues too, which dialed down the surprise a bit.

Mercedes AMG GT Black Series
Photo: YouTube / Shmee150
Granted, I cannot say much about the GLE, as the car is mostly what one would expect. That being said, there are a couple of weird oversights here, too, like the footrest, which vibrates while driving, giving the driver a free foot massage. Then there's the fact that Apple CarPlay was neither wireless nor full-screen, and a slight rattle came from the back of the car, at least in the one I've driven.

But it was the CLS, in particular, that surprised me with some peculiar technical oversights, like soft springs and short travel shock absorbers, that made the car handle like a boat and be as rough to ride in as a sportscar. Another quirk was that it had carbon-ceramic brakes, which have no business being on a luxury Grand Coupe, as they don't behave amazingly in regular driving.

But by far, the weirdest part of the experience was the turbo setup. The car either took ages to deliver the power or would take a short time to stop doing so once you let go of the accelerator pedal. There were some other weird bits and bobs, like an assist system that felt too intrusive, but that's something we'll have to get accustomed to in modern cars. Keep in mind, these things come from personal experience and might not happen in different models or even other cars of the same model.

Still, those cars were nowhere near the league of the AMG GT Black Series, both in terms of price and expected performance. While they're expensive in their own right, they pale compared to the car in the video. So, seeing some questionable choices was not as much of a shocker in those cars, especially considering no modern automaker is perfect. But learning about similar peculiarities in a vehicle that's supposed to be the peak of Mercedes engineering is amusing.

If you liked the article, please follow us:  Google News icon Google News Youtube Instagram X (Twitter)
About the author: Bogdan Bebeselea
Bogdan Bebeselea profile photo

As a kid, Bogdan grew up handing his dad the tools needed to work on his old Citroen and asking one too many questions about everything happening inside the engine bay. Naturally, this upbringing led Bogdan to become an engineer, but thanks to Top Gear, The Fast and the Furious series, and racing video games, a passion for automotive entertainment was ignited.
Full profile

 

Would you like AUTOEVOLUTION to send you notifications?

You will only receive our top stories