If you reuse this image, please credit and link back to historicracer.com.The Mercedes AMG GT 2015 is the second car produced 100% by AMG after the great SLS. My neighbour still has his SLS and I never complain when I hear him set out for a drive, no matter what the time of day. I imagine he’s already visiting his dealer about the AMG GT.
There was considerably more technical information available with the initial announcement, more than is the norm for the first unveiling of a new car. We take a look into some of the interesting technology in the new AMG GT.
From the launch images, I think we can take it as read that it’s going to be a great looking car. The alloy body is superb. While I’d have liked to see gull wing doors, as nobody does them like Mercedes, I will forgive them for that as everything else is so well proportioned. Just promise me you won’t order the yellow one in the launch images. Mercedes GT cars should be silver with red leather.
I think we can also assume that, like the SLS it will sound great and, being a handbuilt AMG, it will be superbly finished. Reading the rest of the press information, I was initially simply scanning through it, thinking aloud. “V8 four litre, this is an AMG Mercedes after all. Twin turbos, the way everyone is going right now. Should be torquey. A transaxle, that’s good too. Twin clutch gearbox. Excellent. 55% of the weight to the rear, that’s cool. 1570kg, hmm not exactly lightweight but not a porker either.” Then I dug deeper into the technology stuff.
The ‘Hot Inside V’ Engine.
“Turbos Hot Inside V configuration” …. What? My instintive reaction was, “Read that again..” So the turbos are inside the V, That’s going to make it hot. Damned hot. And I guess that means that the exhaust manifolds are on the inside of the V, with the inlets out the outside of the engine. The opposite of pretty much every V8 configuration engine in existence. Crikey, that’s a challenge. My initial thought was that the owner’s manual will need to carry a big note about idling before shutoff. The under bonnet heat must be massive after a few laps on a track.
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At a glance, it’s obvious why it’s the optimum place for them. The shortest possible route to the turbos delivers the least amount of lag. If you can achieve it, it’s a good configuration but in engineering and packaging terms, it’s a potential can of worms. Until now, I guess the technology and materials simply haven’t existed to enable this in a mass produced car, even a hand built one like AMG.
The engine is all alloy, with Mercedes BlueDIRECT injection and four valve heads. The whole unit is dry sumped, allowing it to sit 55mm lower than would otherwise be the case, plus of course, it will have a constant oil supply regardless of cornering forces to keep the turbos cool and the .
Despite the advanced technology, AMG are keeping with the one man, one engine philosophy, each unit having the technician’s name on the cam covers. AMG clearly have some talented technicians at Affalterbach, The results delivering 510BHP in GT S form, with 610MN available at just 1700rpm. That’s 126 BHP per litre.
How much sound you may like to enjoy can be regulated by the driver using DYNAMIC SELECT and the AMG DRIVE units. A variety of options will be available to encourage repeat runs through your favourite tunnel in the Alps.
Body and Drivetrain.
AMG are capitalising on the compact, dry summed engine’s size, alloying it to be mounted far back to achieve that popular ‘front-mid engine’ layout, giving 47% front, 53% rear weight distribution. The seven speed twin clutch gearbox is mounted as a transaxle at the rear, working with a limited slip differential. Mechanical locking on the GT and electronically locking on the GT S.
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Suspension is double wishbone all round, with dynamic dampers, dynamic engine mounts and variety of different driver selectable modes. To save trying to re-site the technical details, here’s quote from the press release:
“The Mercedes-AMG GT comes as standard with drivetrain damping. A specially tuned damper reduces undesirable rolling motion of the entire drivetrain including the transaxle transmission, thus substantially improving comfort and agility.
The AMG DYNAMIC PLUS package augments dynamism and agility even more. It is available exclusively for the GT S and includes dynamic engine and transmission mounts. The engine and transmission mounts assume an important function in the case of a transaxle design: soft mounts improve comfort since they provide more effective decoupling of noise and vibration. Handling and agility benefit, however, from an overall stiffer mount set-up.
Mercedes-AMG resolves these conflicting objectives using dynamic mounts, which adjust their stiffness continuously, and instantly to the respective driving conditions and handling. The special control electronics in the AMG CHASSIS CONTROLLER, ACC, provide this function. The ACC detects driving situations on the basis of CAN data, is connected to the electronic rear-axle locking differential and thus ensures optimum, balanced driving dynamics. AMG has gone a step further when implementing this technology: the engine and transmission mounts are even actuated independently of each other. The advantage: this innovative solution provides an additional substantial improvement in driving precision and lateral dynamics.
Jochen Hermann, Head of Overall Vehicle Engineering AMG: “The combination of selectively variable mounts and a transaxle drivetrain is unique. Mercedes-AMG is once again promoting leading-edge technology, thus affirming our aspirations in terms of driving performance.”
A specific engine application in the DYNAMIC SELECT “RACE” drive mode and in the manual “M” transmission mode makes the GT S even more dynamic. The package also includes tauter suspension tuning thanks to raised spring and damping characteristics, more negative camber at the front axle as well as an adapted sports speed-sensitive steering. Thus the driver benefits from better performance with optimised handling. The performance steering wheel as well as yellow highlights in the instrument cluster round off the AMG DYNAMIC PLUS package.”
Heavy stuff. Of course, there are a great many cars available right now with superb technology. From a driver’s viewpoint the key element is whether this enhances the driver involvement and experience or impedes it. Technology ‘for the sake of it’ isn’t something the Mercedes generally do, so I’m expecting this car to be one of the best GT cars to hit the market in some time when it’s available in 2015.
I’ve already begun imagining mine. As well as the silver with red leather, I’d be going for the GT-S, with ceramic brake upgrade, AMG Dynamic Plus then selecting Race mode and heading for a couple of days at Spa. The climb out of Eau Rouge should be very interesting.
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If you reuse this image, please credit and link back to historicracer.com.
If you reuse this image, please credit and link back to historicracer.com.
If you reuse this image, please credit and link back to historicracer.com.
If you reuse this image, please credit and link back to historicracer.com.
If you reuse this image, please credit and link back to historicracer.com.
