For the past couple of years, the Porsche 911 hasn’t been the only six-figure sports from Germany in its segment. It’s had some company in the form of the Mercedes-AMG GT and it’s a car that poses a very serious threat to the famous 911. Not only that, but it’s a car that poses a very serious threat to the BMW 8 Series. Since its debut, it’s been one of the better looking cars on the road, with its stunning classic sports car looks and proportions. It’s a beaut. And it’s a riot to drive as well. Now, it’s gotten even better, with a limited-run, hardcore version — the Mercedes-AMG GT R Pro and it’s very impressive.
Posed to take on the Porsche 911 GT3 RS, the Mercedes-AMG GT R Pro is as extreme a track car as you can legally drive on the road. On the outside, it gets a ton of new aero, such as its new front splitter, front canards, massive rear diffuser, wheel vents over the front arches and a new rear wing. So it looks very extreme but it doesn’t look overdone. In fact, it looks awesome. Those green stripes a bit much but they can come in either matte grey or you can tell AMG to keep ’em.
Inside, it actually looks pretty normal, with only the lightweight buckets and the rear bracing hinting at the capabilities underneath the skin. And there are some serious capabilities under the skin.
The powertrain remains the same but that’s not to say it’s lacking. With 577 hp on tap from its 4.0 liter twin-turbocharged V8 borrowed from the standard AMG GT R, it still packs plenty of punch. But this GT R Pro is lighter, sharper and more dynamic. It gets manually-adjustable coilovers, which are three-way adjustable for height, rebound and compression. Its front torsion bar is made from carbon fiber, while its rear one is hollowed steel now.
All in all, it looks very cool, it should be very fast and it should be very fun. It’s an exciting new car and one that could have future BMW M8 variations a bit nervous.
[Photos: John Hietter]
