The new Mercedes-AMG GT Black Series is here – and it has the most powerful V8 engine the company has ever fitted to one of its cars
The new Mercedes-AMG GT Black Series has been officially revealed. When it goes on sale later this year, it will be the most extreme road going version of the car to date, drawing inspiration from the brand’s AMG GT GT3 race car and offering fresh competition for the Porsche 911 Turbo S.
It’s powered by a heavily modified version of the standard car’s twin-turbocharged 4.0-litre V8 engine, which has been fitted with a host of go-faster bits from Mercedes AMG GT GT3 racer. Upgrades include a set of reprofiled camshafts, fresh exhaust manifolds, larger turbos, bigger intercoolers and an aggressive new tune for the car’s ECU.
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Best supercars 2020All this means that the engine now produces 720bhp and 800Nm of torque – which is 250bhp and 200Nm more than the entry-level AMG GT. Power goes to the rear wheels via a beefed-up version of the car’s seven-speed automatic gearbox, which AMG says gives this latest Black Series model a 0–62mph time of 3.2 seconds and a top speed of 202mph.
New Mercedes-AMG GT Black Series: chassis and brakes
Mercedes-AMG says the GT Black Series’s new engine is the most powerful V8 unit that has ever fitted to one of its cars – so, to keep all that performance in check, the firm has given the GT’s chassis a thorough overhaul with tougher, yet lighter, components.
There’s a new coil-over suspension system, which features electronically controlled dampers and double wishbone arms front and rear. The car’s suspension geometry has also been tweaked, allowing the GT Black Series to run more negative camber on the front axle – which Mercedes-AMG says will deliver improved cornering performance.
The GT Black Series also has a wider track than the standard model and, wherever possible, Mercedes has swapped metal components in the car’s chassis for carbon fibre replacement. So, there’s lightened versions of the GT’s front and rear torsion bars, as well as a new carbon fibre shear panel at the rear of the vehicle.
Mercedes has improved the GT’s brakes, too, with a larger set of drilled and vented ceramic discs with six-piston calipers up front and four-piston calipers at the rear – both of which are finished in black.
Finally, to take advantage of the upgraded chassis, the GT Black Series receives a set of wider alloy wheels wrapped in Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tyres, as well as a new configurable traction control system which features the same nine-stage slip control settings as the firm’s GT3 racer.
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Best track day cars 2020Styling and aero
The AMG GT’s aerodynamics have been given an equally extensive update, with a similar range of tweaks as the firm’s GT3 racecar. Up front, there’s a new braced front splitter and reprofiled front bumper, which works with the new vented bonnet to improve the car’s downforce and expel excess heat from the engine bay.
Further upgrades include new vents for the front and rear wheel arches, allowing turbulent air which would normally be trapped in the wheel arches to escape. At the rear, there’s an aggressive diffuser and an enormous, manually adjustable rear wing, which can be tweaked through 20 degrees, offering either increased downforce or a reduced drag.
There’s also a new, near-full-length undertray, which the firm says will channel air towards the rear diffuser. In total, Mercedes-AMG says its aero tweaks produce a maximum of 400kg of downforce.
Finally, to lower the GT Black Series’s kerb weight and improve its centre of gravity, Mercedes-AMG has fitted a new carbon fibre roof, a carbon fibre boot lid and thinner glazing. The car’s hub carriers are also made from aluminium and there’s a new carbon fibre torque tube connecting the engine and the rear-mounted transmission.
Interior
The AMG GT Black Series’s interior is broadly similar to the standard car’s, sharing the same 12.3-inch digital instrument binnacle and 10.25-inch infotainment system – albeit with some specific graphics. There’s also a new microfibre-trimmed steering wheel, new stainless steel door cards and a pair of unique sport seats.
Buyers can also opt for Mercedes-AMG’s Track Package as an optional extra, which adds a pair of carbon-fibre backed bucket seats, four-point harnesses, a 2kg fire extinguisher and a titanium roll-cage with a diagonal X-brace.
As is traditional with Mercedes’s Black Series models, this highly-tuned AMG GT will likely mark the end of the coupe’s lifespan. We expect it will remain in production until 2022 before being replaced by an-all new model.
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