Mercedes-AMG's track day range-topper

Thursday, 11 June 2020

Watch the AMG GT R Pro power its way around the Nurburgring Nordschleife in just 7 minutes and 4 seconds.

Ever fancied the idea of owning a Mercedes-AMG GT but just couldn't find one that was hardcore enough for you? Well, you are in luck, because Mercedes-Benz New Zealand has just announced it will be bringing the hardest hardcore GT this side of the full-on race car into the country - the GT R Pro.

But you will have to be quick because only two of them are coming here out of 750 that will be made.

You will also have to be fairly wealthy, or happy to take out a massive loan because, at $420,000 excluding on-road costs, the GT R Pro will also be the most expensive new vehicle Mercedes-Benz has sold in New Zealand since the fantastically expensive SL 65 AMG last sold here in 2015.

Mercedes-Benz New Zealand is bringing just two examples of the very special GT R Pro here.

But you certainly do get a lot of performance for that money, with AMG's 430kW/700Nm 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 good enough to propel the GT R Pro around the legendary Nürburgring Nordschleife circuit in just 7 minutes and 4.6 seconds - more than six seconds faster than the GT R it is based on - while also punching it to 100kmh from a standing start in just 3.6 seconds.

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Both will feature a matt grey finish with green stripes. Because stripes make everything go faster.

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A roll cage is part of the GT R Pro's standard equipment.

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It's equipped for the track with race car parts, but the GT R Pro can still be registered for road use.

Pitched as the ultimate road-legal track day car you can buy, the GT R Pro adds 'performance-enhancing, weight-optimised and eye-catching features' to the ferocious Mercedes-AMG GT R Coupe that currently does duty as the official Formula One safety car.

This means the GT R Pro gets a whole host of 'motorsport-inspired' features, including a new AMG coil-over suspension system that the company says 'offers more adjustability to tailor the GT R Pro’s set-up to a particular circuit.' with the driver not only able to set the spring pre-load length mechanically but also adjust the compression and rebound of the dampers via an integral adjustment dial on the damper.

Up front the GT R Pro gets an adjustable torsion bar made of lightweight carbon-fibre, while down the back it gets a steel set up that is likewise adjustable and also saves weight with its hollow tube design.

The electronically controlled dynamic engine and transmission mounts from the GT R have been retuned, while the GT R Pro also includes a Track Package that consists of a bolted steel roll cage and two rear braces and four-point safety harnesses for driver and front passenger. In a quirk of road compliance requirements, the safety harness is in addition to the three-point seatbelts required for the GT R Pro to be registered for the road.

Lightweight, fade-resistant ceramic high-performance compound brakes also feature on the GT R Pro, as well as clear-coated carbon fibre AMG race seats and lightweight 20-inch AMG Performance 5-double-spoke forged wheels in exclusive painted titanium grey with a high-sheen rim flange.

A Carbon Package comes standard and includes the front splitter, fins in the wings, trim strips in the side sills and a diffuser with a clear-coated carbon-fibre finish, plus a carbon-fibre roof with lowered centre redesigned for helmet clearance.

In addition to the significant addition of carbon-fibre exterior trim elements, the GT R will only be available in a single colour here, with Mercedes-Benz New Zealand going for a matt Selenite Grey magno paint finish with light green racing stripes for the two New Zealand-bound examples.

The two cars will only be offered through AMG Performance Centres in Auckland and Christchurch and are available for order now. A final arrival date is yet to be confirmed.

“New Zealanders have always had an affinity for the AMG brand. The arrival of the AMG GT R Pro in New Zealand gives our loyal customers the opportunity to purchase a true race car for the road, utilising parts developed for the AMG GT4 race car program,' said Lance Bennett, general manager of Mercedes-Benz New Zealand.

'The Pro is only part of the AMG story in New Zealand, with ten new AMG vehicles scheduled to arrive in New Zealand during 2020, six of which will be SUV based.

'With AMG vehicles representing roughly one in every five new Mercedes-Benz sold, we are excited to offer these highly anticipated new products to our loyal fans.”