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The AMG division of Mercedes is almost ready to unveil its fifth vehicle to be designed entirely in-house: the new AMG GT. We’ve caught the new model testing a few times already but Mercedes has now announced it will make its debut at Monterey Car Week in California, alongside a new special edition Mercedes SL.
The first-generation Mercedes-AMG GT was a big hit for the German brand, spawning plenty of variants during its eight-year production run. Mercedes says the new AMG GT “remains true to its sporty and dynamic virtues”, also stating it “embodies the brand\’s high standards of performance luxury like no other product from Affalterbach.”
Just like its predecessor, the new AMG GT will be developed by Mercedes’ AMG brand to ensure it delivers on the performance front and competes strongly with the likes of the Porsche 911, Chevrolet Corvette and upcoming facelifted Aston Martin Vantage. A more focused AMG GT would make sense given that AMG was heavily involved in the new, similarly sized Mercedes SL. However, the next AMG GT will share the same platform as the new SL so we can expect some crossover in terms of engines and technology. We won’t see a convertible AMG GT returning, with the new sportier Mercedes-AMG SL 63 filling that brief.
Previous test car spy shots appear to show the range-topping Mercedes-AMG GT 63 version, although we’ve previously caught lower-rung trim levels in development as well.
Mercedes typically introduces a new AMG model with an ‘Edition 1’ trim level, although usually they come in a grey paint finish, so we think this test car is the AMG GT 63. Key giveaways are the quad-exhaust tips, a more aggressive front end with extra air intakes beside the Panamericana grille, larger wheels and a fixed rear spoiler. For the first time we can clearly see the air duct behind the front wheel.
Every test car spotted so far shows the redesigned body will provide a similar profile to before, showing a long bonnet combined with a stubby rear. The car’s pumped-up haunches are also evident from these camouflaged pre-production cars. We’ve already seen the entry-level version – evidenced by its round exit exhausts, a more hardcore GT S model and what could be a range-topping GT R.
New Mercedes-AMG GT engines and performance
Kicking off the new AMG-GT range could be a GT 53 with a hybridised inline-six from the Mercedes AMG GT 53 4-Door. In the four-door super saloon, the setup provides 429bhp, supplemented by an electric motor producing 22bhp.
Above this, we expect to see a GT 55 with a detuned 4.0-litre V8 from the Mercedes-AMG SL 55, with 469bhp. What’s certain is that the AMG GT 63 will adopt a version of this V8 with potentially more than 600bhp, to put clear distance between it and the 63 version of the new SL. As has already been confirmed for Mercedes’ new drop-top, an E-Performance plug-in hybrid V8 version should also feature in the new GT line-up with over 800bhp.
Thanks to the new aluminium-intensive MSA platform that has been engineered to accept Mercedes’ 4MATIC+ all-wheel-drive system, the next AMG GT is likely to break from the tradition set by the outgoing model and send its power to all four wheels.
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As in other all-wheel-drive AMG models, the set-up will offer a more driver-focused bias by favouring the rear axle, and with the system’s parameters changing depending on the driving mode, boosting agility and stability. Expect rear-wheel steering, AMG’s Active Ride Control adaptive suspension and anti-roll tech too.
It’s expected that the next AMG GT’s interior will receive a complete overhaul as well, potentially inheriting elements of the SL’s cabin, including an 11.9-inch touchscreen. The new Mercedes Track Pace app will be included as standard, giving customers the opportunity to record their driving data on track days.
AMG’s Chief Technical Officer Jochen Hermann has already confirmed that the next GT won’t be offered in roadster form, with the new SL covering that market. We expect the GT will not inherit the SL’s 2+2 layout and remain a strict two-seater.
Now read our review of the Mercedes-AMG GT 4-Door 63 S E-Performance…
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