Photo: RENNtech
Mercedes-AMG’s decision to drop the SLS seemed odd at first, as the new AMG GT didn’t seem to have the same presence as the previous model, and it’s not just about the gullwing doors.
The car is smaller, it doesn’t have the same low, planted aspect and even though its hood is long, it’s not nearly as long as the one on the old SLS. But a little over a year later, we’re perfectly fine with the way things stand. Nobody’s really missing the SLS now, and the GT has managed to win us over.
And what’s not to like? The car is more compact, but it also handles a lot better than the SLS, and the power it derives from that wonderful 4.0-liter bi-turbo V8 engine is sublime: 510 hp is more than you’ll ever need for a car this size.
Or so you’d think. Up until now, most tuners have stuck to modifying the car’s software, a simple operation that boosted the AMG GT S’ power to over 600 hp, which was enough to please more. Now, though, the more elaborate tests have concluded, and tuners are ready to give Mercedes-AMG GT S owners more options to choose from.
One such company is RENNtech, an old tuner specializing in Mercedes-Benz and -AMG products that’s got a very respectable reputation. Its latest creation is called the Stage I Turbo Upgrade for the AMG GT S that works best together with a new coil-over Suspension system RENNtech also happens to offer. For a price.
The upgrade package will swap the standard turbochargers for new ones with lightweight billet compressor wheels and larger impellers. The compressor housings are precision CNC machined and flow tested to compensate for the increased impeller size. In conjunction with the R1 Performance Package (stainless steel downpipes with catalytic converters and high-flow air filters), the RENNtech Stage I Turbo brings the AMG GT S’ total power to 716 hp and 658 lb-ft (890 Nm).
With extra power comes added responsibility, so RENNtech is also offering to modify the car’s suspension system to make the most of what’s available. It allows full height adjustment for up to 1.5” (3.2 cm) both front and rear without denting the car’s ride comfort that makes it a perfectly viable daily-driver.
The cost of these updates isn’t negligible, but then again, you do get over 200 hp and a better suspension setup, not to mention it all goes on a car that’s well over the $100,000 mark. So the $11,800 price tag for the RENNtech Stage I Turbo Charger (including the required ECU upgrade) isn’t going to scare off too many owners, while the $1,980 coil-over suspension kit seems like a complete bargain next to it.
And what’s not to like? The car is more compact, but it also handles a lot better than the SLS, and the power it derives from that wonderful 4.0-liter bi-turbo V8 engine is sublime: 510 hp is more than you’ll ever need for a car this size.
Or so you’d think. Up until now, most tuners have stuck to modifying the car’s software, a simple operation that boosted the AMG GT S’ power to over 600 hp, which was enough to please more. Now, though, the more elaborate tests have concluded, and tuners are ready to give Mercedes-AMG GT S owners more options to choose from.
One such company is RENNtech, an old tuner specializing in Mercedes-Benz and -AMG products that’s got a very respectable reputation. Its latest creation is called the Stage I Turbo Upgrade for the AMG GT S that works best together with a new coil-over Suspension system RENNtech also happens to offer. For a price.
The upgrade package will swap the standard turbochargers for new ones with lightweight billet compressor wheels and larger impellers. The compressor housings are precision CNC machined and flow tested to compensate for the increased impeller size. In conjunction with the R1 Performance Package (stainless steel downpipes with catalytic converters and high-flow air filters), the RENNtech Stage I Turbo brings the AMG GT S’ total power to 716 hp and 658 lb-ft (890 Nm).
With extra power comes added responsibility, so RENNtech is also offering to modify the car’s suspension system to make the most of what’s available. It allows full height adjustment for up to 1.5” (3.2 cm) both front and rear without denting the car’s ride comfort that makes it a perfectly viable daily-driver.
The cost of these updates isn’t negligible, but then again, you do get over 200 hp and a better suspension setup, not to mention it all goes on a car that’s well over the $100,000 mark. So the $11,800 price tag for the RENNtech Stage I Turbo Charger (including the required ECU upgrade) isn’t going to scare off too many owners, while the $1,980 coil-over suspension kit seems like a complete bargain next to it.
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