Driven: Mercedes-AMG grows GT family
BY ROBBIE WALLIS | 17th Oct 2017
Despite the increase in variants, Mercedes-Benz Australia/Pacific public relations and product communications manager Jerry Stamoulis said the car-maker was not worried about sales being spread too thin across the range, adding that there was a space for different types of customers across the range.
“If you look at the GT Roadster, if you want a convertible Mercedes-Benz two-seater, you’re buying that probably more because its a two-seat roadster rather than because it’s a GT, so that’s one customer,” he told GoAuto at the media launch in Melbourne last week.
“GT (coupe), that’s your entry, that’s a different customer again.
“GT S is someone who wants a genuine sportscar grand tourer, it’s a little firm, you can drive it a little bit faster, that’s where the emotional part comes in, that’s another customer.
“Then you’ve got GT C. You’ve got the roadster, that’s for your performance buyer who wants a roadster. Then you’ve got GT C coupe, which is your ‘I don’t want a GT R, I don’t want the big wing, I don’t need the wider guards, but I want something that is sportier than the GT S’.
“We looked at, how can we whittle this down, how can we make the range smaller, but there is genuinely a customer that we can identify for each of those.”The range still kicks off with the GT Coupe, which has seen a marginal drop in price to $258,711 plus on-roads, while adding extra performance and tweaks to its styling.
Power from the 4.0-litre biturbo V8, which powers the entire GT range, has been amped up 10kW/30Nm to 350kW/630Nm, while the whole line-up gets the Panamerica grille with vertical chrome bars.
The GT will also be offered in drop-top convertible guise for the first time, which adds a $25,000 premium over the coupe, bringing the asking price up to $283,711.
Specification and power output matches its coupe counterpart, apart from convertible-specific equipment such as a fabric roof that opens and closes in 11 seconds up to 50km/h.
The first GT variant to arrive in Australia back in 2015, the GT S, gets a 9kW/20Nm boost bringing it to 384kW/670Nm, and benefits from a small reduction in price, now costing buyers $298,711 plus on-roads.
In addition to the specification of the GT, the GT S adds 19- or 20-inch titanium grey alloy wheels, AMG sports suspension, AMG dynamic plus package, performance exhaust, glass panoramic roof, red brake callipers, limited-slip differential, autonomous cruise control and Nappa leather upholstery.
The newly-introduced GT C variant pumps power up to 410kW/680Nm, and in coupe form will be offered initially in limited-run Edition 50 guise to commemorate its launch.
The asking price for the GT Coupe stands at $313,711 plus on-roads, with extra goodies including climatised AMG performance seats, steering wheel upholstered in Nappa leather and Dinamica microfibre, polished titanium grey five-spoke alloys, and rear-axle steering.
As with the GT, upgrading to the GT C roadster adds a $25,000 premium, bringing it to $338,711 plus on-roads, and in addition to the kit in the coupe, adds the Mercedes Airscarf neck-warming system.
The Porsche 911 Turbo-baiting GT R sits atop the GT range, with a mighty 430kW/700Nm output and a pricetag to match.
Setting buyers back $348,711 plus on-roads, the sizeable asking price hasn’t been enough to deter keen customers, with order books for the halo variant still full for approximately the next 12 months.
The GT R adds a number of visual flairs including wing spoiler, front splitter and rear bumper, while carbon-fibre and aluminium have been used throughout to save weight.
The GT R completes the zero to 100km/h sprint in 3.6 seconds and on to an electronically limited top speed of 318km/h, and currently holds the title of fastest production vehicle to lap the famous Mount Panorama circuit.
To the end of September, Mercedes-AMG has sold 101 examples of the GT range, representing a 12.2 per cent boost over the 115 sold to the same point last year.
It currently sits fifth on the sales ladder for the $200,000-plus sportscar segment, behind the Porsche 911 (368), Ferrari range (134), BMW 6 Series (108) and Aston Martin coupe/convertibles (106).
| 2017 Mercedes-AMG GT | |
| Coupe | |
| GT (a) | $258,711 |
| GT S (a) | $298,711 |
| GT C Edition 50 (a) | $335,211 |
| GT R (a) | $348,711 |
| Roadster | |
| GT (a) | $283,711 |
| GT C (a) | $338,711 |
