The Mercedes-AMG GT R was only unveiled in June 2016 but it didn’t take long for the aftermarket community to jump on board the tuning bandwagon. That’s the case here with Alpha-N Performance, which has released a two-stage engine performance upgrade that spikes the output of the GT R’s 4.0-liter bi-turbo V-8 engine to as much as 655 horsepower and 583 pound-feet of torque.

The kit also offer a lower engine upgrade that nets 635 horses and 568 pound-feet of twist but other than that, there’s not much to go with this program other than the fresh set of 20-inch Oz Racing Ultraleggera wheels. The lack of depth of Alpha-N’s program is understandable considering that the AMG GT R is barely three months old since it was launched in June 2016.

I expect Alpha-N Performance to build from the engine upgrades and have a proper tuning kit with exterior and interior upgrades available in the near future. For now, though, new owners of the AMG GT R can opt to get more power out of their prized sports cars. That’s not a bad idea entirely given that the results of the upgrade can bring the AMG GT R to hit speeds in excess of 200 mph.

Continue after the jump to read the full review.

Exterior

Exterior upgrades are limited to a new set of 20-inch OZ Racing Ultraleggera HLT alloy wheels that are available in either 8.5x20 or 11.0x20-inch sizes. The glam photos of the car also reveal a matte white foil wrap on the body of the AMG GT R, but there’s no indication if Alpha-N Performance is also offering that as part of its tuning upgrade.

Drivetrain

Alpha-N Performance didn’t dive deep into its engine upgrades for the AMG GT R, opting only to say that it prepared a two-stage power increase increase program on the back of its Alpha-N EVOX Tuning kit. The first stage of the upgrade gives the AMG GT R’s 4.0-liter b-turbo V-8 engine a new output of 635 horsepower and 568 pound-feet of torque, an increase of 50 ponies and 52 pound-feet of twist from the standard model. The second stage upgrade pushes the output to 655 horsepower and 583 pound-feet of torque, a more significant increase of 70 horses 67 pound-feet of torque.

Performance numbers were not announced but considering that the standard AMG GT R is capable of pushing to 60 mph in 3.5 seconds and hit a top speed of 198 mph, it’s reasonable to suggest that a sprint to 60 mph time in the low 3s and a top speed north of 200 mph is attainable for the Alpha-N Performance-tuned AMG GT R.

Pricing

The German tuner has priced the entry-level engine tuning program at €1,799, which is about $2,040 based on current exchange rates. The second stage engine upgrade costs €200 ($226) more at €1,999 ($2,265). No word from Alpha-N on how much the new set of OZ Racing alloy wheels cost.

Competition

Porsche 911 Turbo S by TechArt

The Mercedes-AMG GT R was developed with the goal of making it a direct competitor to the iconic Porsche 911 Turbo S. That’s going to be easier said than done given the stature of the Porsche. It’s not going to get easier knowing that there are tuners out there like TechArt who specialize in building kits for the German sports car. The tuner recently unveiled its latest aftermarket offering for the 911 Turbo S and it came with modifications to the sports car’s engine management unit, resulting in an increased output of 640 horsepower and 649 pound-feet of torque. That’s enough to propel the 911 Turbo S from a standstill position to 60 mph in just 2.7 seconds to go with a top speed of 210 mph.

Find out more about the Porsche 911 Turbo S by TechArt here.

Lamborghini Huracan by xXx Performance

Given how close in proximity the AMG GT R’s output is to the Lamborghini Huracan, a comparison between the two sports cars is inevitable. That extends to the tuning world where the Huracan has also turned into somewhat of an aftermarket darling. One tuner that recently gave the Lambo a nice performance upgrade is xXx Performance. The kit includes a nice body wrap, but the highlight remains the engine upgrade that’s made up of a new air intake and an ECU remap to pushes the Huracan’s output up to 690 horsepower and 480 pound-feet of torque, a little higher than what Alpha-N Performance was able to do with the AMG GT R. Post upgrades, the Huracan is capable of hitting 60 mph in under three seconds to go with a top speed of 205 mph.

Find out more about the Lamborghini Huracan by xXx Performance here.

Conclusion

Given that there aren’t that many tuning programs for the AMG GT R that’s out on the market, Alpha-N Performance’s offering is as good as it’s going to get, quite literally even. It’s nice that the tuner is offering some variety with the two-stage kit and the resulting power increases are noteworthy. The only thing is that it wouldn’t be a bad idea either to sit on those AMG GT R’s for a bit until other programs become available.