Mercedes-AMG recently hosted a media drive of the new GT Black Series, allowing journalists to check out the company’s most extreme, powerful and expensive car on sale today. Following in the footsteps of the iconic Black Series models of the past, which were built on the SLK, CLK, SL, C63 and SLS, it dons a motorsports suit inspired by the GT3 and GT4 racers, with lots of carbon fiber, big air intakes, adjustable front apron and a huge rear wing, all of which help improve downforce. In particular, the German automaker claims that it can generate more than 400 kg of downforce at 250 km/h.
Power comes from AMG’s twin-turbo
4.0-liter V8, which features a flat-plane crank, bigger turbos and other upgrades
to lift output to 720 HP and peak torque to 800 Nm. To handle all
of that power, Mercedes-AMG has also upgraded the seven-speed dual-clutch
automatic transmission, a much needed improvement considering that it has 143
HP and 100 Nm more than the previous range-topper of the series, the
GT R Pro. All told, it’s capable of hitting 100 km/h in 3.2 seconds
and 200 km/h from zero in under 9 seconds, while boasting a 325 km/h top speed.
At £ 188,345 (US$ 243,478) in the
United Kingdom, the GT R Pro was already very costly, but the new GT Black
Series makes it look affordable, as it starts at an eye-watering £3 35,000
(US$ 433,062). Mercedes has yet to confirm U.S. pricing, but we wouldn’t be
surprised if it shot past the US$ 400,000 mark making it one of the brand’s most
expensive offerings ever.
