The Mercedes-AMG GT S might just be the perfect grand tourer. It’s undeniably sexy and comfortable inside, yet there’s plenty of tail-happy power on tap if you’re looking for a thrill. It’s not exactly optimized for track performance though, and that’s a fact that AMG knows better than anyone.
A hotter, more hardcore version called the GT R is on the way, and the vehicle is expected to debut at the 2016 Goodwood Festival of Speed on June 23. The news first came from a Michelin press release that has since been deleted, but the cat’s out the bag, so to speak. According to our friends over at Autoblog, the release stated that the GT R will produce 570 horsepower from its retuned 4.0-liter powerplant, which is 67 hp more than the already quick GT S.
Mercedes won’t confirm those numbers at this time, but the vehicle has been spotted testing in the Arctic Circle as well as at the famed Nurburgring, so it’s definitely happening. Whatever the final specs are, we expect the vehicle to shed weight, equip stiffer suspension, include bigger brakes, and wear a more aggressive aero kit compared to its softer sibling. In order to compete with other track-focused sports cars like the Porsche 911 GT3, it has to.
In terms of pricing, all we have is pure speculation. Given the GT S’ MSRP of $129,000, though, it’s very possible the GT R could cost upwards of $140,000.
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If the GT R news has you worried that a Black Series variant will get overlooked, not to worry as there is hope. The German brand is still reportedly planning a more powerful version for release around 2018, and if it looks anything like the renderings that popped up last year, it can’t come soon enough.
