Mercedes-AMG GT C 2017

What is it?
The bloke in rate of the way the brand new Mercedes-AMG GT C coupé drives is referred to as Markus Hofbauer. He used to paintings at Porsche, and that he prefers a 911 Turbo to a 911 GT3 tells you greater than a little approximately the Mercedes-AMG GT range.

It’s within the manner the 911 Turbo goes about things, see; and Hofbauer is aware of, due to the fact he helped engineer 911 dynamics before he moved to AMG. You don’t need to be really ‘on it’ all of the time to make first rate progress in a 911 Turbo. It’s fast, however cozy and unflappable.

Which brings us to the auto Hofbauer is genuinely here to introduce to us nowadays: the Mercedes-AMG GT, which has, conveniently for the functions of this text, emerge as to be had in C specification as a coupé, nearly completing the 2-door GT range.

A brief recap. The GT is the second 100% AMG sports activities vehicle, following on from the SLS. It’s a -seat coupé and roadster, with an engine within the front and force to the lower back, in which sits a seven-speed twin-clutch transaxle, using the rear wheels.

You may have a GT in base form as a coupé and roadster, which has 496bhp; or you may have it in S shape, which adds an electronically managed confined-slip differential in location of a natural mechanical one, and has 515bhp - although that handiest comes as a coupé.

Then there’s the C, which we’ve tried in roadster form earlier than however has now arrived as a coupé too – to start with in 500 examples of ‘Edition 50’ trim simplest – priced at £139,855. But, once those have run out, it’ll be 12 grand inexpensive for no exquisite loss. It has 550bhp.

Finally, there’s the GT R, AMG’s solution to a 911 GT3 (or Turbo), if you like, most effective now not limited in manufacturing, making 576bhp, and to be had as a coupé only. AMG may want to make a roadster, but likely received’t. At least, Hofbauer could pick it if they didn’t, but knows that given the GT C has the identical chassis settings in both coupé and roadster shape, they wouldn’t should ask for his assist to tune an R roadster besides.

Which just leaves the S model looking oddly unfinished, because it’s the handiest popular variant unavailable as a roadster. Will one arrive? Perhaps. I assume AMG seems on the gradual roll-out of Porsche models, and the publicity that incorporates them, a little enviously. So there is probably a few more words on it right here in some months.

But again to that 911 contrast. The AMG GT range, throughout those six fashions, is now, like 911s, supposed to offer some thing widely alternatively appealing: a base roadster for boulevardiers, as much as an R for track fans, albeit all off of essentially the identical 4.0-litre, twin-turbocharged V8 engine and gearbox.

There are a few alterations inner as you flow up the GT range – the R will offer you harnesses, for instance, while the bottom fashions get the softer furnishings, but essentially there’s now not a lot among them. Just a cabin that appears and feels nicely-finished, with the entire gamut of Mercedes’ leisure and information structures, pleasingly laid out.

There are perhaps some too many buttons on that huge transmission tunnel, which, mixed with the letterbox view out over an extended bonnet, makes the GT experience quite the muscle car, in its manner: you take a seat near the again, overlooking the prolonged nose.

It’s a welcoming, soothing, evocative indoors, albeit one which’ll be cramped for taller drivers – mysteriously, because that is a huge automobile. I assume it’s as it’s normally aluminium. The Jaguar F-Type, similar of layout, isn’t immune from the equal thing.



What's it like?
The C sits in the direction of the top than the bottom of the GT variety. It receives wide bodywork like the R, vital for enclosing the wider rear music – which comes from wider wheels, rather than any essential suspension changes. And like the R, there is energetic rear steerage and a top notch deal of – for need of a better phrase – ‘stonk’.

Once, that changed into the maximum a part of what AMGs had. Lots of shove in a immediately line, and only a touch finesse in corners. AMG changed into a maker of German warm rods. Today, that’s less the case, thankfully. Oh, there is nevertheless plenty of hetero-line speed, you recognize, and noise, and grunt. Don’t assume there isn’t. AMG’s flow to turbocharged engines hasn’t come on the fee of sound. Prod and poke on the buttons above the propshaft till you hit on the ones that make the engine into its most responsive mode and the exhaust its maximum laissez-faire one, and it’ll growl like proper ol’ American iron under acceleration and bang like a firework display’s finale on the overrun.

And that could be very a laugh although have been all the GT C needed to offer, which it isn’t. But it does provide you with a experience of where this car comes from. Sitting in the direction of the rear than front axle, as you do, you area the distant, slightly faraway front give up cautiously, and simplest then, as a nook finishes and straightens, do you prod the throttle onwards – instead of lobbing the the front cease at a corner and stressful approximately the rest later.

From that attitude, the C feels greater like a huge Aston Martin than a 911 – more grand tourer than sports car. Which isn’t a grievance. It’s why, possibly, they called it what they did.

When the GT turned into first launched, its mild however short guidance and lengthy front stop was mixed with rear suspension that gave no reassurance that it would follow wherein you’d just recommended the front to move. People who understand those terms better than me said it lacked roll stiffness, so felt like the rear would fall right into a nook and fail to support its cornering stance. It felt limp, and apprehensive, on the rear.

Anyway, rolling adjustments to all GTs in advance this 12 months dropped the roll centre on the again to relieve the problem, and a brief pass in a base GT alongside this new C does show they’ve taken care of it. The guidance continues to be mild, oddly so for a hydraulic system, but there’s some road sense there in case you search for it. The ratio’s nonetheless a piece rapid, however that’s a way to make a protracted, particularly heavy automobile experience agile – so, y’recognize, truthful sufficient.

Now, though, you can nook with much more self assurance. I reckon dampers are excellent of their softer mode to avoid an excessive amount of brittleness, and that is constantly a huge automobile, but it’s now a planted and self assurance-inspiring one too. And the extra tyre width at the C, electronically managed diff and, crucially, that rear steer make the GT C even extra willing to show, and grip, and entertain.



Should I buy one?
There are masses of motives to shop for one, even though I'd be willing to attend till the Edition 50 examples have long gone (constructed to mark AMG's 50th anniversary) and get a normal GT C instead. The AMG GT, now, has finally come of age, if you like.

No, it doesn’t do what a 911 does, particularly the versions that pop out of Weissach, but it isn’t intended to. It has its own man or woman, its personal showy but at ease way of doing things. With a few tweaks along the way, it has matured into a completely likeable and extremely capable car.

Mercedes-AMG GT C coupé 'Edition 50'

Where Germany On sale Now Price £139,855 Engine V8, 3982cc, twin-turbo, petrol Power 550bhp at 5750-6750rpm Torque 502lb feet at 1900-5750rpm Gearbox 7-spd twin-snatch automatic Kerb weight 1700kg Top speed 197mph 0-62mph three.7sec Fuel financial system 24.8mpg CO2 rating 259g/km Rivals Porsche 911 Turbo; Aston Martin V12 Vantage S