- AMG’s sportiest model
- Adjustable track-tuned suspension
- Street-legal, but ready for the track
- Fastest Mercedes around the Nurburgring
- Twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 with 577 horsepower
- Carbon-ceramic brakes
Making its debut at the 2014 Paris Motor Show, the Mercedes-AMG GT is the first car developed in house by the new sub-brand. Now, four years later at the 2018 Los Angeles Auto Show, Mercedes has taken the wraps off the new limited-edition 2020 AMG GT R Pro, a street-legal 2-door coupe that offers superior on-track performance thanks to lightweight construction, modified suspension and aerodynamic tweaks that add downforce.
Lightweight wheels reduce the GT R Pro’s unsprung weight to enhance driving dynamics and improve lap times around tracks such as the Nürburgring. In fact, at the fabled circuit, the new GT R Pro’s fast lap of 7:04.632 is some 4 seconds quicker than that of a standard AMG GT.
"The AMG GT embodies the core of our brand, ‘Driving Performance,’ in a unique way,” explained Tobias Moers, AMG Chairman. “To continue this success story, we have now equipped it with numerous innovations from the AMG GT 4-Door Coupe and added a new limited-edition model: No other current production Mercedes-AMG is as close to motor racing as the new AMG GT R Pro. A lot of experience from our current GT3 and GT4 motorsport activities entered into its development.”
New driving control system
Like all new 2-door AMG GT Coupes and Roadsters the GT R Pro is equipped with the new AMG Dynamics integrated driving control system (offering Basic, Advanced, Pro and Master levels), plus a new AMG steering wheel, the center console from the AMG GT 4-Door Coupe, and a fully digital instrument display featuring an exclusive AMG-style script on the highly configurable cluster.
The focus with the GT R Pro has been on improved dynamics. To that end, AMG focused on four areas: suspension, lightweight construction, aerodynamics and appearance.
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With the suspension, a new coil-over arrangement allows drivers to tailor the set-up for a particular track. Shock preload can be adjusted mechanically, as can the compression and rebound characteristics of the shock absorbers. The compression setting even allows adjustments for high- and low-speed shock movements, a common practice in racing. This can be used to reduce dive under braking and lessen body roll in corners. Of note, the GT R Pro’s front anti-roll bar is made of carbon fiber, and AMG employs spherical bearings for the upper and lower rear A-arms to help keep camber and toe-in in check.
For reduced weight, the biggest change is a switch to standard ceramic-composite brakes. The GT R Pro also gets black calipers with white lettering, along with lightweight forged wheels finished in titanium gray.
Aero upgrades
Aerodynamics upgrades on the 2020 Mercedes-AMG GT R Pro include a redesigned front apron with two dive planes on each side. Slots in the front fenders vent the wheel arches to reduce lift, while a rear spoiler with a Gurney flap rides on milled aluminum brackets for additional downforce.
As you’d expect of a car with a 577-horsepower twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8, a 7-speed dual-clutch transaxle and a top speed of 198 mph, the new AMG GT R Pro looks like a proper racing car, thanks to a generous amount of carbon fiber. This includes Carbon Packages I and II, which means the splitter, rear diffuser, side sills, mirrors and rear spoiler all made of clear-coated carbon fiber. The carbon roof also has been redesigned with lowered center.
Moreover, the stripe package, part of a wrap, looks great with its green racing stripes on the hood, roof, hatch and sides of the car. The GT R Pro in our photos features light green stripes on a gray paint finish; on all other colors of GT R Pro, the stripes are a matte dark gray. If the customer desires, the wrap can be omitted from the car. Striped or not, the 2020 Mercedes-AMG GT R Pro will make a huge splash when it arrives, which is expected late next year. Prices have not been announced. The current Mercedes-AMG GT C Coupe starts at $145,000.
