Jalopnik First Drive: AMG GT - More than a 911 fighter

[ybbiz34]

"I have a problem. I've never managed to keep the throttle floored the entire stretch of Laguna Seca's front straight in anything over 500 horsepower. It's practically my home track, but as soon as I start climbing that crest, self-preservation kicks in and I lift. Every. Damn. Time. That changed in the Mercedes-AMG GT."

"Mercedes makes perfectly good GT cars. AMG makes completely nutty barn-burners. But the GT is different. It's not a gullwinged supercar or some over-endowed sedan with more power than prowess. It's a proper sports car in the most traditional sense."

"The AMG Ride Control adapts the suspension, steering, throttle, and traction control through one of four settings: Comfort, Sport, and Sport Plus, along with Race, available on the GT S model. Comfort is king on the highway and even through some of the twisties, providing ample feedback and an unwavering sense of control. But flicking over to Sport tightens everything up, and pressing the exhaust button makes every lift and downshift a snorting, snarling, piss-off-anyone-within-earshot affair. Yes, it is glorious."

I hope the new C63 is this good.

http://jalopnik.com/first-drive-merc...-mo-1657733025

[swanson]

I would NEVER buy a 911 over this.

[See5]

Originally Posted by swanson

I would NEVER buy a 911 over this.

I wouldn't buy the 911 over a lot of cars in this class ie F-Type, Corvette, AMG GT...

[swanson]

Originally Posted by See5

I wouldn't buy the 911 over a lot of cars in this class ie F-Type, Corvette, AMG GT...

Same for me.

[BMW269]

I don't like the 911, but the Jaguar F-Type is technically outdated and "cheap", the AMG GT, while technically perfect (mid-front dry sump engine, transaxle transmission) is really ulgy, and gets uglier day after day. Corvette is the only 911 contender.

[KingOfJericho]

I would buy a 911 over nearly anything.

[Wolfinwolfsclothing]

Originally Posted by KingOfJericho

I would buy a 911 over nearly anything.

+1

There is still nothing in this class or any class nearly as good as a 911 (except the 458 speciale and GT3 are close)...and thats only talking the 991S. Anything further up, its just unfair for anyone who tries to compete with them.

Anyone who says differently either just strictly doesnt like the best or have not experienced the fact that Porsche is and has been the bar for 50 years.

My prediction, AMG GT still wont stack up to a similarly priced 911. When you are priced in the range of a 991 GTS/GT3 and Turbo, you failed before you even started.

[BMW269]

Originally Posted by Wolfinwolfsclothing

+1

There is still nothing in this class or any class nearly as good as a 911 (except the 458 speciale and GT3 are close)...and thats only talking the 991S. Anything further up, its just unfair for anyone who tries to compete with them.

Anyone who says differently either just strictly doesnt like the best or have not experienced the fact that Porsche is and has been the bar for 50 years.

My prediction, AMG GT still wont stack up to a similarly priced 911. When you are priced in the range of a 991 GTS/GT3 and Turbo, you failed before you even started.

I'd still prefer the 944 or 928 over the 911: Front engine.

[Red Bread]

Yep and I'd prefer a Cayman 3.8l over a 911. The GT may very well surprise the Porsche crowd though. Have they listed weight yet?

[Year's_End]

I love this car. I still find the GT3 more attractive in all areas save for the looks though.

[Wolfinwolfsclothing]

Originally Posted by Red Bread

Yep and I'd prefer a Cayman 3.8l over a 911. The GT may very well surprise the Porsche crowd though. Have they listed weight yet?

They listed weight at a bit over 3600 pounds, or around 250-300 lbs heavier than the 991S. That alone right there is going to hamper it from being as dynamic, agile and precise as the 911.
I dont think its going to surprise anyone. The AMG GT is priced right in the range of a 991 GTS, the GT3 and turbo. The 991 GTS is being called the GT3 with a manual transmission, the GT3 is well the GT3 aka best car in the world right now, and the turbo is the best GT car in the world. When the AMG can take on any one of those cars and beat it in every aspect, then I'd call it a surprise, but then again, that wont be happening...ever.

Cayman GT4 is going to be a world beater we know the cayman can be if Porsche pulls out all the stops...hell, even pulling out 50-75% of the stops will do it because its just too good of a chasis/car/engineering.

[Red Bread]

Shame about the weight. That is likely to keep it from being quite as capable as I'd hoped.

[BMW269]

Originally Posted by Wolfinwolfsclothing

The 991 GTS is being called the GT3 with a manual transmission.

I wonder who calls it that way. It is nothing else than a 911 S with Powerkit and some non-performance enhancing GT3 goodies.

[yousefnjr]

Originally Posted by KingOfJericho

I would buy a 911 over nearly anything.

+1

C2S with MT, white on red please

Not that my poor man opinion matters though lol

[hellrotm]

If I would go Porsche, I would take Cayman over the 991. The 911 just isn't the same, it keeps growing in size. 911 is more a GT car now than a sports car. The AMG GT is looking real good, more of a proper GT car than the 991 and it sounds like it has tremendous track capabilities to boot. There are certain attributes of the AMG GT I prefer over the 991.

[hellrotm]

Originally Posted by Levi

I wonder who calls it that way. It is nothing else than a 911 S with Powerkit and some non-performance enhancing GT3 goodies.

Exactly, GTS has never been referred as that.

[hellrotm]

Originally Posted by Red Bread

Shame about the weight. That is likely to keep it from being quite as capable as I'd hoped.

That is the incorrect curb weight. AMG has stated the GT is 1540kg or 3,395lbs, GT-S weighs in at 1570 or 3,461lbs.

It doesn't weigh 3,600lbs, as Wolf is trying to state. The bigger SLS AMG GT curb weight is 3,571lbs. The new AMG-GT is a smaller car, 991 size.

[Red Bread]

Originally Posted by BlackJetE90

That is the incorrect curb weight. AMG has stated the GT is 1540kg or 3,395lbs, GT-S weighs in at 1570 or 3,461lbs.

It doesn't weigh 3,600lbs, as Wolf is trying to state. The bigger SLS AMG GT curb weight is 3,571lbs. The new AMG-GT is a smaller car, 991 size.

Okay, then game on, especially since the 991 is a little porky and the 992 is unlikely to save any weight.

[attila]

The 991 Turbo is over 3,500lbs, and the AMG GT is more of a Turbo competitor. The new GTS has revised 7-speed manual and different suspension tuning but apart from that it is a C2S or C4S with the power kit. Will post pictures when mine arrives!

[AZ135]

The 911 doesn't even register as a desirable car for me (except for the 997 GT3). My parents picked up an F-Type R coupe and I recently got to spend a weekend driving it around town and it was unbelievably fun. The sound it makes, the looks it gets, everything about it is just awesome. The AMG GT looks, to me, like a direct competitor to the F-Type coupe, more so than a 911. I can't wait to see how they stack up against each other.

[attila]

Originally Posted by AZ135

The 911 doesn't even register as a desirable car for me (except for the 997 GT3). My parents picked up an F-Type R coupe and I recently got to spend a weekend driving it around town and it was unbelievably fun. The sound it makes, the looks it gets, everything about it is just awesome. The AMG GT looks, to me, like a direct competitor to the F-Type coupe, more so than a 911. I can't wait to see how they stack up against each other.

Good for You!
There are people here who would defend the 911 until their last breath. I am not one of them, even though I just ordered my second 911 (to replace my e92 M3) and my wife drives hers as well.
The 911 can be criticized for many things, looks etc but very few cars can be such a sporty DD than the 911 or such a good track car as the GT3. For me there is one huge thing that neither the Jag nor this new AMG GT has. Rear seats and AWD. I need a DD car preferably AWD with rear seats. The Audi RS5 has all these but there is no comparison in driving between the RS5 and the 991 GTS4 / C4S (I have to admit I have not driven the CTS4 yet) The Jag is simply not a year around DD car nor is the AMG GT. As a track car you can argue that the AMG GT will potentially hold it's own against the 991 Turbo but likely not so much against the GT3.

[Red Bread]

Now now, let's not go calling those things rear seats like they actually hold people. The 991 might be the first one that I could possibly wedge a forward facing kid seat behind myself with. I'm only 6'1", but I still manage to park the front seat against the rear seat in 997's and earlier.