Tasty!
Yes, that's one word for the new Mercedes-AMG GT Roadster. The small cabin area lends itself well to having the roof taken off and the new fabric top drops flat in just 11 seconds. We reckon the car looks even wider at the back without a hardtop, but there's plenty more to see here too.
Such as?
Well, the GT Roadster gets the AMG Panamericana grille as standard, along with a restyled front bumper that features active cooling flaps to improve the GT's aerodynamics. And, depending which version of the GT Roadster you're drooling over, they're different widths.
You what?
Mercedes-AMG has revealed details of two distinct variants of the new GT Roadster, the standard car and the new GT C Roadster. The latter has 57mm wider rear bodywork and larger wheels, plus the AMG 'performance' exhaust as standard. That bigger bum is to accommodate the rear axle from the hardcore GT R model so the GT C gets active rear wheel steering and an electronically controlled limited slip differential. It promises to be quite a thing.
Wow, presumably there are engine differences too?
Indeed there are. Both cars use the GT's biturbo V8 engine, a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission and rear-drive, but while the entry-level car 'makes do' with 476hp at 6,000rpm and 630Nm at 1,700- to 5,000rpm, the GT C gets a GT S-beating 577hp (at 5,750- to 6,750rpm) and 680Nm (1,900- to 5,750rpm). The GT C is therefore 0.3 seconds faster to 62mph from rest, at 3.7 seconds, and it tops out at 196mph while the regular GT Roadster can only manage 188mph...
Anything else notable?
The GT C Roadster features AMG Ride Control with adaptive damping, larger front brake discs and an extra mode for the transmission called 'Race'.
I need to see this for myself...
Then get yourself over to Paris for the biennial motor show. The doors open to the public on October 1st.
Shane O' Donoghue - 14 Sep 2016