Mercedes-AMG GT now $40K cheaper

Mercedes-Benz Australia has released a cheaper, less powerful version of its AMG GT supercar priced at $259,000 plus on-road costs – a whole $40,000 less than the GT S ($299,000) and just $6500 more than the Porsche 911 Carerra ($252,500).

The announcement comes as Mercedes-AMG stages the international launch of the piping-hot new GT R range-topper, local pricing for which is yet to be announced.

However, Mercedes-Benz Australia spokesman David McCarthy told motoring.com.au that Australians will be "pleasantly surprised" with the price, which will be announced ahead of the GT R's arrival here before mid-2017.

At the same time, the new Mercedes-AMG GT Roadster, which is likely to be available only in more powerful GT C form here, will also hit Australian showrooms.

Further afield, Mercedes-AMG is also working on a four-door GT to rival the Porsche Panamera, and an F1-inspired hypercar to take on Aston Martin's AMRB-001.

For now, the AMG GT should suffice, even if it runs a detuned version of the dry-sump twin-turbo 4.0-litre V8 offered by the GT S here since mid-2015.

With 'just' 340kW/600Nm on tap (35kW and 50Nm less than the 375kW/650Nm S), the standard GT coupe is just two-tenths of a second slower to 100km/h (four seconds) and has a 6km/h slower top speed (304km/h).

Meantime, apart from adding an electric folding roof and Airscarf tech, the GT Roadster offers 350kW, while the GT C Roadster ramps that up to 410kW and is priced just 5000 Euros lower than the GT R in Europe.

Of course, the top-shelf GT R – at least until the GT Black Edition arrives – ups the outputs of AMG's front/mid-engined super-coupe to 430kW and also scores uprated suspension and aerodynamics.

Full Australian specs are not yet available, but in Germany the base GT rides on four 19-inch alloy wheels (the S features 20-inch rears) and makes do with a conventional mechanical – rather than electronic -- limited-slip rear differential.

Apart from badging, other technologies missing in the non-S GT as standard include 'race' mode for Speed Shift seven-speed automatic rear transaxle, AMG Ride Control adaptive dampers and a lithium-ion 12-volt battery.

However, at least in Europe, the standard GT also comes with carbon-ceramic brakes (although the front rotors are 30mm smaller at 360mm and the callipers are red not silver), weighs 30kg less at 1540kg and consumes 0.1 litre less fuel per 100km at 9.3L/100km.

There's the same full Nappa leather trim inside – although it remains to be seen if our base GT gets fake suede inserts instead of the GT S's perforated leather – and the GT S scores red rather than white instrument dials.

Mercedes always said it would only release the standard GT if customers demanded it Down Under, where the GT S was sold out for 18 months by the time it arrived in July 2015.

GT S sales have numbered about 200 since then, including about 140 to November this year. Porsche has sold more than 400 911s in the same period.