Mercedes-Benz has extended the AMG GT line-up in India with the AMG GT R and the AMG GT Roadster joining the AMG GT S. The cars are priced at Rs 2.19 crores for the roadster and Rs 2.23 crores for the GT R, while the AMG GT S is offered at Rs 2.08 crores.
The AMG GT Roadster is an open-top version of the AMG GT and gets the 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8 producing 469bhp of power and 630Nm of torque and it comes with a few design changes as well. First up, we have the angry vertically slatted grille that gives the car all the visual aggression that was kind of missing from the AMG GT coupe. The air dam is also slightly different with the Roadster sporting subtle design cues that make it stand out. Not that it’s needed, because who would miss that gorgeous roofless silhouette anyway.
The AMG GT R is the fastest AMG GT yet and it is a coupe. The vertically slatted grille that we saw on the Roadster was first adorned by the GT R. The 4.0-litre V8 belts out 577bhp of power and 700Nm of torque with all the power delivered through the seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox to the rear wheels only. The aero bits have been tweaked for additional speed including the rear-wing, active aero bits in the front and a rear diffuser as well. It also gets rear-wheel steering assist along with a wider track and wider tyres to lay down the extra power. At 3.6 seconds to 100kmph and a top whack of 318kmph, the AMG GT R boasts of a Nurburgring record of 7:10:92 minutes.
In the matter of rivals, the AMG GT R goes up against the Porsche 911 Turbo S — its ideal competition when it comes to being an everyday German supercar. If you’re willing to spend a little more moolah, you can even opt for that classic Brit, the Jaguar F-Type R, with its 5.0-litre supercharged V8 rumbling outside your door. The Maserati Gran Cabrio is the best alternative to the Roadster as well as convertible versions of the 911 and the F-type. Another option is the Aston Martin V8 Vantage Roadster. The Audi R8 V10 Plus also fares well against the GT R in comparison and if you want something electric, spend a little bit more and buy a BMW i8 instead.
There’s a bunch of other options also available to you for the same range of about Rs 2 crores to Rs 2.5 crores. For example, you can get AMG GT performance packed into the luxury of the S-Class, the S63 AMG. You can also choose the BMW 760Li with its V12 glory and Audi A8 with its unique W12 engine coming in for a similar amount of money. And then, there’s always the Range Rover SV Autobiography with its legendary 5.0-litre V8 or the fancier Land Cruiser called the Lexus LX 450.
