AMG GT sold out until 2017

First customer versions of Mercedes-AMG's all-new GT S Coupe have arrived in Australia, where demand will exceed supply for up to 18 months depending on the specification.

Just 70 examples of the new German super-coupe, which was launched at Mount Panorama this week in the biggest AMG customer event ever seen in Australia, will make it Down Under this year. About half of those will be special Launch Edition models to be produced until the end of 2015.

They will be followed by more than 100 standard GT S coupes next year, but with Mercedes-Benz Australia holding more than 100 orders before pricing was even announced in March, cars ordered now are unlikely to be delivered until 2017.

Mercedes – which brought the first dozen GTs at Bathurst this week, two of which will be retained by the company – originally announced a starting price of $295,000 plus on-road costs for the GT S, with the Edition 1 costing almost $20,000 more at $314,900 plus ORCs.

Changes to the federal government's luxury car tax from July 1 have reduced those prices slightly, to $294,610 plus ORCs for the GT S (including LCT of $53,406 and GST of $21,928) and $314,510 for the Edition 1.

That makes the GT significantly cheaper than the model it replaces, the SLS AMG (120 local homes for which were found between 2009 and 2014, despite a circa-$500K price tag), but not its most direct rival in the Porsche 911, which opens at $208,200 and even undercuts it in racy GT3 guise ($293,200).

As we've reported, the Edition 1 is differentiated from the GT S via a black aerodynamic package comprising larger front splitter, 'flics' on the side air intakes and front wheel-arches, black trim on the side sill panels and a fixed rear wing.

There's also a carbon-fibre roof and exterior Night package with black diamond grille, black exhaust outlets, plus gloss-black front wing fins, wing mirror housings and rear diffuser.

The Edition 1 rides on 10-spoke light-alloy wheels (9.0x19-inch front, 11x20-inch rear) painted in black with a high-sheen finish, wrapped in 265/35 R19 tyres at the front and 295/30 R20 tyres at the rear.

Inside, it features Black nappa leather with red contrasting top stitching, Performance seats with integral belt guide in black nappa leather/DINAMICA microfibre with red contrasting top-stitching, Interior Black Diamond package, Performance steering wheel in DINAMICA microfibre with flattened lower section, 12-o'clock marking, red contrasting top stitching, steering wheel bezel in silver chrome with 'Edition 1' lettering and silver aluminium shift paddles.

Mercedes-Benz Australia says it is "leaving the door open" for the introduction of the standard GT variant, which produces 340kW and 600Nm, hits 100km/h in a claimed four seconds and has a 300km/h top speed. Also expected on sale eventually are top-shelf Black Series and convertible versions.

For now, however, both the GT S and Edition 1 are powered by the same direct-injection 4.0-litre twin-turbo petrol V8, which also powers the latest C 63 and is related to the 265kW 2.0-litre turbo four that powers the A 45 AMG.

Equipped with twin turbos located within the vee and a rear-mounted seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission (AMG SPEEDSHIFT DCT) as standard, in top-spec GT S form the 3982cc bent eight sends 375kW of power (at 6250rpm) and 650Nm of torque (between 1750 and 5000rpm) to the rear wheels.

AMG says that's enough to propel it to 100km/h in only 3.8 seconds on its way to a 310km/h top speed, while combined fuel consumption – lowered in part by idle-stop as standard – is listed at just 9.4L/100km and CO2 emissions at 219g/km on 98 RON premium unleaded.

With a kerb weight of just 1540kg, the base GT is 100kg lighter than the SLS, though extra equipment in the 1570kg GT S reduces the savings to 70kg. Front/rear static weight distribution for the front-engined, rear-transaxle GT S is the same as the SLS at 47/53.

In the GT S, the AMG RIDE CONTROL damping system is electronically controlled and adjustable on the fly — individually or as part of AMG's Dynamic Select system, which also tunes the hydraulic variable-ratio steering, throttle mapping, gearbox characteristics and stability and traction control functions across four preset modes (Comfort through Sport and Sport+ to Race).

There's a new electronically-controlled clutch-style limited-slip differential and the standard brake set-up features floating alloy/cast iron 390mm front discs and 360mm rears, but AMG also offers huge 402mm/360mm carbon brake discs as an option on the GT S.

Apart from standard safety features like a reversing camera, eight airbags, stability/traction control and tyre pressure monitoring, there is a range of Intelligent Drive assistance systems from the S-Class, including COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST PLUS, ADAPTIVE BRAKE, ATTENTION ASSIST, Adaptive Highbeam Assist, PRE-SAFE and PARKTRONIC.

Unique to the GT S is a Lane Tracking Package including Lane Keeping Assist and Blind Spot Assist, KEYLESS-GO Package, Anti-Theft Protection Package, Memory Package for the seats and AMG Dynamic PLUS Package comprising 911-style dynamic engine and transmission mounting system, firmer sports suspension, unique steering tune, yellow instrument cluster highlights and AMG Performance steering wheel in black DINAMICA.

GT S option packages include AMG Exterior Night ($1500), AMG Exterior Silver Chrome ($1800), AMG Exterior carbon fibre ($8500) and the Edition 1 package ($19,900).

Apart from a range of 19-inch wheel, leather and paint options (including the AMG Solarbeam hero colour for a cool $13,500), there is a host of other stand-alone options, including Distronic PLUS automatic cruise control ($1900), AMG Performance seats ($3900), Burmester 1000-Watt 11-speaker surround sound ($5800) and ceramic composite brakes ($17,500).

2015 Mercedes-AMG GT pricing (plus ORCs):
GT S – $294,610
Edition 1 – $314,510

Related reading:
>> Mercedes flexes AMG muscle
>> Mercedes-AMG GT S 2015 Review
>>