2020 Mercedes-AMG GT C is a solid (and very stiff) compromise

The 2020 Mercedes-AMG GT C is one of the stiffest cars on the road.

What is it: From the AMG GT to the AMG GT R Pro, from coupes to convertibles, there’s a 4.0-liter V8-powered long-hood coupe or convertible out there to meet your needs (and if not, there’s a four-door version as well). The GT C seen here splits the difference between the GT S and the GT R, keeping the wide stance and overall feel of the R but making do with a little less power.

Key Competitors: Porsche 911 Turbo; Jaguar F-Type SVR; Aston Martin Vantage

Highlights: Arguably the highlight of the AMG GT line is the model’s front-mid-engine, rear-wheel drive format; there simply aren’t many other new cars doing what this thing does. It’s versatile enough to serve as a platform for a range of cars with distinct personalities. This GT C’s calling cards are its aggressive suspension setup, wide stance and rear-steering. Add-ons like the pricey ceramic composite brakes ($8,950) add to the track car feel, but at quite a cost. Updates for 2020 are largely surface-level, including new interior switchgear.

The 2020 Mercedes-AMG GT C comes with a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 and seven-speed dual-clutch transmission.

Our Opinion: The AMG GT is an increasingly rare beast, not just because it’s one of just two vehicles (so far) in the Mercedes-AMG lineup not based directly on an existing Mercedes product. As a classic front-engine, rear-wheel drive car, it’s one of a very few coupes playing in this space (the Jaguar F-Type, Aston Martins, or in a much higher price bracket, the Ferrari GTs, are other notable exceptions). The Viper is dead and the Porsche 911 has always had its engine in the rear. Everything else that comes to mind is either rear-midengine or heading that way, with the Chevrolet Corvette being the latest and most notable example.

So if your vision of high-speed driving involves peering down a long, dramatic hood (a worthy and time-tested vision, to be sure) you’re already going to be taking a look at the AMG GT. But which one to pick?

In his review of the AMG GT R Pro — an even more aggressive, more track-capable variant of this model — earlier this year, Robin Warner wrote that “Affalterbach just built a truly outrageous car in the most pragmatic possible way.” The AMG GT C follows the same basic, oh-so-German approach while tipping the scale a little bit more toward the pragmatic. But only just.

The 2020 Mercedes-AMG GT C gets the updated switchgear and buttons on the console and steering wheel.

The GT C is designed to provide much of the aggressive feel of the performance range-topping GT R, with a very stiff suspension and rear-wheel steering, but without the nutty 577 hp V8 or comical dial-a-traction-mode knob smack in the middle of the dash. In this case you’ll have to make do with a mere 550 hp and 502 lb-ft from a detuned version of that same turbocharged 4.0-liter. Trust me, it’s plenty. Still sounds wonderful, too, if you set the exhaust to its loudest mode.

And that rear-steering…it’s a slightly disconcerting feeling at first, as you sit so far back in the car that you expect to be pulled around corners. Instead, you whip through tight turns with unexpected ease and a strange, hard-to-describe snappiness. Once you get used to it, it’s fun.

I remember the last AMG GT C I tested, a roadster, being among the most unforgivingly stiff vehicles I’d driven on the street. Though “wafty” is not a word I’d use to describe any AMG GT, the C wasn’t quite as punishing this time around. I asked Mercedes what was up, and was surprised to find that there were no substantial changes to the suspension. Usually, there’s at least a token “improved bushings” or something.

Had Michigan roads really improved? Doubtful, honestly. The 2020 cars are equipped with the AMG Dynamics system, which “uses the available sensors that detect the speed, the steering angle or yaw rate, for instance. Based on the pilot-control principle it is possible to anticipate the vehicle behavior based on the driver’s actions and the data from the sensors.” This is all in the interest of simultaneously improving agility and stability at speed. By design, it operates in the background, subtly.

Perhaps this helped improve the ride quality somewhat, but it seems more likely that the reports (including my own) of the AMG GT C’s borderline-intolerable rigidity are somewhat overblown. Still, you might consider the notably more comfortable GT S if you’re going to press your AMG coupe into daily driver duties.

My biggest gripe here is about something relatively minor: I have no idea why AMG felt the need to change up the interior switchgear. Actually, I do know why — it’s to bring the interior of the AMG GT coupe into alignment with that of the AMG GT 4-door coupled with the need to change something, anything, to keep things new and fresh.

Despite the ample carbon fiber, there was something classic about the old model’s interior. Most of the controls were handled by traditional switches or knobs; the digitized, capacitative buttons feel cheesy by comparison. Do I really need a way to adjust the exhaust note without taking my hand off the steering wheel? Does the button that does that really need to incorporate a tiny digital screen? Tech for tech’s sake tends to end up feeling dated as soon as the novelty wears off.

Still, this doesn’t ruin the car by any means. The fundamentals are as solid as ever, and the front-engine, long-hood driving experience the AMG GT in all variants offers is increasingly difficult to find in a new vehicle. Because I always want what I can’t have, my dream AMG remains a car with GT S-like suspension feel and GT R horsepower.

The AMG GT C goes the other direction, offering track car-like responsiveness and on-road feel with more-than-adequate, but not totally overwhelming, horsepower. The almost $152,000 starting price for this variant is high, but for a car this special, it feels acceptable (a lot of this car’s $175,396 sticker comes from pricey options I could do without). If this particular strain of AMG GT represents a compromise, it’s a a very good compromise indeed.

Base Price: $151,895

As-Tested Price: $175,365

Drivetrain: 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8, seven-speed dual-clutch, RWD

Output: 550 hp @ 6,000 rpm; 502 lb-ft @ 1,900-5,000 rpm

Curb Weight: 3,748 lb.

Fuel Economy (EPA City/Highway/Combined): 15/20/17

Pros: You feel almost like you’re in a track car; ride is about as stiff as you’d want to go on the street

Cons: Much of the 2020 model’s new tech adds little to the overall experience

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