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Ooh, the new AMG GT. A half-price SLS?
If you mean it feels like a cheapened version of that fancy-doored old intimidator, then, er, no. It actually feels better in many ways.
Big talk. So what sort of car is it?
Well it costs 911 money, or 911 Turbo money for this S version: £110,495 plus £11,985 for the three option packs I'll be mentioning. It's a two-seater with its V8 in the front-mid position, which also puts the GT toe-to-toe with the Jaguar F-Type R and Corvette and Aston Martin Vantage. It's a trad layout, and the AMG GT certainly tickles some very old-school sports-car pleasure centres. But be in no doubt it's high-tech too.
Start from the beginning please.
Well, some of the GT is actually closely descended from the SLS. The central part of the aluminium body structure is closely related. Almost all the body is aluminium, by the way, helping to keep it light.
The front suspension is also from the SLS, though the rear end is new. It's the same width as the SLS (and feels wide for sure) but handily shorter both in the wheelbase and overall. Thanks to a hatchback, it can carry a useful amount of stuff.
Of course the outside is all-new, and it has normal doors instead of gullwings, which again cuts weight. And though we loved the drama of the gullwings, we'd have to admit they were a bit of an ache to use. So overall the GT is just 1570kg. That's about 100kg less than the aluminium F-Type R or the mixed-metal 4WD Porsche Turbo.
What about the engine?
The turbo V8 might only be four litres, but it's immensely charismatic, and makes 510bhp in the S model. (The 'basic' GT, on sale six months later, is 462bhp, only because of lower boost.)
Sure, there's noticeable lag below about 3500rpm, and the revs run out at a disappointingly moderate (but par for a turbo) 7000rpm. In between those two, though, you've got an engine that answers the accelerator with quick and epic force.
And it sounds like an AMG engine always has, all hard-edged V8 baritone bark. It's not silly though: if you don't press the loud pipes button it'll proceed without shaking the windows of every house in the parish. The rival Jag, in particular, is embarrassingly indiscreet if you're leaving your own street early in the morning.
The tech of the new AMG engine bears a quick look. Its twin turbos are packed into the centre of the V, right under the bonnet, so the intake side of the cylinder heads is outboard. This makes the whole engine more compact. There's also a dry sump, to lower the crank, and help lubrication in hard cornering. Because it's so small, the engine can be dropped down and moved back well behind the front wheel centreline. That's great for the car's agility.
Also, the gearbox is at the back axle, so overall the weight bias is strongly to the rear. Sure enough, you get keen turning into corners and terrific traction out of them them.
Any more cleverness?
Much. Among others, the optional adaptive powertrain mounts. As well as standard adaptive suspension dampers on the S, there are optional electronically controlled mounts for the engine at the front and gearbox at the back. These are firmed up when you're swinging the wheel or the car's riding a crest or dip, but stay soft for refinement going gently.
I didn't get to drive a car without them, but clearly keeping these substantial weights from flopping about in the car will have a major effect. And the GT S does feel brilliantly controlled through the sort of transitions we're talking about.
Written By:- Paul Horrell
More of this article on the Top gear website
