The topless version of Mercedes-AMG's tire-scorching GT may debut in Paris

By Ronan Glon Published September 13, 2016

Rumors of a topless Mercedes-AMG GT have been circulating around the auto industry since the coupe model broke cover a couple of years ago. They are finally about to materialize, and AMG has published a dark teaser video that previews a brand new convertible.

The video confirms the model’s existence, but that is about it. However, an earlier report sheds insight into what we might see during the Paris show.

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AMG may have prepared two different versions of the GT convertible. The first model will adopt the GT Roadster name, meaning it will essentially be a topless version of the GT. It will use a twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V8 engine tuned to churn out 456 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 443 pound-feet of torque between 1,600 and 5,000 rpm. The GT coupe hits 60 mph from a stop in 3.9 seconds, but the roadster should take about 4.1 seconds because it will be a little bit heavier.

The second version of the Roadster will be an entirely new model dubbed GT C Roadster that will be positioned between the GT S and the race-ready, limited-edition GT R that made its debut a few weeks ago. Power will come from an evolution of the standard GT’s V8 tweaked to make about 540 horsepower, so it should be as fast — if not faster — than the GT S coupe.

Both GT Roadster variants will use a conventional fabric soft top. That is because a cloth top is much lighter than a folding hard top and engineers were asked to make the roadster conversion as weight-neutral as possible. A cloth soft top will also help Mercedes differentiate the GT Roadster from the SL, which will share the same price bracket.

Teaser aside, Mercedes-AMG has not announced what it will reveal in Paris. We will find out more information in the coming weeks.

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Former Digital Trends Contributor

Ronan Glon is an American automotive and tech journalist based in southern France. As a long-time contributor to Digital…

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