What's all this about?
It's the car that Mercedes-AMG said would never happen. But here it is, and you won't hear us complaining. AMG has decided to do a Roadster version of the ferocious AMG GT R, meaning the wonderful GT C Roadster has been superseded at the top of the AMG GT soft-top family tree.
Right, so this is faster than the GT C?
Yes, it is. By a tiny bit. With a top speed of 197mph and a 0-62mph time of 3.6 seconds, the GT R Roadster is, respectively, 1mph and 0.1 seconds faster than its 557hp sibling. But you're not just paying for a marginal uplift in performance. Instead, exclusivity is key to the AMG GT R Roadster, as just 750 units will be built worldwide.
Do we know how much they will be, as yet?
No, but as a GT C Roadster starts at around £141,000 and the GT R Coupe is £143,000 without options, we'd be very surprised if the GT R Roadster was anything less than £150,000 basic.
So what else do I get for my heaping great pile of money?
You get an AMG GT Roadster with a big, fixed rear wing and an adaptive front splitter that can move 40mm to create up to 40kg more downforce on the front axle at 155mph. You get a vehicle that has 46- and 57mm wider front and rear wings, when compared to the GT and GT S convertibles, so it looks double-hard. You get 10-spoke AMG Performance rims that are 19 inches in diameter on the front axle and 20 on the rear. You get a triple-layered roof that can raise and lower in 11 seconds, even on the move at up to 31mph, and a choice of 14 body colours - the new one being designo Graphite Grey Magno matte. You get AMG Performance seats with the Airscarf in the cabin and a '1 of 750' plaque on the centre console, too. And you get all the things that make the GT R Coupe such a corking steer, as well: so rear-wheel steering, an AMG Performance Sports exhaust, a seven-speed AMG Speedshift DCT transmission, six drive modes in the AMG Dynamic Select system, a 'Race Start' function, dynamic engine and transmission mounts, AMG coilover suspension with adaptive damping, Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tyres (275/35 ZR19 front, 325/30 ZR20 rear), an electronically controlled limited-slip differential, speed-sensitive AMG Sports steering and composite brakes with 390mm perforated discs at the front and 360mm items for the rear. Options on top of this little lot will include carbon-ceramic brakes (with 402mm front discs) and various carbon packs, which clothe bits of exterior goodness in the lightweight material. Oh, and you also get 22.8mpg combined and 284g/km of CO2 emissions. If you're an exceptionally calm driver, at any rate...
All very nice. Anything else to add?
All 750 GT R Roadsters will go on sale after the car makes its debut at the Geneva Motor Show. "The new AMG GT R Roadster is far more than the combination of the thrilling vehicle dynamics of the GT R with the special flair of our GT Roadsters," said Tobias Moers, chairman of Mercedes-AMG. "It is the essence of two worlds, blending to deliver our brand pledge, Driving Performance, in a very special way. With our GT R Roadster, we have without doubt once again developed a brand-defining sports car. It too embodies Mercedes-AMG in form, function and vehicle dynamics and enriches our GT family with a highly exclusive variant limited to 750 units."
Matt Robinson - 3 Mar 2019
