The legendary Mercedes-AMG division has just unveiled the faster, lighter and more hardcore version of its flagship GT sportscar. It’s called the AMG GT R, and it is the new mind blowing iteration of the standard sportscar that is purely track-focused. The 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 has been tweaked to produce 577bhp from 503bhp of the standard car and the torque figure is also up by 50Nm to 700Nm. The engineers at Mercedes have also re-programmed the software of the dual-clutch 7-speed auto gearbox for quicker shifts. What this means is that the new GT R will sprint from 0-100kmph in a mere 3.6 seconds, which is about 0.2 seconds faster than the AMG GT S. It will also reach a higher speed of 319kmph. Brakes have also been uprated to cope with the additional firepower while carbon-ceramic discs will be offered as optional extra.
There have also been some weight saving procedures that have been done. A lightweight active exhaust system has been installed and aluminium components have been used in the suspension. The standard-fit carbon-fibre roof is also there but now the engine mounts and several chassis components are also made using carbon-fibre to save weight. The end-result is 15 kilograms less weight than the original car. Mercedes-AMG will put the new GT R on sale from November this year with deliveries commencing in Europe by March 2017.
