Car test: Mercedes-AMG GT Black Series is magic on wheels

By Thomas Geiger, dpa
As the Black Series, the AMG GT is getting the race car treatment with a model that is only just about road legal – even in car-mad Germany. It feels all the more at home on the track.

Berlin (dpa) – Fans of the AMG GT Black Series have had to wait a while for a new version of the Mercedes-Benz-based flagship track monster to appear, but no fear, it is just as wild as expected.

With its unburstable engine, race-tuned chassis and sophisticated aerodynamics, this car is black magic on wheels. Much of the design flows straight from the current AMG GT3 racing car.

The AMG is more than a match for its rivals from Ferrari, Lamborghini and McLaren, and it certainly left this tester spellbound.

Fettling the king of the AMG range into street-legal trim must have been a struggle, since the 730 horsepower from the 4-litre engine is straining at the leash.

The Black Series boasts the most powerful V8 motor in the history of the brand, which means this car only really feels at home on a race circuit.

Fronted by a massive Panamericana-style grille with vertical slats, the Black Series comes with purposeful aerodynamic trickery, including a huge two-stage rear wing.

By the way, the black in the car’s name refers to its use as a contrasting colour to set off the base silver and/or other bodywork hues from the range of nine different gloss finishes.

Anyone barrelling down the fast lane should move over quickly when the AMG GT crops up in the rear-view mirror. Top speed of this car is a ridiculous 325 kilometres an hour, although this is only legal on stretches of the German Autobahn motorway.

Critics will wince at the consumption figures of this hardcore machine, which guzzles 12.8 litres of fuel per 100 kilometres. C02 output is given as 292g/km.

So what is it like to drive? The performance figures on paper are awesome, but they cannot begin to describe the feeling from kickdown on the GT’s seven-speed transmission as the car lunges forward.

It may lack the aural drama of Italian supercars, but the torque on tap sends the AMG hurtling towards the horizon as the adrenalin surges through the driver’s body.

It’s enough to make you forget the price of 335,240 euros (392,600 dollars) for the privilege of calling the AMG your own. The car costs three times more than the standard AMG GT and is sure to be an excellent earner for the tuning house.

All this is made possible by the V8, which has been extensively tweaked, and through the widespread use of carbon fibre to save body weight.

The lighter crankshaft is new, along with the engine’s altered cylinder firing order, which makes the throttle response even more agile. The AMG relishes high revs, and this provides more power.

The 100 km/h mark comes rushing up after just 3.2 seconds, and nine seconds later the 200 km/h flickers on the AMG’s speedometer. That’s when this car feels ready for take-off as the fat tyres on the 20-inch forged wheels at the back struggle to translate the amazing urge into forward ground motion. Only the aero set-up prevents lift-off.

Instead the car hunkers down and seems to suck the tarmac more like a Dyson vacuum cleaner than a Benz. At top speed, 500 kilos of downforce are pressing the bodywork into the ground.

The ceramic brakes are excellent stoppers but the aft wing plays a key part in rapid deceleration. At speed, a moveable flap tilts to reduce air resistance but when the driver wants to slow down, the flap inclines upwards. This enhances braking performance and stability by boosting downward pressure on the rear axle.

It feels as if a rear parachute has been activated and as the car slows dramatically to take a sharp corner or stop for fuel, you can see why the Black Series comes with a tight-fitting four-point racing style safety belt and a robust roll-cage.

The infotainment and navigation systems on board are the same as on other high-performance AMGs, but on the track, these comforts are just distractions. Most drivers will prefer to savour the heady sound of that V8.

The sixth Black Series model from the three-pointed star is the ultimate racer for track or motorway. Unfortunately the lofty price is enough to give prospective buyers a blackout. Check your savings account before committing to buy!