Spy shots have revealed Mercedes is putting the finishing touches on the second-generation GT Coupe, but AMG is not done just yet with the original model. Affalterbach's most potent homologated customer race car ever, the GT2 is here to complement the GT3 and GT4 models that have been around for years. The new arrival bridges the gap between the two existing track-only machines and caters to "gentlemen drivers."
The AMG GT2's highlight is undoubtedly its powertrain, a twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 with a flat crankshaft. This tells us the engine is related to the one installed in the road-going Black Series. In race car specification, it has been tuned to deliver a healthy 707 horsepower (520 kilowatts). That's slightly down than the street-legal supercar with its immense 730 hp (537 kW), although dyno tests have shown it actually develops over 770 hp.
2023 Mercedes-AMG GT2 race car
Set to go up against the upcoming Maserati MC20 GT2, the latest customer racing car from Mercedes-AMG pushes out 800 Newton meters (590 pound-feet) of torque. The beefy V8 works with a sequential six-speed racing transmission with an adjustable self-locking differential and shift paddles mounted on the steering wheel.
Using carbon fiber for the driver safety cell and 120-liter fuel tank as well as for the hood and other components has kept the weight down to less than 1,400 kilograms (3,086 pounds), with air conditioning included. The AMG GT2 rides on forged 18-inch centerlock wheels with 325/660 front and 325/705-18 slicks and uses safety technology adapted from the GT3 and GT4.
The newly designed aerodynamic kit includes a rear wing engineered from the ground up. It has a swan neck mount and can be adjusted depending on the circuit. AMG has developed the GT Coupe without a license plate with an aluminum double wishbone suspension front and rear, along with anti-roll bars and shock absorbers that can be adjusted.
Before going on sale later in 2023, the race car will be subjected to testing in the following weeks. More evaluations will be conducted next year in the GT2 European Series season. Aside from entering races, AMG plans to organize an endurance test run.
