Unveiled in 2014, the Mercedes-AMG GT is the company's latest halo sports car and replaces the SLS AMG in the lineup. However, the AMG GT is smaller than its predecessor and aimed at a slightly different market niche, having been developed as a competitor for the [Porsche 911. The sports car was also used to introduce AMG's brand-new engine, a twin-turbo, 4.0-liter V-8. Launched in GT and GT S variations, the two-door gained higher performance GT R (coupe) and GT C (roadster) models, as well as a GT3-spec race car version in 2016. In 2017, Mercedes-Benz is rolling out a second race car based on the AMG GT, this time around in GT4 specification.

If you’re not familiar with the GT4 class, it’s a less powerful, more affordable version of GT3 and it’s mostly dedicated to amateur drivers. The cars are also equalized in order to allow driving skill to become key. The Mercedes-AMG GT4 was optimized for a wide range of championships, including the IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge and the Pirelli World Challenge in the U.S., the Blancpain GT Series Asia in Asia and the Australian GT Trophy in Australia. In Germany, the VLN endurance racing championship, and the Nürburgring 24-hours are the series that will see new race car in action. The GT4 European Series Northern Cup and the GT4 European Series Southern Cup are among the international GT4 series that Mercedes developed the AMG GT4 for.

Continue reading to learn more about the Mercedes-AMG GT4.

2017 Mercedes-AMG GT4

Specifications
  • Make: Array
  • Model: 2017 Mercedes-AMG GT4
  • Engine/Motor: V8
  • Horsepower: 503
  • Torque: 443
  • Transmission: Sequential six-speed AMG competition
  • [do not use] Vehicle Model: Array
Pros
Cons

Exterior

Mercedes-AMG GT4

Mercedes-AMG GT R


Much like any GT4-spec vehicle out there, the AMG GT4 is a less aggressive version of the GT3 race car. To paint a better picture, it’s an AMG GT R with enhanced aerodynamics and a bigger rear wing.

This is mostly visible up front, where the GT4 is heavily based on the road-going GT R. Unlike the GT3, which has a wide trapezoidal opening in the bumper, the GT4 sports the GT R’s big intakes at each corner. However, the bumper is enhanced by a significantly larger carbon-fiber splitter that extends toward the wheels, while the grille includes a race-spec tow hook just like the GT3. The engine hood is also based on the GT3’s, featuring a big vent in the middle and quick-release pins.

Moving onto the sides, there are more similarities to the GT R model. For instance, the vents on the front fenders are smaller than the GT3 and mimic the shape of those seen on the road-going car. The side skirts also seem to be borrowed from the GT R. On the other hand, the GT4 features extra vents atop the rear fenders, while the standard wheels have been replaced by lightweight rims wrapped in slick tires. Around back, things are pretty simple, as the GT4 is essentially a GT R with a larger wing and vented rear glass. The wing is not as big as GT3’s, but it’s large enough to matter in the downforce department.

Less visible but equally important at the track, the GT4's flat front section has the radiator grille tilted to the front. This design lowers the stagnation pressure point on the car and improves both the aerodynamic performance and the flow of the cooling air through the hood. The rear wing has a very wide adjustment range, allowing the driver to select the required combination of low drag and high downforce levels. Up front, the wide splitter reduces the lift on the front axle, to which the flics mounted to the side of the front bumper contribute as well.

The design includes plenty of weight-saving measures too, such as racing-specific bodywork parts. The hood, the front bumper, and the front splitter have been made of a particularly lightweight composite material. Mercedes didn't say if it uses carbon-fiber or not, but it's very likely since the road-legal GT R already uses it.

Exterior Dimensions

Wheelbase (Inches)

103.5

Length (Inches)

181.8

Width (Inches)

78.6

Height (Inches)

49.8


COMPETING DESIGNS

Since all GT4-spec cars are beefed-up version of their road-going counterparts, styling depends on the design of the vehicles they're based on. This doesn't really matter out on the track, but it's important to note that no current GT4 car is notably more radical than the others. Whether we're talking about the Ford Mustang GT4, Porsche Cayman GT4 Clubsport or McLaren 570S GT4, they're all road-legal vehicles with added splitters, wings, and race-spec wheels. On the other hand, the 570S GT4 looks a lot more menacing on the race track thanks to the sports car's aggressive and sleek design.

Porsche Cayman GT4 Clubsport

McLaren 570S GT4

Ford Mustang GT4

Mercedes-AMG GT4

Wheelbase (Inches)

‎97.8

105.27

107.1

TBA

Length (Inches)

174.72

181.33

188.3

TBA

Height (Inches)

49.84

46.41

54.9

TBA

Wheelbase (Inches)

77.87 (FA)/78.81 (RA)

82.48

75.9

TBA


Interior

Not surprisingly, the GT4's cabin is almost identical to the AMG GT3, which we’ve already seen in 2015. It has the same swoopy dashboard and aircraft inspired center console as seen in the road car. The steering wheel lacks the usual rim and has a wide adjustment range. For easy handling and good visibility at night, the controls on the steering wheel are illuminated as are the large switches on the center console. Air conditioning, which is quite necessary during summer races, is available as an option.

Other race-spec gear includes lightweight door panels and bucket seats, and a full roll cage built per FIA specifications. The high-strength steel cage that’s bolted to the car’s aluminum spaceframe will complement the Head and Neck Support feature of the racing seat, the HANS restraint system, and a six-point harness with reinforced anchor points. Mercedes claims that because of its design, the safety cell also provides a very high level of protection for the driver’s shoulders, hips and legs.

Drivetrain

As expected, the GT4-spec car shares the engine with its GT3 sibling and just about every road-legal AMG GT sports car out there. There's no word on specific output, but the firm says that depending on the balance of performance, the GT4 should deliver up to 503 horsepower and a maximum torque of over 443 pound-feet, which is similar to the road-going AMG GT S.

Like in the Mercedes-AMG GT3, the sequential six-speed competition gearbox in the AMG GT4 is linked to the rear axle in a transaxle layout and is pneumatically operated. This configuration results into a more race-suitable weight distribution and a lower center of gravity. A differential that is adjustable from the outside optimizes the driving characteristics for each track layout.

An intelligent mix of aluminum and carbon-fiber has been used for the chassis. As a result, the structure of the GT4 consists of a very light and extremely rigid. The suspension system consists of double wishbones and dampers with adjustable rebound and compression, which gives more direct and clear feedback to the driver. A powerful competition brake system with multi-adjustable ABS ensures maximum stopping power.

Drivetrain Specifications

Engine

AMG 4.0L V8 biturbo engine

Capacity

3,982 cc

Output

503 HP

Max. torque

443 LB-FT

Drive

rear wheel drive;
transaxle construction: front engine, gearbox on the rear axle, linked by a torque tube

Gearbox

Sequential six-speed AMG competition gearbox with mechanical (adjustable) differential and magnesium casing;
pneumatic operation;

shift paddles on the steering wheel

Acceleration 0-60 mph

under 4 seconds

Top speed

over 155 mph

Weight

approx. 3,064 lbs


COMPETING PERFORMANCE

As mentioned earlier, the performance of GT4 cars is equalized on a power-to-weight basis in order to allow driving skill to become key, which means that the type of engine and specific horsepower figures aren't as important as they would be in a road-car comparison. However, it's worth mentioning that the GT4 racing class is as diverse as it gets when it comes to drivetrains, with nearly all vehicles using revised versions of production powerplants. For instance, the Mustang GT4 shares its 5.2-liter V-8 engine with the road-going Shelby GT350, while the McLaren 570S GT4 has the same 3.8-liter V-8 offered across the entire lineup. Other cars, like the Cayman GT4 Clubsport, hit the track with the exact same engine and output as the production model. Finally, the GT4 class allows both naturally aspirated and turbocharged engines.

Porsche Cayman GT4 Clubsport

McLaren 570S GT4

Ford Mustang GT4

Mercedes-AMG GT4

Porsche Cayman GT4 Clubsport

McLaren 570S GT4

Ford Mustang GT4

Mercedes-AMG GT4

3.8-liter Flat-six

3.8-liter V-8

5.2-liter V-8

4.0-liter V-8

Engine

385 HP

562 HP

526 HP

TBA

Horsepower

6-Speed PDK

7 Speed SSG

six-speed

six-speed transaxle

Transmission

2,866 Lbs

TBA

TBA

TBA


Price

Pricing for the AMG GT4 is set at €198,850, which makes it significantly more affordable than the GT3 customer cars, priced at a whopping €372,000. U.S. pricing is not yet available, but the European sticker converts to around $231,670 as of July 2017.

Reference

Read our full review of the 2016 Mercedes AMG GT

Competition

The AMG GT4's competition will depend on which series it will be raced in, as this class has been adopted by many national and continental championships. For instance, the GT4 European Series was contested by no fewer than the ten vehicles. Entries include the Aston Martin Vantage GT4, already a classic among gentleman racers, the Maserati GranTurismo MC GT4, as well as the GT4 versions of the BMW M3 and M4. KTM also makes a GT4-spec variant of the X-Bow, while Ford and Chevrolet have their very own race cars. In all, there are more than 15 GT4 vehicles used around the world. That's far more than we can mention in detail here, but let's have a closer look at some of them.

Ford Mustang GT4

Brand-new for 2017, the Mustang GT4 is based on the GT350R-C, which has already won its class in the 2016 IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge. Although similar in appearance with the Shelby, the GT4 car has revised aerodynamics and a massive wing atop its trunk lid. Motivation comes from the same 5.2-liter, flat-plane crankshaft V-8 that's also offered in the road-going GT350. The Mustang GT4 is eligible for the Grand Sport class of IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge, the Pirelli World Challenge GTS, and European GT4, among other racing series’, and will definitely run against the Mercedes-AMG GT4 in the future.

Learn more about the Ford Mustang GT4.

McLaren 570S GT4

So far the only the only race-spec version of the 570S, the GT4 was unveiled in early 2015 and sent on the track during the 2016 season. However, McLaren used just one car for development purposes in the British GT championship, with the homologated, production model made available to customers for 2017. Raced by the revived Ecurie Ecosse team, the 570S GT4 won two out of nine events and promises to be very competitive in the GT4 European Series. Essentially a beefed-up version of the road-going sports car, the 570S GT4 is powered by the same award-winning, twin-turbo 3.8-liter V-8 that propels every production McLaren. Pricing starts from £159,900, which converts to around $201,000 as of December 2016.

Find out more about the McLaren 570S GT4.

Porsche Cayman GT4 Clubsport

Launched in late 2015, the Cayman GT4 Clubsport is not as extreme as the AMG GT or McLaren 570S, but that's mostly because the road car it is based on, the Porsche Cayman GT4, is already a potent track toy. Unlike its rivals, the Clubsport received only minor aerodynamic modifications and uses the exact same engine as the production model (output figures are also identical). However, the German carmaker equipped the coupe with a bespoke transmission with a mechanical locking differential, an 88-pound weight reduction, and suspension components from the 911 GT3 Cup. The car had a tremendous season in the GT4 European Series, helping PROsport Performance win the teams' championship. The Cayman GT4 Clubsport is priced at $165,000 in North America.

Read more about the Porsche Cayman GT4 Clubsport.

Conclusion

With the Mercedes-AMG GT3 having already achieved success in its first season in the Blancpain GT Series Endurance Cup and the ADAC GT Masters, it's not surprising that AMG wants to expand its motorsport program. Now that the GT3 has arrived Stateside to race in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, it makes a lot of sense for AMG to look for more exposure and enter the lower, more affordable GT4 category. It's too early to say whether the AMG GT4 will be as successful as the GT3, but I have plenty of reasons to believe that it will give its competitors a run for their money.