Mercedes-AMG GT R Arrives At U.S. Dealers This Summer, Priced From $157,000

Arriving in U.S. dealer lots this summer, the GT R for the 2018 model year sits at the very top of the GT Coupe lineup. Slotted below it, the range further consists of the GT C ($145,000; available this fall), GT S ($132,400), and GT ($112,400). The Roadster family, meanwhile, features the GT ($124,000) and the GT C ($157,000), with the latter reflecting the German marque’s suggested retail price for the GT R.

The advertised amount of green dollar bills buys you more than the Nurburgring lap record (7:10.9) for the fastest rear-wheel-drive road-going sports car. Obscenely fast on the ‘Ring it may be, but the top-of-the-range brawler is also ridiculously capable on the public road, and immensely fun to drive hard on a winding mountainy backroad.

Those $157k also buy an active rear-wheel steering system, which further helps the GT R’s proficiency at munching up the twistiest of corners. An extensively modified suspension, active aerodynamics, and a nine-way adjustable traction control system also augment the driving experience, as does the fire-breathing dry-sump twin-turbo’d V8.

The 4.0-liter blunderbuss is a handcrafted engine, packing 577 hp and 516 lb-ft of oomph. The maximum torque is available between 1,900 rpm and 5,500 rpm, which equals get-up-and-go on demand considering what sort of engine speeds a driver uses in real-world scenarios. With a 0 to 60 mph time of 3.5 seconds and a top end that’s just shy of 200 miles per hour, the GT R is also the type of vehicle that can easily get one into trouble. Real fast, real quick.

"Those with petrol in their veins will be thrilled by the radical longitudinal and lateral acceleration, the precise turn-in, and the sensational grip," said Tobias Moers, the CEO of Mercedes-AMG. "We have modified all performance-relevant components and linked them together intelligently for maximum driving dynamics."