Mercedes-AMG GT Roars at Paris

It's not the spiritual successor of the SLS AMG, nor a proper rival for the Porsche 911 (991). Think of it as an all-new performance Mercedes model primed to take on the likes of the Jaguar F-Type and Corvette Stingray. At launch, the three-pointed star will offer the AMG GT in two power variants: GT and GT S.

To S, or not to S: that is the question

First you need to know that this German super coupe will be offered starting early next year exclusively in the hotter S variant, with the base AMG GT to follow in early 2016. Furthermore, a limited run Edition 1 boasting with little visual enhancements and a fixed rear wing will be only offered during the first year of production. So what are the main bits and bobs that redline the base AMG GT from the punchier GT S?

Starting with the less powerful Mercedes-AMG GT, which is expected to hold a starting price of €100k in Germany ($130,000 / £80,265 at current rates), this plucky two-door coupe boasts with a 4-liter biturbo V8 engine internally designated M178, churning out 462 horsepower and 600 Nm (442 lb-ft) of torque.

Couple those figures to a seven-speed dual-clutch auto and a 1,540-kilogram (3,395 pounds) weight and you get a 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) run of 4 seconds and a top speed of 304 km/h (188 mph). On the combined cycle, the car drinks 9.3 liters (25.2 US mpg) per 100 km and emits 216 g of CO2 per km.

The Mercedes-AMG GT S is slightly more potent with its 510 horsepower and 650 Nm (479 lb-ft) of torque sourced from the same engine coupled to the same Speedshift gearbox mounted at the rear. Moreover, the GT S can be kitted with optional dynamic engine and transmission mounts.

A bigger difference between the AMG GT and the GT S comes in the form of an electronically controlled mechanical rear-axle locking differential, offered as standard with the more powerful AMG GT S. That translates to improved traction levels for the rear wheels, increased cornering speeds and so on.

Supercar performance with S-Class active safety

Every AMG GT is fitted as standard with numerous safety features familiar from the new Mercedes-Benz S-Class. Just to name a few of them, these include Adaptive Brake, Attention Assist, Parktronic, a reversing camera, Pre-Safe, a tire pressure monitoring system and Collision Prevention Assist Plus. There are a few optionals available, with highlights such as Blind Spot Assist and Lane Keeping Assist.

Even though the engine is front mid-mounted for the best weight distribution possible, the cabin can seat two tall people comfortably, while the large deck lid conceals a practical luggage compartment that can swallow a weekend's worth of luggage for two. But practicality isn't that much exciting, so let's get down to the most important aspect of this type of vehicle: the handling.

Looks nice, goes like stink, it's practical as well, but does it handle well?

That's hard to tell without a proper test-drive. AMG is adamant the development objectives for the GT and GT S boiled down to "highly neutral behavior" and a "predictable response at the tire grip limit."

Even if the handling proves to be on the neutral side, the right driver with the right settings of systems such as the electronically controlled damping (standard on the GT S), speed-sensitive sports-oriented steering, the three-stage ESP and traction control will surely get the most out of this German brute.