Just like BMW is responsible for the whole crossover coupe craze started with the original X6, you could blame Mercedes for the so-called four-door coupe frenzy, which traces its roots to the first-gen CLS.
Essentially a rebodied E-Class with a sloping roofline behind the B pillars, it was so well received that it eventually inspired other companies to stick their fingers in this niche. As most of you remember, the CLS (CLA too) was offered in a wagon body style, which Mercedes proudly called a Shooting Brake.
However, the thing is that Shooting Brakes are not family haulers, as they combine elements of estates and coupes. The term initially originated towards the end of the 19th century, and in the early 1900s, the first such cars were made in the United Kingdom, by automakers and coachbuilders.
These past few years, we have seen a few REAL takes on the term, such as the Ferrari FF, and GTC4Lusso. And while these deserve the Shooting Brake nomenclature, full-blown wagons do not. So, since Mercedes is such a big fan of this moniker, why don’t they use it on a brand-new car that is actually a Shooting Brake? The next-gen AMG GT would be a great candidate for the job, and since extending the roofline and giving it a tailgate is not rocket science, it is totally doable.
Whether it would be feasible is a whole different topic, yet let’s not forget that a Mercedes-AMG GT Shooting Brake would have a much bigger trunk area than the normal coupe. As a result, it would fit quite a few grocery bags, in addition to the usual golf clubs, and it would be a well-deserved breath of fresh air in today’s crossover-infested market.
Photo: Instagram | SugarDesign
Probably eager to see a more practical take on the GT, sugardesign_1 set out to imagine it, albeit using the current generation as a blank canvas. By the looks of it, the rendering artist has based the digital illustrations on the GT R, blacking out the chrome trim up front, and on the sides. The back end is where the magic happens, as besides the tailgate, and reshaped quarter panels, it sports slimmer taillights, and a slightly bigger diffuser, with incorporated central pipes, over the GT R. The only thing that we don’t agree to, just like most web surfers who have seen these CGIs, is the big wing out back.
While the internet keeps having its way with the current GT, Mercedes-AMG is working on the new generation. It will be related to the latest SL, it too the work of the Affalterbach brand, and will set itself apart by featuring a fixed roof over the passenger compartment, lower positioned grille, different headlights and taillights, and a few other design tweaks. The cockpit will, in all likelihood, be identical to that of the roadster.
Power wise, we know what to expect, which is the twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8, at first anyway. The sonorous mill pushes out 469 hp and 516 lb-ft (700 Nm) of torque in the new SL 55, and 577 hp and 590 lb-ft (800 Nm) in the SL 63. It rockets the former to 62 mph (100 kph) in 3.9 seconds, and the latter in 3.6 seconds. Top speed is rated at 183 mph (295 kph) and 196 mph (315 kph) respectively.
The unveiling date of the all-new Mercedes-AMG GT is a well-preserved secret. Still, some claim that it is a few months away from showing its fresh looks, whereas others believe that it will debut in early 2023. It will be interesting to see if the company prices it below or above the new SL, yet in all likelihood, it could be a bit more affordable than its drop-top sibling.
After a series of unfortunate events put an end to Cristian's dream of entering a custom built & tuned old-school Dacia into a rally competition, he moved on to drive press cars and write for a living. He's worked for several automotive online journals and now he's back at autoevolution after his first tour in the mid-2000s. Full profile
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