Photo: Mercedes-AMG
Customer racing programs equal big business in this day and age. Ferrari, for example, put the basis to its Challenge series way back in 1992. After the Italians presented the 488 Challenge this past weekend at Daytona, Mercedes-AMG followed suit by unveiling sketches of its upcoming customer racing car: the GT4.
For the ever-growing GT4 category, Affalterbach’s very best are currently developing a full-blooded machine based on the road-going 2017 Mercedes-AMG GT R. The “Beast of the Green Hell” made its debut earlier this year, receiving praise from F1 driver Lewis Hamilton in a horrendous promo vid.
Following in the footsteps of the Mercedes-AMG GT3 that won the 2016 Blancpain GT Series and the Endurance Cup, the all-new Mercedes-AMG GT4 will be ready to race in 2017. Merc is not yet willing to tell the specifications of the upcoming brawler, yet GT4 regulations require manufacturers to retain pretty much the same engine as the production vehicle on which the racecar it’s based. In other words, brace yourselves for a 4.0-liter V8 blunderbuss.
The GT R-like M178-based twin-turbo mill is good for 585 PS (577 hp) and 700 Nm (516 lb-ft) of torque between 1,900 and 5,500 rpm. However, don’t forget that GT4 regulations require for all the air feeding the ending to pass through a homologated air restrictor. Be that as it may, the little brother of the GT3 that won this year’s 24 Hours of Nurburgring definitely looks fast.
Tobias Moers, chairman of the management board over at Mercedes-AMG, is chuffed to bits about the GT4-spec newcomer: “The excellent feedback of our Customer Sports teams concerning the AMG GT3 and the increasing interest for GT4 race cars strengthened us in our decision. We are delighted to address an even larger target group of amateur and professional drivers and teams in the future with it,” he said about the new kid on the GT4 block.
Following in the footsteps of the Mercedes-AMG GT3 that won the 2016 Blancpain GT Series and the Endurance Cup, the all-new Mercedes-AMG GT4 will be ready to race in 2017. Merc is not yet willing to tell the specifications of the upcoming brawler, yet GT4 regulations require manufacturers to retain pretty much the same engine as the production vehicle on which the racecar it’s based. In other words, brace yourselves for a 4.0-liter V8 blunderbuss.
The GT R-like M178-based twin-turbo mill is good for 585 PS (577 hp) and 700 Nm (516 lb-ft) of torque between 1,900 and 5,500 rpm. However, don’t forget that GT4 regulations require for all the air feeding the ending to pass through a homologated air restrictor. Be that as it may, the little brother of the GT3 that won this year’s 24 Hours of Nurburgring definitely looks fast.
Tobias Moers, chairman of the management board over at Mercedes-AMG, is chuffed to bits about the GT4-spec newcomer: “The excellent feedback of our Customer Sports teams concerning the AMG GT3 and the increasing interest for GT4 race cars strengthened us in our decision. We are delighted to address an even larger target group of amateur and professional drivers and teams in the future with it,” he said about the new kid on the GT4 block.
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