It’s the most powerful V8 AMG has ever built
AMG has been playing a game of one-upmanship with itself by releasing ever more impressive versions of the Mercedes-AMG GT. First, there was the GT R coupe, then the even more powerful four-door GT 63 S and eventually a more track-focused version of the GT R. But the 2021 Mercedes-AMG GT Black Series is something more. It’s like, a ten-upmanship.
It starts with the engine. It’s a heavily revised version of the twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 AMG uses in multiple other Mercedes products. But it gains a flat-plane crankshaft as you’ll find in a Shelby GT350 or a Ferrari. The reason was for better engine response and more power. Supplementing this change are new camshafts, larger turbo compressors, bigger intercoolers, and a revised exhaust system. The final results of the changes mean this GT makes 720 horsepower from 6,700 to 6,900 rpm and 590 pound-feet of torque from 2,000 to 6,000 rpm. That makes it the most powerful V8 ever made by AMG. It also will get the GT Black Series to 60 mph in 3.1 seconds on the way to a top speed of 202 mph.
All that power goes through a carbon-fiber driveshaft inside a carbon-fiber torque tube to the rear-mounted seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. It has been upgraded to handle the extra power and torque, though Mercedes-AMG didn’t specify exactly how. It also has revised gear ratios and shifts logic. This power also only goes to the rear wheels.
The powertrain is only part of what makes this GT so wild, though. As you can plainly see, AMG has been busy with the aerodynamics. The car gets a giant grille inspired by the GT3 race cars to increase airflow to the engine and wheel areas. A manually adjustable front splitter can be put in a less easily damaged “street” setting or extended to the “race” setting for more downforce. The large vents in the hood provide greater engine cooling, and the ones above the fenders help with downforce. Also improving downforce are the smoothed and channeled underbody and the giant rear wing. That wing can be manually adjusted for how much rear downforce the driver wants. It also integrates an electrically adjusting flap. This flap is controlled automatically with different parameters depending on the driving mode, or it can be controlled independently by the driver. It goes down for high speed and goes up for better downforce and grip under braking and cornering. Put together all the aerodynamic upgrades and the GT Black Series can generate over 882 pounds of downforce at 155 mph.
AMG has also used a liberal amount of carbon fiber in the construction of the GT Black Series. The wing and many of the car’s aero aids are made of the stuff, but so are the roof, hatchback, many chassis reinforcements, and even the transmission mount and front anti-roll bar. Speaking of the suspension, the GT Black Series has electronically adjustable coil-overs like the GT R. Camber is manually adjustable front and rear, and the rear steel anti-roll bar has three positions for varying its stiffness. The car rides on lightweight wheels with Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R MO tires specifically formulated for the GT Black Series. Two compounds are available, softer or harder. The latter is intended for extensive track time. The front tires are 285-mm wide, and the rears are 335-mm wide. Stopping power comes from standard carbon-ceramic brakes.
The AMG GT Black Series also gets some attention inside. The door panels are lighter pieces with fabric door pulls. The entire interior is swathed in black leather and Dinamica faux suede. Orange stitching and stripes provide some bright highlights. Behind the seats is a roll cage, and the seats themselves are special carbon fiber pieces, but only if you don’t live in the U.S., Canada, or China. In those countries, Mercedes fits regular AMG sports seats. Also worth noting is that the windshield and the rear hatch glass are lightweight pieces compared to regular GTs.
Pricing for the ultimate AMG GT has not been announced yet. It seems safe to say that it will start above the GT R Pro’s price tag of $200,000, though. If you think you can afford it, you’ll be able to pick one up early next year.
Source: autoblog