The hardcore version of Mercedes-AMG’s GT sports car is now a little over a week away from its debut.
The official tuner to Mercedes-Benz has confirmed the car will be called the GT R and make its debut June 24 at the 2016 Goodwood Festival of Speed.
Along with the confirmation, Mercedes-AMG dropped a series of teaser photos plus a video that refers to the car as the "beast of the green hell."
2017 Mercedes-AMG GT R spy shots - Image via S. Baldauf/SB-Medien
The green hell of course refers to the Nürburgring, one of the toughest racetracks in the world. And the beast of the green hell tag is certainly fitting considering the Mercedes-AMG GT3 racecar demolished the competition during May’s Nürburgring 24 Hours race. The car claimed the top four spots with the winning car coming from AMG-Team Black Falcon.
The GT R is closely related to the GT3 racecar—right down to its “Panamericana” grille inspired by some of Mercedes’ classic racers. We get a glimpse of the new grille along with a carbon fiber roof, chunky rear wing and racing bucket seats in the teasers.
Under the hood will likely be an uprated version of the regular GT’s twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V-8. Peak output should exceed the 503 horsepower of the GT S model, and incredibly the boss of Mercedes-AMG Tobias Moers has stated the GT R will even outperform the company’s SLS AMG Black Series. Its rivals will be Chevrolet’s Corvette Z06, Porsche’s 911 GT3 RS and Nissan’s GT-R Nismo.
Mercedes-AMG GT3 one-two-three-four finish at 2016 Nürburgring 24 Hours
In addition to more power, look for the GT R to feature some weight-saving mods to get it under the 3,627 pounds of the GT S. There will also be better brakes, sticker tiers and a series of aero upgrades aimed at increasing downforce.
Note, the GT R won’t be the most extreme model in Mercedes-AMG’s GT lineup. The tuner eventually plans to launch a GT Black Series. We’ve also heard that a convertible is coming down the line.
The 2016 Goodwood Festival of Speed will run from June 23-26 on the grounds of Goodwood House in the United Kingdom. For more on the event, head to our dedicated hub.
