Second-generation Mercedes-AMG GT Coupé unveiled

Mercedes-AMG revealed to the world its new second generation GT Coupé at Monterey Car Week on Saturday.

Featuring old school V8 performance, this halo model shares its platform with the German carmaker’s latest Mercedes-Benz SL convertible and promises to be considerably more liveable than its somewhat compromised predecessor.

Longer, wider and endowed with a more generous wheelbase, the new road trip-friendly AMG GT Coupé range benefits from increased interior space as well as 2+2 seating, which according to Mercedes-AMG, is suitable for people up to 1.5m tall (nice if you’re film star Danny DeVito but of little use to anybody else).

There’s also a fairly useful boot with 321l of luggage space. Flip down the rear seat backs and this grows to 675l.

Practicality does have a negative effect on weight, however, which is why the Affalterbach engineers assembled the AMG GT Coupé with as many feathery materials as possible including aluminium, magnesium and fibre composites.

The end result is a kerb weight of 1,970kg. While this won’t be giving your Caterham Seven sleepless nights, it is better than it would have been had more traditional materials been part of the mix. 

Two model grades are available at launch, starting with the GT 55 that comes armed with a hand-built 4.0l twin-turbocharged V8 engine producing 350kW and 700Nm of torque. Expect it to catapult from 0-100km/h in a claimed 3.9 seconds and reach a VO2 max of 295km/h.

The flagship GT 63 utilises the exact same engine albeit tuned to deliver considerably more power. With 430kW and 800Nm at its disposal, this flagship whittles down the 0-100km/h sprint to 3.2 seconds while top speed increases to 315km/h.

In both models power is sent to all four paws via an upgraded AMG Speedshift MCT 9G transmission, which features a wet starting clutch instead of a conventional torque converter. This not only saves weight but improves shift speed and response times. 

Complementing the fully adaptive 4Matic all-wheel drive system and ensuring steadfast driving dynamics in all conditions is a standard electronically controlled rear axle locking differential, active rear-axle steering and AMG active ride control suspension with roll stabilisation.

The actual suspension architecture is impressive with an independent double wishbone arrangement (with anti-squat) featuring at both axles. 20‑inch AMG light‑alloy wheels come fitted as standard on both models (larger 21-inch wheels are optional) and are shod with 295/35 ZR tyres up front and 305/35 ZR tyres at the rear.

This formidable mechanical grip is further bolstered by active aerodynamic aids in the shape of a two-stage active air control system built into the car’s nose, a retractable rear spoiler with five different angles of attack and an active aerodynamic element hidden in the underbody in front of the engine. The latter extends by as much as 40mm to create a Venturi effect, which sucks the car onto the road and reduces lift on the front axle. 

Stellar stopping performance is ensured thanks to the fitment of a lightweight AMG high-performance compound brake system. Designed to reduce unsprung mass and shorten braking distances even in the most demanding of driving scenarios, this package marries 390mm composite front rotors with six-piston aluminium fixed calipers. At the rear you’ll find one-piston aluminium floating calipers clamping down on 360mm composite discs.

Climb inside this German sportster and you’ll discover a driver-focused cockpit bristling with tech including an 11.9-inch MBUX touchscreen infotainment system, a fully digital instrument cluster with exclusive performance menus and a flat-bottomed AMG-spec multifunction steering wheel.

Customers can also look forward to interior mood lighting with no less than 64 hues, electrically adjustable AMG sports seats with integrated headrests and standard AMG Dynamic Select, which allows you to toggle between six factory preset driving modes: Slippery, Comfort, Sport, Sport +, Individual and Race.

At the time of writing Mercedes-AMG is yet to announce model pricing or local availability. First cars, however, are expected to leave the production line early in 2024.