Forza Horizon 4: A Tale of Two Mercs

The recent Summer Horizon Playlist is like Lady Chatterlay's Palace. There are so many challenges to overcome in a week but after a harsh battle at Lady Chatterlay's Palace, I got some souvenirs from the trip but the biggest catches are the two Mercs that are new in the game; the AMG GT 4-Door and the X-Class.



First off, here's the AMG GT 4-Door that I got from the playlist. Despite sharing the name of the two-door AMG GT, both the coupe and the 4-door have no relation. The base GT43 has the basic 6-cylinder turbo engine while the mid-range GT53 comes with the 3.0L in-line six-cylinder engine with EQ Boost electric auxiliary compressor and the range-topping GT63S, seen here, features a more powerful 4.0L V8 Twin Turbo engine that produces 639PS of power, while mated to a SPEEDSHIFT TCT 9G-Tronic.



Come to think of it when I first laid my foot down on the GT 4-door, in the range-topping GT63S, I had a fitting expression that I might dance like the F90 M5 but the GT63S isn't more than just a dancing mirage. It's a top star with an arrogant but elegant aura that unsheathes the sword and slashes through stardom except for some Achilles' heels in store for this car; the handling and the sluggish 9G-Tronic gearbox. I know, I tried, but anyway, with the GT63S sporting the expression that says "THIS IS MAYA TENDO" on it, gotta love that Starlight reference I made, this 4-door coupe is ready for action.



After my time with the GT 4-Door, it's time to take a look on my other Merc.



This is the Mercedes-Benz X-Class, the luxury car company's first pickup, but don't be fooled by its looks because this is basically a Nissan underneath and just like the Nissan it was based on, the X-Class features a ladder-frame chassis combined with the super-high-tensile-strength steel to ensure it's tough enough to go anywhere and it has engageable 4MATIC with two different modes; low-range that sacrifices top speed for better offroad capability while high-range for better traction offroad. Under the hood, the X-Class is powered by a 2.3L four-cylinder turbodiesel engine in two different power outputs with the highest producing 190PS of power and 450Nm of torque, mated to either a 6-speed manual or a 7-speed automatic gearbox.

I managed to give it a try to see what's what behind the wheel of this Mercedes-Nissan truck.



So, which of the two Mercs I got is the best? Well, for me, I think the GT63S is my pick because it has the talent of the top star in the revue despite the handling issue and the lagging gearbox. It almost feels like the F90 M5 that I fell in love with a while back and when compared between them, seems like Maya Tendo's no match against Maika Chono. Huhehe...

Anyway, enjoy your new rides.

Mercedes-AMG CLS53 vs. AMG GT 4-Door

The third-generation Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class W257 finally gets its own AMG variant but it's not in a way we think because following the introduction of AMG's new 53 range that began with the E53 Coupe and Cabriolets, the AMG version of the W257 CLS is following suit with the first-ever CLS53 AMG and the question is, why this? Let's analyze.

2019 Mercedes-AMG CLS53

Starting at 84,431 Euros, this is the CLS-Class' starting point at the Mercedes-AMG stable, the CLS53, and while its not as lairy as the old CLS63 AMG from the previous generation, the powertrain of the CLS53 makes it rather special in every single way.

Like the E53 vehicles before, the CLS53 features a new 3.0L in-line six-cylinder engine with EQ Boost electric auxiliary compressor, which is a a mild-hybrid that doesn't makes it a Prius in a tuxedo. What it does is that it delivers 457PS of power and 520Nm of torque, that's V8 power in a very small six-cylinder engine made by Mercedes and when mated to a SPEEDSHIFT TCT 9G-Tronic, the CLS53 sprints from 0-100kph in four and a half seconds and it is electronically limited to 250kph or with the optional driver's package, it does up to 270kph so it's fast.

While some say that the CLS53, because of its all-wheel drive system, is going to be mild and tangy like an Audi S7 but it's not true because this all-wheel drive system here is the AMG Performance 4MATIC+, meaning that it can be transitioned to either all four wheels or to the back with its fully variable torque distribution, letting this car dance like it means it.

So, if you like the CLS53 for its powertrain way beyond six-cylinder levels thanks to its mild-hybrid setup and its dynamics worth a dancing mirage, you should turn their attention to this one;

2019 Mercedes-AMG GT 4-Door

This is the first-ever Mercedes-AMG GT 4-Door and while this is basically AMG's answer to Porsche's Panamera and Maserati's Quattroporte, the AMG GT 4-door delivers the same thrills as its two-door equivalent while having a VIP in the backseat, despite the fact that both the two-door and the four-door AMG GTs aren't really relatives.

There are different levels of the AMG GT 4-door to choose from, something that its two-door equivalent never had the chance (and never will be because it will stick being a V8 sportscar). The highest-spec version, the GT63S, features a more powerful 4.0L V8 Twin Turbo engine that produces more power than the old 6.0L V12 used on the S65 range. 639PS of course. However, if you got a driver's license for the first time, better stick to the middle-ranged GT53 with its 3.0L in-line six-cylinder engine with EQ Boost electric auxiliary compressor like the one I mentioned above, and the low-calorie equivalent GT43 with the basic 6-cylinder turbo engine.

The GT43 starts at 91,809 Euros while the top-end GT63S starts at an outrageously priced 167,017 Euros. Very expensive indeed but it doesn't matter which GT 4-Door you choose because no matter the engine, you will still be greeted by its AMG Performance 4MATIC+ all-wheel drive system that can be transitioned to either all four wheels or to the back with its fully variable torque distribution, meaning that this four-door couple likes to get in the groove on the road and on the track, reminiscent of how today's Mercedes E63 and BMW M5 do in their time.

In conclusion; although the four-door AMG GT has all the levels and the groove to make it more ready for action, those who haven't got that kind of value should better stick with the CLS53 for the time being but if the timing's just right for people who saved enough money for not buying the CLS53, they'll be lucky enough to drive the four-door AMG GT which shares nothing in common with the two-door equivalent and basically just an improved E-Class underneath it. Sounds like a plot twist but either way, these two new AMG four-door coupes are sure enough to give drivers the twist they want.

Photo: Daimler AG

Forza Motorsport 7: The Anglo-German quagmire

For some bothersome speedo boys, the partnership between Aston Martin and Mercedes-AMG can be downright bothersome ever since the British sports car maker announced that they will borrow AMG's V8 engine for their forthcoming models, including the DB11.

In my early youth, I always wanted AMG to be the one that bears exotic power on everyday models ever since the G65, the SL65, and the S65 hoping that one day, all models bearing the 55 nomenclature should advance to 65 and become an all-V12 lineup but no, they'd rather want to keep the V8 at bay and introduced the 63 nomenclature to everyday models like the E-Class, the C-Class, and so on, and even though today's 63 models are turbocharged and sourced from the AMG GT flagship sportscar, it wasn't enough to whet my appetite. Even the newer Aston Martins with AMG V8 engines fared worse than ever in my mind. This is the Anglo-German quagmire I didn't see it coming and to explain what I'm on about, I'm gonna have a shootout between a V8-powered AMG and a V12-powered Aston to see if V8 power is the way forward or not.





For this shootout, I'd picked the Mercedes-AMG GT R, which has a 4.0L V8 BiTurbo on it, and an Aston Martin DB11, which has a 5.2L V12 Twin Turbo engine. Yes, the DB11 has more power than the AMG GT R but is the V12 really faster than the V8? To find out, I'm standing here at the Top Gear Test Track to explain what I'm on about.



For some incumbent reasons, Mercedes-AMG wanted the V8 to stay rather than transforming itself into an all-V12 lineup. That's how the world rattled when they introduced the 63 nomenclature in reference to the 6.3L V8 but with times are changing, the 63 models had their engines downsized and at the turn of the new decade, there was the 5.5L V8 BiTurbo engine, and now, several years later, this engine. the 4.0L V8 BiTurbo engine. Introduced to the normal AMG GT, the 4.0L V8 BiTurbo engine can be tweaked out depending on the model and in this hot version, the AMG GT R, it produces 585HP of power and 700Nm of torque while mated to a 7-speed AMG SPEEDSHIFT MCT, and it's not even the most powerful AMG offering yet, you know, but in the world where downsizing is becoming mainstream in most carmakers, this engine never fails to impress and this is the main reason why I love this AMG GT in every point of view because I tried it before.



Aston Martin has been well-known for their V12-powered grand tourers but with the introduction of the DB11, they've thrown the world a curve with the introduction of the 5.2L V12 Twin Turbo engine, which is smaller than the predecessors' 6.0L V12 engine but it sounds very smooth indeed and produces a lot of power than the old engine. 608PS of power and 700Nm of torque, that's how the V12 works and it's great to know that downsizing aside, they've still retained the V12 for the purity of it but annoyingly, Aston Martin added the AMG V8 BiTurbo engine on it, and care to guess how the AMG V8 BiTurbo fares against Aston's own V12 Twin Turbo engine? That's why we're here at the Top Gear Track to settle this issue once and for all.

Obviously, it's very impossible to beat the lap times set by The Stig in real life, so what I'm gonna do is do the shootout my way to see which one is the best. Is it the one with the AMG V8 BiTurbo or the one with the Aston Martin V12 Twin Turbo? Time to roll the clip.



And now, the results...

AMG GT R - 1:20.231
DB11 - 1:23.402

It's a shocking result! Although not as fast as The Stig's the gap between them has been narrowed to just almost three seconds! But still, I find that surprising that V8 power is the way forward especially if it comes from Mercedes-AMG.





I had to admit that what they did is not a quagmire to sports cars because Mercedes-AMG really know what they were doing, creating the best engines made specifically for their kind of cars, and with the 4.0L V8 BiTurbo engine, it's all about getting acquainted with all the right grooves and the right place. The Aston V12 Twin Turbo may be smooth and powerful but in the end, looks like David beaten Goliath at the very end and looks like Aston Martin did surrender their fate to the Germans, knowing that the AMG V8 BiTurbo would look good on their forthcoming models, even the DB11.

GT SPORT: Meet the hero car of the game

The Mercedes-AMG GT is served as the hero car of Gran Turismo Sport and you can really tell it because it was featured in the game's cover art. Getting to know the game's hero car can be as flattering as meeting your favorite celebrity in person but this is no time for flattery because it's time to get some serious matter about AMG's latest halo sports car that follows the footsteps of its powerful predecessor.



So, what is the AMG GT anyway? Premiered at the 2014 Paris Motor Show, the AMG GT doesn't count as a worthy successor to the very brutal and very powerful SLS AMG because of the power out that separates these two but needless to say, the AMG GT's newly developed 4.0L V8 BiTurbo engine produces almost the same amount of torques as the defunct SLS AMG. In the S version, that produces 502HP of power and 478.8ft-lb of torque while mated to a 7-speed AMG SPEEDSHIFT MCT. It does 0-60mph in less than four seconds and a top speed of 193mph.

Believe it or not, this is the first-ever turbocharged engine that has two turbochargers bolted inside the engine rather than on the outside of the cylinder banks. This kind of setup optimum response from the turbochargers and low exhaust gas emissions thanks to optimum air flow for the close-coupled catalytic converters. Another great trick is the dry sump lubrication which preserves the oil supply during high G forces and allows the engine to be installed lower, providing better center of gravity.

Performance aside, the AMG GT features an aluminium spaceframe with intelligent material mix on the body which sets the new standards for modern sportscars and resulted to lightweight but rigid sportscars that accommodates rather well with its drivetrain.

Apart from that, the AMG GT comes with other key points that makes it capable on the road and on the track such as electronic rear-axle locking differential, race-derived double wishbone suspension, electronically-controlled damping with AMG DYNAMIC PLUS package, and ceramic high-performance composite brake system.



Having sampled the taste of Affalterbach's offering, the AMG GT still retains the charm point of the old SLS AMG even though its short on power compared to it and that is even with the smaller V8 twin-turbo engine that became the basis for future AMG models, it can still tickle the drivers' fancy. It can bark but this car can really bites the driver with unpredictable patterns of handling it. Going to fast, it may oversteer through the corner, but going too slow, it may trigger understeer, so you may need to be careful about handling this thing which is surprisingly intimidating for a small car with a smaller V8 engine on the front.

You can drive it very gently but don't go too gently on it because there are times you need to be gentle with its behavior and there are times to go for broke so if you going to set blistering fast times or outwit the competition, you'd better prepare for a strategy that involves dealing with the AMG GT's dynamism that requires only the driver's timing to get things right or get bitten by it.





Right, now that I said everything about the AMG GT, how about going for  quick drive round Willow Springs on the AMG GT? This is how I will get to know about the car better in the idea of driving through a technical track to see what is what. Oh, and if you noticed this odd looking AMG GT I'm having, I replicated it after Tej's AMG GT from The Fate of the Furious. If you want it, come, but first, a hot lap round Willow Springs with GT SPORT's hero car.



After a hot lap round Willow Springs, I did it in a 1:30.329, not as fast as what a German industrialist would do but it is clear that the AMG GT requires concentration and timing to get the satisfactory it deserves.



For five decades, AMG has been evolved from once a tuning company that modifies Benzes into the high performance division of Mercedes-Benz, and with a wide selection of high-performance Benzes on the road and on the track, nothing's sweeter than celebrating the AMG's jubilee in every single way and with the AMG GT, the jubilee has just begun for them. It's a great thing the Gran Turismo franchise celebrates the AMG's jubilee by featuring the AMG GT as the hero car of GT SPORT and by evoking AMG knowhow to the spirit of Gran Turismo, the AMG GT colors the picture between the two best things a petrolhead would love in terms of opera, art, and donuts.

Here's to fifty more years, AMG, and if you want to drive the AMG GT for yourself, get GT SPORT now on the PS4.

Forza Motorsport 7: AMG GT R vs. COTA

While in a middle of a hangover from last week's USGP held at the Circuit of the Americas as well as the one where the world's fastest man is riding shotgun with the AMG GT R round the track, that moment gave me the inspiration to drive the Mercedes-AMG GT R round COTA just like what happened last weekend in the Texas-based F1 circuit.



Wait, what? AMG GT R? In COTA? Again? Didn't I done that before in that other game? Okay, you got me fair and square. I once tried driving that car on the said track on P******t C**S 2 just to get a glimpse of what it feels like driving Mercedes-AMG's beast of Green Hell on the venue of the F1 USGP. With Forza 7 featured the same car and the same track, it won't be long until I see the difference when I put the same car on the same track using two different racing games. So much for being a racing genius, eh?



Anyway, the Mercedes-AMG GT R delivers the motorsports knowhow from the AMG GT3 racing machine to the track while delivering some road-legal manners as an everyday sportscar.

It uses a specifically-tuned version of the AMG 4.0L V8 BiTurbo engine producing 585HP of power and 700Nm of torque while mated to a 7-speed AMG SPEEDSHIFT MCT. It does 0-100kph in 3.6 seconds and onwards to 318kph.

The AMG GT R features a new aerodynamics profile in the underbody that when engaged in RACE mode, it sucks the car onto the road and reduces the front-axle lift by around 40kg at 25kph. Other noteworthy features of the AMG GT R includes the active air management system, AMG coil-over suspension, active rear-wheel steering, AMG TRACTION CONTROL, rear-axle LSD, and speed-sensitive sports steering.



That other day, I tried that other racing game to get the feeling of what is like driving the AMG GT R round COTA. Now with Forza 7, let's see if there is a difference between the two games when it comes to driving the same car on the same track, regardless of my driving style.



After a lap round COTA, the Mercedes-AMG GT R did it in 2:25.908, although not as fast as what a German industrialist would attempt in his spare time, there is of course one scientific conclusion we can all agree with.

Truth is, it doesn't matter which car you're driving at or which track you're on. It all depends on the games themselves. Forza 7 delivers a much customizable driving feel and when set to SIMULATION, it wants to give drivers a more realistic feel but on that other game I tried the other day, that true-to-life driving physics really sets the men apart from the boys when it comes to get a sense on how a car like this handles. Although not a very professional opinion as such, it really is a lesson I can really learn from these two games because by putting the same car on the same track, the difference between the two games are slightly profound but for me, they're much harder to match the reality of driving.

Project CARS 2: AMG GT R vs. COTA

For today's Project CARS 2 session, time to take the spin with the ultimate AMG track monster in one of America's most demanding racetracks in history, so demanding, it even hosted the USGP of the Formula One championship. I'm talking about driving the AMG GT R round the Circuit of the Americas.



Of course, you might ask that I have been awoken from the moment when you saw the AMG GT R driving round COTA before the USGP race started last weekend, with the world's fastest man riding shotgun, and that moment of seeing the beast of the Green Hell going around the Texas-based racetrack gave me the idea to do my thing here on Project CARS 2.



The AMG GT R is a high-performance variant of the AMG GT sportscar that uses an specifically tuned version of the AMG 4.0L V8 BiTurbo engine that produces 585HP of power and 700Nm of torque while mated to a 7-speed AMG SPEEDSHIFT MCT. It does 0-100kph in 3.6 seconds and a top speed of 318kph.

Apart from the speed it delivers, the GT R features a new active aerodynamics profile hidden underneath the body and when in RACE mode, the aerodynamics produces a Venturi effect, sucking the car onto the road and reduces the front-axle lift by around 40 kilograms at 250 km/h. It even has an active air management system which lets the louvers control the airflow, the AMG coil-over suspension that was suitable for track duty, active rear-wheel steering, AMG TRACTION CONTROL that isolates the grip on the driven wheels and does not affect the stabilisation provided by the ESP, rear-axle limited-slip differential, and speed-sensitive sports steering.



Listening to that crisp V8 exhaust note, despite the turbochargers, the GT R really is all bark and all bite and with all that motorsports knowhow deployed to this car, the GT R is an extreme track toy in its own right, although in the case of aggressive driving scenarios, best to watch out for any anomalies the GT R possess, like for instance, in the event of sliding, it feels like the steering's offline, making it difficult to regain grip through the corners during oversteering. Trust me, it happened to me but if you are experienced enough to ride this ride, you can do things no one else can in an AMG GT R. It may feel dynamic but the more you're driving it, the more you're having fun with it.

Well, with easier said than done, I made a little clip of driving the AMG GT R round COTA GP in a typical Mercedes-AMG test driver kind of way, just to have the sense of what is like driving it in an American Formula 1 circuit located in the Lone Star state.





Well, (chuckle) not the best I can do with it but it goes to show that even though the AMG GT R has some of the motorsport pedigree derived from the AMG GT3 racing machine, in an event of aggressive driving situations, you need to tread carefully or you'll be stuck sliding with the steering wheel offline while trying to regain grip. Still, I had fun driving AMG's latest offering round Circuit of the Americas.

FH3 Hot Wheels: Dino Thunder

As you can see, we are rejoined by the Mercedes-AMG GT R, the most hardcore version of the Mercedes-AMG GT, and while donning the familiar design I made since our last encounter, it's taking on a new adventure right here on Thrilltopia. Of course being Thrilltopia, the AMG GT R isn't just taking on the toughest visitors because today. we're trying to brave through this...



(roaring sounds)

We're trying to brave through an area infested by a giant T-Rex. Don't worry, they're not real, they're just mechanical T-Rexes, but seriously, they're as real as themselves so watch out for these metal munchers because it's going to be catastrophic if you get too close with these primal predators.



It's not just the T-Rexes we have to worry about now because even though this is the AMG equivalent of the Porsche 911 GT3, the Hot Wheels Thrilltopia is a free-for-all battleground so you will never know which cars your opponents might have and because this was designed to test the limits of your driving, you need some decent strategy to survive this primal playground designed from your childhood dreams and nightmares. Even when I'm brave against these gigantic creatures, it's the fast cars I should be worrying about because I never know what comes under the hood and they should not be underestimated.



Anyway, no time to be sappy right now because now is the time to unleash the AMG GT R, along with its Yuzu-ness for a shiny smile of my face in the face of danger, in an epic battleground where bravery comes first before speed and everything else. So, best of luck, then.



Now that was the toughest challenge we faced in this playground but the AMG GT R barely made it after all that bravery and speed witnessed in this dinosaur-infested battleground. I got to say that this was one heck of an epic drive indeed with the AMG GT R and looks like I am getting the hang of this place...well, almost.

Mercedes-AMG GT Roadster

As you may have heard through now, the Mercedes-AMG GT sportscar has been given a minor change and while the latest minor change gave it more power on the S variant as well as new looks, new handling improvements, and some other stuff, there's one new addition to the latest version of the Mercedes-AMG GT lineup; a roadster version.

2018 Mercedes-AMG GT Roadster

Welcome aboard to the brand new Mercedes-AMG GT Roadster and while it delivers the same thrills as the normal hardtop version, this open-top equivalent looks more convincing to drive on the open roads without all the drama. So, what is it then, anyway?

As an open-top equivalent of the not-so-bad Mercedes-AMG GT, the new roadster variant slightly weighs more than the hardtop version but despite the added weight, the most powerful version in the open-top variant, the C, produces 558PS of power output from its 4.0L V8 BiTurbo engine, which is more than what the AMG GT Coupe S produces but less than what the AMG GT R has.

Much ado about humiliating the likes of the Jaguar F-Type R Cabriolet and the Porsche 718 Boxster S, the GT Roadster, like the hardtop equivalent features stuff derived from the GT R variant such as AIRPANEL active air management system and active rear-axle steering, not to mention the rear-axle limited-slip differential, resulting to slightly improved dynamics that is as fun to drive as a supermarket trolley strapped with fireworks and despite the slightly added weight that most open-top versions would, the AMG GT Roadster is not just a screamer on the track but also a subtle grand tourer fit for epic road trips.

With prices start at 129,180 Euros, the GT Roadster is slightly more expensive than the hardtop equivalent and more expensive than the Jaguar F-Type R Cabriolet and the Porsche 718 Boxster. That sounds awful in terms of pricing but the GT Roadster is all about being a no-nonsense open-top sportscar that can work not just on the track but on the road as well without making all the fuss nearby and thanks with the stuff inspired from the GT R as well as numerous updates to keep it as fresh as a turkey on Thanksgiving Day, it's more than welcome to take on all comers no matter the cost.

Photo: Daimler AG

Forza Horizon 3: The Jungle Belle

Although this car says "GT R", this is not what this car seems because if you look closely, the GT R in question is not the Nissan GT-R, but rather a Mercedes-AMG GT R.

Yes. This is the one I was referring to. The high-powered version of the Mercedes-AMG GT sports coupe has arrived in Forza Horizon 3 via the Logitech G Car Pack. With that, players can take the beast from the Green Hell for a spin round the Land Down Under anyway they want.

Before taking this powered-up version of the AMG GT for a drive, what's it all about the AMG GT R? With the success of the the Mercedes-AMG GT, the latest flagship sports coupe that replaces the wondrous SLS AMG, the engineers decided to push this car a little further by injecting all their motorsport experiences into this car to create the AMG GT R. 

While this is basically a road-going version of the AMG GT3 racing machine, this new version features an upgraded 4.0L V8 BiTurbo engine producing 585HP of power as well as an upgraded suspension, new aerodynamics and the intelligent lightweight construction to deliver a race-honed feel on the road and on the track. 

Using the infamous Nurburgring as the benchmark to develop this car, the AMG GT R comes with an exclusive "AMG green hell magno" exterior color that reminds customers that this car was developed at the Nurburgring. It even comes with a special kind of active aerodynamics profile, which is concealed almost invisibly in the underbody in the front of the engine. When in RACE mode and going on 80kph, it automatically moves downward by about 40mm and changes the airflow considerably. With its track-honed dynamics, improved V8 engine, and its clever aerodynamics, the AMG GT R sets the standards for the AMG range and its capabilities are very impossible to ignore.

Spending an hour with this car is a clear reminder why I am tempted by the beast from the Nurburgring and the way the AMG GT R performs is like the Rumble in the Jungle. With that "green hell magno" color, the muscular tone of its V8 engine which isn't so bad for a turbocharged engine (although skeptical, I presume), and its clever aerodynamics that sticks to the road like butter, I had to say that I'm impressed with AMG's latest creation. By turning the AMG GT into a primal predator on a primeval scale, its dynamic character is unique and special in each and other way, although further concentration is very much needed because the next time you're trying to catch up with this car against other muscular machines, the only way to get them is through the corners. That's it. And if you're lucky, you'll be able to slip in like a thief in a night.

Speaking of Rumble in the Jungle, the AMG GT R's ready for its shooting schedule with me, demonstrating its Nurburgring-honed talents in the Land Down Under. However, there are script rewrites occurred for some numerous reasons...

From beast of the Green Hell into a "jungle belle", feels like someone has leapt from the tree for no reason and if anyone see this one with Aikatsu Stars' Yuzu Nikaido on the exterior paint, chances are this beast has turned into a beauty...who leapt from the tree at the school grounds. I am having such a braincrash every time an idol girl is plastered on a car of my choosing, if you know what I mean? Anyway, no time to talk about it because the AMG GT R ready to show the world how it does against other AMG owners playing as background extras. So, are you ready?

3...2...1...action!

It maybe a difficult task to follow but it's good to know that I finally understand how the AMG GT R works during a meeting with other AMG machines all over Australia and while this is insanely a German sportscar with dynamic behavior, its handling and aerodynamics will give a clear reminder that this Nurburgring-engineered machine can do more than just lap times. It's just about having fun as a sportscar made for the discerning few and I have to give Mercedes-AMG a brave thanks.

Forza Motorsport 6: AMG GT meets the halo cars

The Mercedes-AMG GT is one of the most dramatic sports cars the high-performance division has ever made and with all that motorsport knowhow derived from its F1 team after one consecutive win after another in two Formula One seasons, it seems that Mercedes really made a well-balanced sportscar that ticks all the right boxes, apart from some people who believed that the AMG GT is not worthy of being a bonafide halo car Mercedes made.

As a matter of fact, let's look back at some of the best halo cars Mercedes ever made while driving around the GP Circuit part of the Nurburgring because the stuff I do on track takes less than five minutes while the stuff I do in the Nurburgring Nordschleife took about either seven, eight, nine, maybe ten, perhaps unless some actions need to be taken to capture such moments.

Let's start with the Mercedes CLK-GTR, basically a road-legal version of the CLK-GTR whose original track version became a threat in the ill-forgotten FIA GT1 and Le Mans races. The original version has a 6.0L V12 engine but the road-legal version has its engine size increased to 6.9L but produces less power than the race version while mated with a 6-speed gearbox. 0-100kph takes about 3.8 seconds and onwards to 344kph, which is way fast even at modern standards.

Although it looks exactly like a CLK-Class, the GTR shares no common traits with the normal CLK. Turning in one of these at a certain mall's parking space and a certain CLK owner might believe that that the CLK-GTR parked next to it would be extremely jealous of why it looks rakishly awesome than his. Anyway, because it draws inspiration from the race version it was based on, the CLK-GTR really feels at home on the track, although drivers may need some decent driving skills to master such a monstrous machine which is as monstrous as the monster from Frankenstein. As time passes by, the CLK-GTR remains one of the best timeless supercars Europe has ever made and so far, no other Benz does it better than this.

The SLR is the result of the Anglo-German collaboration between the two companies; Mercedes-Benz and McLaren. Despite being a Benz, it was made by McLaren. The 5.4 V8 that powers it was built by Mercedes, producing 626HP of power and 208mph of top speed, while its dynamics were the work of McLaren themselves, trying to employ its know-how from the McLaren F1 team.

Driving a car with Anglo-German ties sounds fabulous but it can result to a heated debate and as I drive this car, I can really feel the so-called tensions between UK and Germany. For Germans, the SLR should have been made to be a grand tourer while for the Brits, it should be a decent track weapon. Whatever that is, handling this car is like rehearing the topic about what would Brits do in its role to Europe, whatever that is.

The SLS AMG, meanwhile, combines tradition with performance in one memorable package. Although the design was heavily inspired by the 300SL, apart from its signature gullwing doors that make this car look flashy for no reason, it comes with a 6.2L V8 engine that produces 571 PS (420 kW; 563 hp) of power and 650 N·m (480 lb·ft) of torque. With so much torque, the SLS AMG behaves like an American muscle car with all that brute noise from its exhaust as well as its dynamic character that novices will find it very tricky to get through corners. With tire-shredding is what the SLS does best, some cynics would think that the SLS is considered to be an exotic but this is not an exotic car compared to Lamborghinis and Ferraris. This is just a grand tourer that just wants to let it roar on the road and track and cannibalize its own tires seriously.

Now, I'm heading back to the AMG GT and although it doesn't have the surprising traits of the past halo cars Mercedes made such as the road-legal CLK-GTR, the SLR (in collaboration with McLaren), and the SLS AMG by the way it performs, the AMG GT is simply one of the best ways how Mercedes-AMG defined the sportscar in its own terms.

Sure, the 4.0L V8 BiTurbo is less powerful than the old SLS AMG's V8 but with all the right dynamics heavily inspired by Mercedes' F1 team knowhow since their two-time win, it shouldn't be much of a problem to learn about how the AMG GT behaves. Believe it or not, I even manage to lap this car around the Nurburgring GP Circuit faster than the old SLS AMG...but only just.

In conclusion, the AMG GT is just one of the main reasons why Mercedes made a potent sportscar that does its job very seriously while retaining the AMG lunacy it deserves. In short, it's still a great car even if it doesn't have the mojo that past Mercedes halo cars made.

Mercedes-AMG GT

2016 Mercedes-AMG GT

For the past five years, the SLS AMG wowed us not just with the gullwing doors, which others suspect that it's a bit of a show-off, but also the brute force reminiscent of American muscle cars thanks to its V8 engine. Now that the SLS AMG is gone, we are going to miss such a thing but now, Mercedes-AMG created a new, no-nonsense, sportscar with a no-nonsense personality that will hopefully give the silver arrow fans a move on from the burly SLS.

The all-new Mercedes-AMG GT may be as smaller than the SLS it replaces but unlike the SLS, this is all about making sense in terms of dynamics rather than performance, and this is somewhat great for people who want to have a sportscar that is very accessible and very maneuverable than the SLS, which big torque results to chew its own tires off after several miles. This has a brand-new 4.0L V8 engine, which is smaller than the outgoing 5.5L V8 BiTurbo engine as seen from the SLS AMG GT, but mind you, the performance, despite its lower power output, is almost similar to the SLS AMG's. In the range-topping S model, whose V8 engine produces 510PS of power and 650Nm of torque, the 0-100kph time is 3.8 seconds and flat out at 310kph.

2016 Mercedes-AMG GT

Such performance is thanks to science and aerodynamics thanks to some extensive use of space-age chassis and aluminum bodywork. In the past, most AMGs love to become cannibals on the road and when they go around corners, they're starting to behave like savages or beasts in the wilderness. For this new model, it's becoming less than a tiger, and more of a cheetah because it's a well-balanced and accessible car with its newfound maneuverability that can handle the bends better than tail-happy ones, even with the likes of the Jaguar F-Type Coupe R. It even comes with an array of settings which can be adjusted to match your driving style. If you go for the AMG DYNAMIC PLUS on the S model, you can really push the AMG GT to its limits and discover its hidden potential underneath its small body.

Mind you, just like the F Type Coupe R, this car tends to misbehave and you can slide through corners just for fun, not for setting lap times on track days.

2016 Mercedes-AMG GT interior

Apart from the dynamics that make the AMG GT a brilliant car to drive regardless of anyone's skills, it has a great noise too despite a small engine. It may be less similar to the SLS's but boy, isn't that burly? It's like your granny's yaya who often shows her teeth off when she makes some hilarious stuff. It's also surprisingly civilized too in terms of comfort and design, well, the spoiler in the S model looks a bit disturbing for a car like this, but nevertheless, it's a well-behaved design. There are no gullwing doors that blow themselves up when upside down, so no further embarrassment will ever happen when your car got flipped over.

2016 Mercedes-AMG GT

The all-new AMG GT is priced at around 115,430 Euros, which is somewhat more expensive than the more powerful Jaguar F Type Coupe R but more affordable than the Porsche 911 GT3, meaning that at that price, the AMG GT is a great weekend getaway car and a great track day car at a same time. If there are any doubts, I admit, it's not as wild as the SLS AMG I truly love but even though it's not in the same league as the SLS, I admit that the AMG GT is one of the sensations of 2015, you can count on it.

Photo: Daimler AG