Motoring Weekly

Wind beneath your wings

March 20 - 26, 2019
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Gulf Weekly Wind beneath your wings

THE new Mercedes-AMG GT R Roadster is just as much at home on winding racetracks as it is on the highways.

 With its powerful drive and expressive design, it aims to enchant a lifestyle-oriented target group which lives life to the full.

The 430 kW/585 hp V8 biturbo, adjustable coil-over suspension with active rear axle steering, active aerodynamics and the intelligent lightweight construction form the foundations for highly-dynamic handling characteristics.

Similar to the other roadster models, the open AMG GT R also has a triple-layer fabric soft-top with a lightweight structure consisting of aluminium, magnesium and steel.

With this latest addition, the AMG GT family now has 16 members: five two-door coupés, four roadsters, two customer sports racing cars and five 4-door coupés.

“The new AMG GT R Roadster is far more than a combination of the thrilling vehicle dynamics of the GT R with the special flair of our GT Roadsters,” said Tobias Moers, chairman of the management board of Mercedes-AMG.

“It is the essence of two worlds, blending to deliver our brand pledge, ‘Driving Performance’, in a very special way.

“With our GT R Roadster, we have, without doubt, once again developed a brand-defining sports car. It too embodies Mercedes-AMG in form, function and vehicle dynamics and enriches our GT family with a highly exclusive variant limited to 750 units.”

The AMG 4.0-litre V8 biturbo in the AMG GT R Roadster delivers an output of 430 kW (585 hp) and maximum torque of 700 Nm. This is available over a wide engine speed range from 2100 to 5500 rpm. The eight-cylinder power unit delivers muscular performance in all engine speed ranges, combined with high efficiency.

A sprint from standstill to 100 km/h is absolved in 3.6 seconds with dynamic power delivery continuing right up to the top speed of 317 km/h.

The AMG 4.0-litre V8 biturbo in the AMG GT R Roadster delivers an output of 430 kW (585 hp) and maximum torque of 700 Nm. This is available over a wide engine speed ranges from 2100 to 5500 rpm.

A sprint from standstill to 100 km/h is absolved in 3.6 seconds with dynamic power elivery continuing right up to the top speed of 317 km/h.

The low-slung front section and the forward-inclined AMG-specific radiator grille create a distinctive ‘shark nose’ impression and makes the car appear lower on the road. At the same time, this shape lowers the vehicle’s back-pressure point, enhancing the flow of cooling air and the car’s aerodynamic performance.

The standard-fit LED High Performance headlamps strengthen the AMG GT family ties with their light signature.

Customers wishing to enjoy comfortable temperatures even on very hot summer days in Bahrain can also opt for the seat climate control, which is also available for the AMG Performance seats.

A key factor in a sports car’s performance is a gross vehicle weight that is as low as it can possibly be. Mercedes-AMG uses an intelligent material mix in order to achieve this aim in the structure of the AMG GT R Roadster.

Various aluminium alloys are used for the chassis and body, and magnesium for the front deck. This extremely light element at the front reduces the inertia ahead of the front axle, thus improving the vehicle’s agility.

The load-bearing structure of the boot lid is of SMC (Sheet Moulding Compound) bonded with carbon fibres.

The result is that the driver experiences a sports car with maximum dynamics responding with outstanding precision. The body-in-white now also has an integral aluminium crossmember as rollover protection for the occupants.

A host of further measures contributes to weight reduction as part of the AMG lightweight-performance strategy. Light and strong carbon fibre is the material of choice for, among other things, the front wings and the torque tube between engine and transmission.

The specially-developed exhaust system not only delivers genuine racing car sound, it also saves around six kilograms of weight thanks to the use of titanium for the rear silencer and thin-walled stainless steel for the front section of the exhaust system.







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