It’s been two and a half years since Mercedes-AMG presented the GT to great acclaim. In this short amount of time, the GT and GT S were joined by the GT C and GT R, as well as the GT and GT C Roadster. And to top things off nicely, Mercedes-AMG also facelifted its twin-turbo V8-powered superstar.
The GT R, however, is king of the hill. Endorsed by Lewis Hamilton and nicknamed “Beast Of The Green Hell,” the GT R is the automaker’s most focused, most hardcore road-going car. Heck, the 9-mode traction control system is a testament to that. It’s no wonder, then, the three-pointed star decided that €165,410 (VAT included) is a fair price for its magnum opus.
But can it hold its own when the going gets fast and twisty? As you can see from the following 360-degree video of the GT R being driven hard by Bernd Schneider on Mount Panorama, the GT R sure likes to carve corners. The production-spec 2017 Mercedes-AMG GT R stormed the 6.2-kilometer (3.8-mile) course in just 2 minutes 16.5 seconds.
It should be noted that the pre-facelift Mercedes-AMG GT S is a mind-boggling 7.5 seconds slower in the hands of the same racing driver.
Raw talent and good weather, however, can help you that much. Of course, the car is designed to attack corners as fast as possible. A significant enhancement comes in the form of rear-axle steering. Then there’s the innovative aero bits and bobs and the slightly wider track compared to the GT S. Something else the corner-carving GT R has going for it is a power-to-weight ratio of 2.66 kilograms per PS, which Mercedes-AMG describes as being the best figure in this segment.
Impressive it may be, but wait ‘till Mercedes-AMG gets out the big guns. More to the point, a Formula 1-spec V6-powered hybrid hypercar with 1,000-plus PS and an electrically driven front axle is right around the corner.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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