The Mercedes-Benz lineup of cars is a vast and complex topic. Even with AMG Performance branch having its own identity with the GT model lineup, there is a lot to choose from. But there’s never been any dispute that the ultimate performance iteration of a road-going Mercedes car is the one that bears the badge of “Black Series”. After a gap of 7 years, we have a new one – the AMG GT Black Series.
While Mercedes AMG took their sweet time to officially confirm their intent of eventually launching a Black Series model of the GT sports coupé, it’s been as predictable as the sunrise. After much waiting and much speculation, it’s finally here and it’s about as extreme as one would hope.
The GT Black Series takes a lot of direct inspiration from the AMG GT3 racecar. Amongst the visual cues, it now wears a ginormous rear wing, massive front grille, large air vents on the bonnet, wider body and more carbon fibre. More on the intricate active aero details later.
Unlike the GT R Pro, this isn’t just a track pack body kit for the AMG GT R. Under the hood, it has a heavily modified version of the 4.0-litre bi-turbo V8, codename M178 LS2. This flat-plane V8 churns out 730hp and 800Nm. That’s a big jump in power thanks to the race-engineered engine components and a reinforced 7-speed dual-clutch gearbox. Mercedes says the GT Black Series will be able to hit a top speed of 325kph, do the 0-100kph sprint in 3.2 seconds and 0-200kph in under 9 seconds. Impressive stuff for an RWD brute.
Let’s get into some of the aerodynamic details of the new GT Black Series. Its front splitter can be manually extended for added downforce around a track. The inlets feed more air to the enlarged radiators with massive hood vents to dissipate the heat over the top. The roofline is now indented for better airflow over the top. It has GT3-type louvres integrated into the wider front arches with larger air vents behind them. The Black Series also has a flat underbody for improved airflow.
Moving onto the back, there is the wide and tall racecar multi-level wing. The upper blade also features a movable flap that can electronically raise itself by 20-degrees should added downforce be needed for braking or cornering. Meanwhile, the lower blade was made to be small and narrow as it is ideal for the air arriving from the front of the car. The whole rear wing can be manually adjusted to different levels of aggression depending on the track requirements. Underneath the wing is the large diffuser with new, rounded quad tailpipe exhausts. Altogether, Mercedes state that the GT Black Series experiences over 400kg of downforce at 250kph.
Behind the aero, the AMG GT Black Series features a track-spec coil-over suspension with adjustable spring preload (manually and automatically both). Some of the suspension bits around the rear axle come directly from the AMG motorsport division. The GT Black Series has been developed extensively around the Nürburgring which is often regarded as the most gruelling racetrack. I look forward to hearing from Robert of Apex to get some expert insight about how good the GT Black Series will really be around the ‘Ring. Maybe with one wearing a Shmee150 number plate.
Mercedes has used a lot more carbon fibre for various parts like the bonnet, the boot lid, spoiler, arches and even bits of the suspension to make the GT Black Series stiff and light. It even gets AMG ceramic brakes as standard which I suspect you would need with the kind of performance it has. There is also the clever 9-step traction control dial that stands out in the middle of the dashboard for a no-nonsense ability to switch off the electronically intrusive system.
Inside the cabin, things are relatively calm with a typically premium interior. It gets special bucket seats, the latest-gen AMG steering wheel and displays from the GT R Pro as well as touch controls for the central console. The cabin features an exclusive orange cross-stitching and there will be a new special Magma Beam orange exterior paint option as well. There is also the option for a Track Package in select countries that adds a titanium roll cage, 4-point seat harness and a fire extinguisher to the cabin. I’m still stumped by the amount of comfort on offer for a hardcore track variant but I suppose that’s Mercedes’ way of making it roadworthy enough to wear a number plate.
Mercedes has not stated an official price tag for the AMG GT Black Series but we expect it to be quite high. It is a limited run model but limited by the production timeline rather than a specific number of units. It is only the 6th ever Black Series model, it has a lot to live up to and I’m expecting a staggering Nürburgring time to be announced sometime soon. The GT Black Series may not sound as great as the naturally-aspirated predecessors or as look as cool as the SLS with the gullwing doors, but it will certainly be a fast, face-warping brute.
What do you think of the AMG GT Black Series? Do you think it’ll be quicker than a Porsche 911 GT2 RS or Lamborghini Aventador SVJ around a track? How would you spec the GT Black Series? Share your thoughts in the comments below the gallery and don’t forget to subscribe to the Auto Loons for more cool updates from the car world.
The Auto Loons 
That massive wing. WOW.
LikeLike