If The AMG GT Black Series In Magma Beam Orange Doesn't Dazzle You, The Price Might
The Mercedes-AMG GT Black Series is up for order, and if you thought it looked good in silver then wait until you catch it in AMG Magma Beam orange. Promising to drop as many jaws as the AMG V8 will with its 3.1 second 0-60 mph run, it's a fitting finish for the new flagship of the GT line-up – though the price tag may be tough to swallow.
The order books have opened up in Europe, and you'll need a deep wallet in order to put one on your driveway. Pricing starts at 335,240 euro (including 16-percent tax for Germany), which works out to around $389,000.
That's no small sticker, true, but then again the AMG GT Black Series may very well be worth every cent. The 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 engine has 730 horsepower between 6,700 and 6,900 rpm, and 590 lb-ft of torque from 2,000-6,000 rpm. Top speed is 202 miles per hour.
All the power goes to the rear wheels, via an AMD SPEEDSHIFT DCT 7G transmission. For the first time, AMG has used a flat crankshaft for the V8; it also stripped out the old transmission limits for faster shift performance and response time.
The AMG GT3 and GT4 race cars donate some aerodynamic know-how, meanwhile. There are more vents, more intakes, and more flics to help guide airflow around and through the GT Black Series, all in the name of keeping it glued to the ground and sufficiently cool. The front splitter is adjustable, its carbon fiber blade supporting settings for Street and Race.
At the back, there's a huge spoiler that also supports mechanical adjustment. Its carbon fiber span actually has two blades, and can be moved across 20-degrees depending on whether you want more braking performance and cornering ability, or just top speed.
Four different AMG DYNAMICS settings – Basic, Advanced, Pro, and Master – affect that, and there are various drive modes that promise to at least mildly tame the coupe for road use. AMG ceramic high-performance compound brakes are paired with motorsport-spec brake pads and discs to bring the whole thing to a halt.
Maybe the most eye-catching detail inside is the AMG TRACTION CONTROL adjustment dial. That offers easy access to the nine slip settings for the live rear axle, depending on how tail-happy you want the GT Black Series to be. The promise, according to the automaker, is a car that doesn't just tamp down your fun when you push hard, but actively works to support the degree of slip you dial in.
In short, this is basically as close to a race car that's legal for the road that Mercedes offers. It's priced accordingly, and though US sales won't kick off until early 2021, that just give you time to start saving.