- Doors and Seats
2 doors, 2 seats
- Engine
4.0TT, 8 cyl.
- Engine Power
410kW, 680Nm
- Fuel
Petrol (98) 11.5L/100KM
- Manufacturer
RWD
- Transmission
Auto (DCT)
- Warranty
3 Yr, Unltd KMs
- Ancap Safety
NA
Mercedes-AMG GT C Edition 50 new car review
This birthday was never going to be a quiet affair.
Having spent the last 50 years transforming Mercedes-Benz models into rowdy performance cars, AMG unleashed a pair of magnificent coupes to mark its milestone.
One of them is well out of reach – even if you have a spare $5 million - as the F1-for-the-road Project One hypercar has sold out.
But as far as consolation prizes go, you could do a lot worse than a limited-edition version of Mercedes-AMG’s top performance coupe. Much worse indeed.
Based on the already-potent Mercedes-AMG GT, the GT C Edition 50 Coupe brings a whopping 60kW of additional power along with clever four-wheel-steering, forged lightweight wheels, LED headlamps and black chrome highlights on much wider bodywork that puts more rubber on the road.
It’s as though AMG made an AMG version of a car designed by AMG from the ground up. Though it sounds like a product straight from the department of redundancy, the result is a fitting tribute to the brand.
Finished in matte grey paint with staggered 19 and 20-inch wheels, the Edition 50 looks utterly menacing. More muscular than the slim-hipped GT and GT S, it isn’t quite as outlandish as the bristling and bespoilered track-ready GT R at the top of the range.
To our eyes, this is the best-looking model in the GT family. It might be the most attractive Mercedes on sale.
Then again, you would hope it looked brilliant given the hefty asking price - $335,211 plus on-road costs. A cheaper GT C coupe without the Edition 50's cosmetic details is likely to arrive next year.
This special-edition car also looks purposeful on the inside, where race-inspired seats, a grippy faux-suede steering wheel, swathes of carbon fibre and a nicely integrated sunroof conspire to concoct a near-perfect blend of luxury and sporting intent. While it misses out on Mercedes’ latest-generation digital dashboards, the GT’s tech suite is impressive enough for this class of car, offering plenty of connectivity options and clear, concise readouts.
Swivelling under its low roofline, you drop into the well-placed driver’s seat with legs stretched out toward an extravagant bonnet arcing away from your eyeline – the kitchen chair driving position doesn’t quite apply.
Eight oversized buttons arranged in a large “V” allow drivers to adapt crucial settings for the suspension, exhaust, transmission and other key features.
A press of the starter wakes AMG’s latest V8, a 4.0-litre engine with twin turbochargers mounted inside the “V” to elicit a more immediate response to driver inputs.
Producing its 410kW power peak from 5750 to 6750rpm and a 680Nm slab of torque from 1900-5500rpm, the GT C will rip to 100km/h in 3.7 seconds before reaching a top speed well beyond 300km/h.
The motor is one of AMG’s finest, blending effortless flexibility with outstanding punch. It also sounds magnificent, ripping through the rev range with a textured roar accompanied by a suppressed whoosh from the turbos, a rifle-crack from the exhaust on up-changes and a submachine gun volley on the over-run.
The GT has character to spare. Boys on BMX bikes stopped us in the street to hear the AMG clear its throat, grinning as its riposte echoed through their village.
Germany has liberal attitudes to many things, including the speed made possible by such a machine. Our drive of the GT C took place in its home nation, on winding country roads and unrestricted autobahns that served as the perfect place to assess its character.
An autobahn blast at the wheel of a bright yellow GT C roadster with the same engine hardware as the Edition 50 (if not its Darth Vader looks) became a game of chicken between car and driver daring each other to blink first.
Accelerating out of a 120km/h zone into unlimited territory, the GT C surges forward ferociously, rapping through the seven gears of its dual-clutch automatic transmission as it Hoovers up the road ahead.
The speedo needle moves faster than the second hand on my watch as the golden machine streaks through 150km/h, 200km/h and 250km/h marks with unbridled haste. The roofless roadster feels rock-solid at speed, with none of the meandering floatiness I’ve experienced in lesser machinery at two dollars and change.
But I gave out before the car did. Put off by extreme wind roar and mild buffeting enveloping its topless cabin, I ease out of the throttle well short of its 316km/h maximum and make a mental note to come back with an F1-spec helmet.
And swap the cabriolet for a coupe.
Turning off the autobahn, winding country roads invite exploration of the updated GT’s chassis. Feelsome steering with quick reactions seems spot-on for this type of car, offering predictable responses that lend confidence in its abilities. A new four-wheel-steering setup pivots the rear wheels in the opposite direction to the front tyres at speeds below 100km/h, reverting to steer in tandem beyond highway speeds.
The result is a car that feels lighter than its 1700 kilogram mass might suggest, expertly reading driver intentions as you hunt out apexes together. The GT C’s firm suspension is untroubled by smooth German roads, though its three levels of ride comfort will no doubt be welcomed on broken Australian surfaces.
Replacing the standard GT’s mechanical differential with an electronically controlled active diff helps the GT C’s 57mm-wider rear end find purchase on dry tarmac, slinging it away from corners with more traction than the regular car can manage.
Wet weather is another matter altogether, as that wall of torque easily overwhelms the tyres and a driver’s seat positioned behind the car’s pivot point exaggerates every wiggle of oversteer from the rear-drive coupe.
Initially cowed by its tendency to snap into oversteer - followed by grabby corrections from the stability control - I embrace the circumstances by customising the car’s settings to suit slippery conditions. Softening its suspension to induce a little more body roll, I pop the transmission into a comfort mode that takes the razor edge off its throttle response and shift speeds, finishing the job with stability in a mid-way setting that raises its threshold for intervention.
That Goldilocks position for the traction and stability system is just right – like a relaxed classroom teacher allowing extra silliness on a Friday afternoon. The result is intoxicating, with the AMG arcing out of line as we throttle up in search of the next bend, repeating the process for almost two hours on a sodden cross-country run.
Use the gloss black paddles to pick a higher gear than you think you need, be confident with the throttle and lead those shapely hips through the sort of dance car-lovers dream of.
This is AMG distilled to its essence – sharp-looking vehicles that sound tough, go hard and maximise the potential within great cars while offering a feel-good factor few others can match.
And there’s more to come. Refusing to grow sensible as it matures, Mercedes-AMG has promised to maintain the bad-boy streak that has made it one of the most popular performance marques on sale. Though electrification and autonomous capabilities are on the way, AMG is well placed to offer driving enjoyment for decades to come.
Here’s to the next 50 years.
Mercedes-AMG GT C Edition 50 pricing and specifications:
Price: $335,211 plus on-road costs
Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin turbo petrol
Power: 410kW at 5750-6750rpm
Torque: 680Nm at 1900-5500
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic, rear-wheel-drive
Fuel use: 11.4L/100km