2024 Mercedes-AMG GT coupe revealed

The 2024 Mercedes-AMG GT coupe has made its global premiere at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, the culmination of this year’s Monterey Car Week auto extravaganza in California.

Although it carries over the long-bonnet, cab-backward design of AMG’s original GT, second-generation coupe is totally revamped and shares most of its hardware with the new (R232) Mercedes-AMG SL roadster that’s just arrived in Australian showrooms.

The second-generation GT – European deliveries of which start in early 2024, with an Australian release to follow soon after – is the fifth AMG-specific model following the SL, the CLS-based GT 4-Door sedan, the first-generation GT and the model it replaced, the gullwinged SLS coupe.

It will be offered solely as a coupe, with the new SL replacing the original GT Roadster and remaining AMG’s flagship drop-top model, and both top-end two-doors now offer four seats.

Mercedes-AMG claims the new GT is a much more practical grand tourer than its predecessor, as a significant dimensional stretch has liberated space for an optional 2+2 seating layout and greater luggage capacity.

Measuring 4728mm long (+177m), 1984mm wide (+44mm), 1354mm tall (+66mm) and with a wheelbase of 2700mm (+70mm), Mercedes’ answer to the Porsche 911 is a more genuine long-distance grand tourer rather than an uncompromising sportster that carries only two occupants and some soft luggage.

The new AMG GT also has a larger glasshouse, which is claimed to provide better visibility in all directions.

In addition, the outgoing GT’s rear-wheel drive format makes way for a fully variable AMG Performance 4MATIC+ all-wheel drive system, which is supplemented as standard by active aerodynamics, active roll stabilisation and active rear-axle steering.

While that means it lacks the rear transaxle powertrain layout of the original AMG GT, the new model is built around an elaborate composite aluminium body structure that’s been designed with rigidity and light weight in mind, but it’s still no waif at 1970kg with all fluids and a 75kg driver on board.

“The new AMG GT Coupe combines highly dynamic driving characteristics and distinctive sportiness with a high level of everyday comfort,” says Michael Schiebe, chairman of the management board of Mercedes-AMG.

“Our new GT is clearly the top-of-the-line product in our diversified portfolio and is therefore not only AMG’s youngest brand shaper, but also a clear commitment to the sports car made in Affalterbach [AMG’s base].

“With the new dimension concept and optional 2+2 seats, we are directly responding to the wishes of our customers. For a sports car in this class, this means passengers have a very good sense of space and plenty of room for their luggage.”

As in the SL, the GT’s rear seats are allegedly adequate for occupants up to 1.5 metres tall and, crucially, boot capacity now starts at a respectable 321 litres, expanding to a relatively cavernous 675 litres with the optional rear seats folded down.

Adding to practicality is an electrically operated tailgate with hands-free operability.

The 2024 Mercedes-AMG GT will initially be offered with two performance levels of AMG’s 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8, both hand-built at Affalterbach according to the performance division’s ‘one man, one engine’ principle.

The range-topping GT 63 4MATIC+ is tuned to belt out 430kW of power and a big 800Nm of torque (over a wide 2500-4500rpm), which is as per the new SL 63 and 100Nm more than the previous GT R and GT R PRO, but well down on the power outputs of the old GT Black Series (537kW/800Nm) and the more recent Track Series (580kW/850Nm).

The prodigious grunt translates to supercar-baiting performance as the GT 63 4MATIC+ is claimed to hit 100km/h in just 3.2 seconds (0.4sec sooner than the SL 63) and max out at 315km/h, as per SL 63.

The lesser 350kW/700Nm Mercedes-AMG GT 55 4MATIC+ is no slouch either, sprinting to 100km/h in 3.9sec and hitting 295km/h.

Again like the SL 63, drive is relayed to all four wheels via the AMG SPEEDSHIFT MCT 9G nine-speed automatic transmission, in which a wet start-up clutch replaces the torque converter. AMG claims this set-up reduces weight and, thanks to its lower mass inertia, delivers a fast and “emotional shift experience”.

Keeping the GT’s high-speed capability in check is a brand-new active aero package that’s been conceived to balance the conflicting parameters of low drag, downforce, optimal cooling efficiency and low wind noise.

One of the key elements of the aero package is the two-part, active air control system dubbed AIRPANEL. The first part operates with vertical slats hidden behind the lower air intake and the second is located behind the upper air intake with horizontal louvres.

In most situations these slats remain closed to minimise air resistance and direct airflow towards the underbody to reduce front-end lift. Only when the need for cooling is high do the fins open (the second system only from 180km/h) to allow maximum airflow to the heat exchangers.

There’s also a retractable rear spoiler integrated into the bootlid. Its position changes according to parameters that include road speed, longitudinal and lateral acceleration and steering angle. At speeds above 80km/h, the spoiler assumes one of five different angular positions to either optimise stability or reduce air resistance.

Another active aero element is a carbon-fibre flap of sorts that’s tucked away in the underbody ahead of the engine. Weighing just 2kg, it’s touted as an exclusive AMG development and protected by patents.

This component reacts to the position of the AMG drive programs and automatically lowers by around 40mm at 80km/h. This creates a Venturi effect, which sucks the car onto the road and reduces lift on the front axle. AMG claims the driver “feels this positively in the steering as the AMG GT Coupe can be steered more precisely in bends with even more directional stability.”

It doesn’t end there, as AMG is also offering an optional aerodynamic package that includes additional flics on the outer air intakes and on the wheel-arches. At the rear, the airflow is optimised by side flics on the rear apron, a larger diffuser attachment and a fixed rear wing. This aerodynamics package further reduces lift at the front and increases downforce at the rear, says AMG.

The new GT’s AMG DYNAMIC SELECT drive mode selector offers Slippery, Comfort, Sport, Sport +, Individual and RACE settings to enable a wide range of vehicle characteristics from cossetting to dynamic.

It’s not too hard to overwhelm traction (especially in the wet) in the existing AMG GT, but the second-gen coupe should unleash its prodigious torque far more efficiently, thanks to a fully variable AMG Performance 4MATIC+ all-wheel drive set-up.

An electromechanically controlled clutch connects the front and rear axles, enabling the GT to be driven as a traction-oriented all-wheel drive – with 50/50 front/rear power distribution – or as a pure rear-wheel drive.

Suspension is by a multi-link arrangement at the front and rear, and to reduce unsprung mass all suspension links, steering knuckles and wheel carriers on both axles are fabricated from forged aluminium.

AMG claims this light yet rigid set-up delivers “excellent lateral dynamics and driving stability at high speeds, as well as good-natured response to external influences such as crosswinds, bumps in the road or jumps in the coefficient of friction”.

The new GT also gains active roll stabilisation as standard, but the system doesn’t use a conventional 48-volt electromechanical anti-rollbar set-up as seen in several other vehicles.

Instead, the GT’s anti-roll system has all four adaptive dampers interconnected, with sophisticated chassis control software co-ordinating the compression and rebound of each damper to all but cancel out pitching and rolling.

AMG claims the system works efficiently because it uses the vehicle’s existing kinetic energy to positively influence roll behaviour. The hydraulics of the AMG ACTIVE RIDE CONTROL suspension also feed the optional lift system for the front axle. If necessary, the front-end can be raised by 30mm, making it easier to negotiate tricky driveway entrances and the like.

The other key ingredients in the GT’s dynamic recipe are a locking rear differential and active rear-axle steering (HAL) as standard. The rear wheels steer in either the opposite direction (up to 100km/h) or in the same direction (above 100km/h) as the front wheels, improving manoeuvrability at low speeds and stability at high speeds.

Stopping power promises to be top-notch via composite brake discs – measuring 390mm with six-piston callipers at the front and 360mm with single-piston callipers at the rear. AMG says the ‘directional perforation’ in the rotors is also new, making for better heat dissipation and faster response in the wet.

The standard wheel/tyre package brings 20-inch rims with 295/35 ZR20 rubber at the front and 305/35 ZR20 at the rear, but 21-inch hoops (in a choice of three designs) will also be optionally available.

Mercedes-AMG describes the new GT’s cockpit layout as “hyper analogue”, combining traditional design elements with the latest digitised interfaces.

The centre console is dominated by a portrait-style 11.9-inch multimedia touch-screen employing Merc’s MBUX operating system, while the digital instrument cluster can be personalised with individually selectable main views including specific layouts for ‘AMG Performance’ and ‘AMG TRACK PACE’.

Join the conversation at 

our Facebook page

Or email us at 

editor@carsales.com.au