More power and active aero for all!
AMG celebrated its 50th anniversary with a host of updates to the GT, including a whole new trim level for the coupe. Happy anniversary, indeed!
When Mercedes-AMG debuted the GT Roadster, it introduced a new trim level -- GT C. Less than a year later, what do you know, that trim level has made its way over to the coupe, which has been refreshed for the 2018 model year.
All variants of GT pick up a few aesthetic enhancements this year. Most notably, they all sport the same Panamericana grille, which features a bunch of vertical slats. The front bumper also sports larger air intakes.
The GT family also picks up the AirPanel active aerodynamic system from the hopped-up GT R, which changes air intake paths depending on how much cooling is needed. More air is never a bad thing, but when the active aero closes some front slats, it'll increase efficiency.
But what good is more aero without more power? Don't worry, Mercedes thought of that, too. Now, the base AMG GT engine puts out 469 horsepower and 465 pound-feet of torque, increases of 13 and 22, respectively. GT S now packs 515 hp and 494 torques, increases of 12 and 15, respectively. GT R still sits at 577 hp and 516 units of twist.
Now, let's talk about GT C. This trim level rests between GT S and GT R, even though that's not how the alphabet works. Output is a respectable 550 hp and 502 pound-feet. It promises the wider bodywork and rear-axle steering of GT R, along with adaptive adjustable dampers.
At launch, GT C Coupe will be first available in Edition 50 trim, which commemorates the performance division's 50th anniversary. This fancy-pants package includes matte paint, black chrome trim highlights, unique badging and a black-and-silver interior motif. Care to guess how many of these limited-edition models Mercedes-AMG will make? If you guessed 50, congratulations, even though it was pretty obvious.
Along with the new cars, there's also a new app called AMG Track Pace. It works with all GT variants and connects to the cars via Wi-Fi. The vehicle sends data -- speed, steering angle, position, acceleration, lap times and more -- to the phone, which can be shared on social media. iPhone users can film the lap with the phone's camera, and the app will superimpose that data over the video. It's a bit like Chevrolet's Performance Data Recorder in that respect.
While there's no word yet on pricing, 2018 GT variants will start trickling out in the summer and will continue on through the fall.
Fraternal twinsies.