The AMG GT R is crammed with Mercedes’ racing technology and expertise. Merc promises that never before has AMG packed so much motorsport technology into a car - think of the GT R as a natural rival for hardcore, track-focused competition like Porsche’s GT3 RS.
To see exactly what the engineers from Affalterbach have come up with we’re at the infamous Nurburgring, Germany, to sample AMG’s wildest sports car from the passenger seat. Our driver for the day is Thomas Jäger, he’s spent a lot of time at the Nurburgring developing this car. His CV is littered with 24hr and endurance race wins, he’s the 2015 GT3 champion in the AMG GT R’s racing GT 3 relation. As qualifications for creating AMG’s most hardcore offering his are pretty convincing.
Visually it’s quite distinct from its Mercedes-AMG GT S relation thanks both to aerodynamic revisions and the need to cover a wider track. Those front wings are carbonfibre, while the rears are aluminium.
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There’s 15kg less weight overall, Dr Frank Emhardt, Senior Manager Vehicle Development AMG GT Model Range, tells us. Significant losses centre around a carbonfibre torque tube, less soundproofing, a titanium exhaust and forged alloy wheels. Emhardt is quick to point out that while mass reduction has been a development goal, inevitably some of the go-faster technology added does increase weight. It’s offset by the advantages it brings, though. Specifically the active rear-wheel steering, which bring benefits to stability and agility. Jäger wishes it could be fitted to his racecar such are the gains it brings to turn in and cornering speeds.
You can certainly feel it working as Jäger is able exploit the keener turn-in and massive high-speed stability. Traction is huge and the acceleration eye-widening in its force, as is the braking. Th GT R rides convincingly on the Nurburgring’s tortured tarmac, though even Jäger concedes the stiffer suspension settings can be a bit disruptive around here.
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Performance is aided further by active aerodynamic under the front bumper as it creates a venturi effect under the car to help with downforce. The 2kg of weight it adds to the car’s mass is offset by greater aerodynamic balance and the 40kg of downforce it brings. The rear wing, like the coil-over springs can be adjusted manually to suit a particular circuit.
Doing so requires tools, the GT R’s suspension also offering the familiar AMG Ride Control with electronically controlled dampers with Comfort, Sport and Sport+ modes. Jäger suggests Comfort is okay around most of the Nurburgring, though he likes the ability to switch to Sport and Sport+ to tighten the body control on some of the Green Hell’s more tortuous crests and dips.
The standard three-stage ESP works in conjunction with the electronically controlled differential, as well a nine-stage traction control operated via a rotary dial in the centre console. It allows a pre-determined amount of slip at the rear wheels, depending on the setting. Get it all right and Jäger says it’ll lap the Nurburgring in around 7 minutes 20 seconds, coincidentally that being the number banded about for its key Porsche rival.
Sitting alongside Jäger as he demonstrates the GT R doesn’t leave that time in any doubt. The 4.0-litre biturbo engine’s output is up to 576bhp thanks to revised turbos dealing with raised boost pressure, differing engine control to exploit that and a lighter flywheel improving response. Freer-breathing exhausts help reduce back pressure, and, in conjunction with the loss of sound deadening add to the V8’s already charismatic wail.
Even from the passenger seat the GT R’s clearer intent is obvious, taking AMG’s sports car to another level, yet retaining its core attributes at the same time. We can’t wait to drive it, and pitch it against its rivals. Here, preferably.
- Model: Mercedes-AMG GT R
- Price: TBC
- Power: 576bhp
- Transmission: Seven-speed AMG Speedshift DCT paddle-shift automatic, rear-wheel drive
- 0-62mph: 3.6 seconds
- Top speed: 197mph
- Economy/C02: 25.0mpg/259g/km
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