Mercedes-AMG models arrive in waves on the used-car market, appearing in large batches precisely three years after the model’s introduction. The phenomenon is no mystery: a new model is introduced, loyal Mercedes customers flock to the dealerships, turn in their old leases, and sign up for new 36-month commitments. Last year, dealerships were swamped with used 2016 AMG GT S coupes, the debut model for the AMG GT lineup. This year, Autotrader is awash with 2017 AMG GT coupes, the baby AMG GT that arrived in 2017. Available from $65k, the GT is cheaper than the GT S’s and GT C’s that I’ve tested and loved. So is the AMG GT a bargain or a blow out compared to its brothers?
As I approach the $71.5k certified preowned AMG GT, I’m struck anew by how handsome this long-nosed coupe is. I’m drawn to this sleek and aggressive sports car like a moth to a bug-zapping lantern. (Let’s hope the AMG GT isn’t the death of me!)
From the curb, I don’t see any visual clues that this white GT is a base model rather than a mid-range S. The only sure way I know to differentiate the two is to peek at the tramp-stamp badge on the big girl’s butt. But that won’t work today because some image-conscious individual—who didn’t want to let the world know he “cheaped out” on a base AMG GT—has removed the GT tattoo from the car’s curvaceous derriere.
I’m a little abashed to admit it, but I miss the luxury trimmings of my last AMG GT S tester; its seats and doors were brightened with red leather. Today’s GT is boring in black, and its only bright notes are the console’s and air vents’ metal surrounds. I realize it now, but last month’s GT S fit glossy carbon fiber where the base car uses painted plastic. Unfortunately, the base GT encompasses the shifter and COMAND controller with soft-touch plastic that looks sure to nick and peel. Due to the lack of luxury lickings, I might call the original purchaser a miser, but it’s equally possible that he bought the car on a budget and knew exactly what he wanted out of his ride.
I’ve lowered the seat, adjusted the mirrors, and extended the steering column. It’s time to drive! The GT’s 4.0 L twin-turbo V8 starts up with the same venomous snarl as any GT S or GT C—thank you, performance exhaust! I roll off the dealership lot.
I’m surprised by the lightness of the steering and its eagerness to leave center. Imagine a ball perched on the top of a knoll: a push in any direction will send it rolling down the hill. The GT’s steering is like that ball; nudging it left or right results in an amplified reaction. (The AMG GT has a speed-sensitive steering assist, which makes it lighter at low speeds.)
As strange as the steering’s perched feeling is, I’m ready to forgive it because it serves up ample helpings of the road texture. From the dealership to China Camp State Park, I bask in the subtle vibrations coming through the perforated leather rim. Choppy construction zones, smooth multi-lane highways, concrete slab overpasses: I can feel their nuances and differences.
Although the GT packs 456 hp versus the GT S’s 503 hp, the short highway sojourn to China Camp assures me that I’d never want for power. Flat-footing it up an on-ramp gets the 295/30 R20 Continental SportContact 6 tires squirming. 47 horses may have escaped, but the GT still has 443 lb-ft (vs. 479 lb-ft) to torment the rear rubber. (All I want is enough torque to easily challenge the traction.) When the tires are hooked up, the GT is capital F fast.
There’s another F adjective I’m tempted to apply to the AMG GT: Flighty. The steering ratio feels very quick for an autobahn-bred car, as little steering inputs evoke large reactions from the GT’s nose. As a result, I must slow my hands and pay close attention to keep the car steady in its lane.
(The 2014 Cayman S I reviewed a week ago had calmer steering but lacked the ever-present road feel of the GT.)
Smiling and happily reacquainted with the GT, I finally arrive at China Camp. Though the forest and mudflat coastline are exceedingly pretty, I’m here for the corners. Thankfully, the curves are abundant. Today, I appreciate that they’re bumpy too!
I can’t push hard within the park’s confines—too many people are on the road—but as I saw through the corners, I am pleased with the car’s eager turn-in. The light-and-fast steering gives the GT the feeling of fleet feet, even though the coupe hefts 3,560 lbs into each curve. In six-tenths driving, the AMG GT feels just as flickable as the 2,910 lb Cayman S, but I have no doubt that a trip to the limit would strongly differentiate the two in favor of the Cayman.
And those blessed bumps? They remind me of the AMG GT’s Achilles’ heel, its rough ride quality. The AMG GT has an overly stiff suspension and thinly padded seats. As a result, the pavement’s blows are cleanly transmitted through the rear axle and into my rump! This is not a comfy ride, and since the GT doesn’t come with the GT S’s AMG adaptive suspension, there is nothing I can do about it. (To be fair, the GT S’s AMG adaptive suspension is pretty stiff too, and the Cayman S’s x73 sports suspension clomps equally hard.) If there is anything that lets down the AMG GT, it is the brittle ride. It may put off some customers—and maybe even your’s truly, too!
I pull a U-turn and blast out of China Camp. In the run for the park boundary, the DCT rips-off clean upshifts at my paddle-pull commands. When the park gives way to neighborhoods, I brake and blip down through the gears. With each blip, I feel a minor surge forward—a momentary loss of engine braking—as the DCT clutches in and revs for the downshift.
On the final on-ramp—J-shaped this time—the engine sucker punches the rear tires with the full 443 lb-ft (available from 1600 rpm!), and the GT’s tail kicks sideways. Yes, I like the character of this car! Its power makes up for my driving-skill deficiencies. I’ve yet to get out of an AMG GT without a grin.
I cruise in comfort mode all the way back to the dealership. The GT shushes well, avoiding the wind and tire roar that plagues Porsches. Although the forward sightlines are crimped by the high hood, low roof, and large rearview mirror, I feel comfortable with the forward visibility in the GT. The side and rear-three-quarter visibility are excellent, thanks to the frameless doors and delicate B pillar. (Yes, the broad C pillars and high rear window render the rearview hopeless, but the backup camera makes parallel parking possible.)
There is a sense of space and light in the GT that I was not expecting. Looking back, the Russian Mob tint on the 2016 GT S turned it into a cave. In today’s GT, the panoramic sunroof and clear windows make for an airy cabin.
As I hand the key over to the salesman, I explain that the GT’s stiff ride has knocked it out of contention. I should have seen it coming; the GT S had the same shortcoming. (How did the GT C avoid it?) The good news is that the GT’s detuned engine doesn’t kill its buzz: It’s still plenty fast—and fun—with 456 hp!
Today’s test drive has reaffirmed my lust for the AMG GT lineup. Who knows, I may just suffer the butt-kicking ride and buy one soon!
8/26/20 2:03AM
Mike's Steering Column 