Mercedes-AMG GT R sets a new rear-wheel drive, production lap record at the Nürburgring with Sport Auto magazine. Jump on-board…
The ‘Beast of the Green Hell’ – aka the Mercedes-AMG GT R – is back in action at the circuit that (partly) made it famous, the Nürburgring. And as you would expect from any self-respecting, 577bhp AMG sports car, the GT R is now a record breaker, having run the fastest ever rear-wheel drive lap time for production models.
Skip to 30s in the above on-board video and you can see Christian Gebhardt of Germany’s Sport Auto magazine putting the GT R through its feisty paces. At 7m 10.92s, the AMG GT R knocks six-tenths of a second off the former record holder – the Gumpert Apollo Speed – and topples a record held since 2009. Also, for some added useless general knowledge, that’s over one second faster than the SRT Viper ACR (7m 11.57s), and just less than ten seconds quicker than the Ferrari 488 GTB (7m 21.63s).
So, the basics. Like the AMG GT S, the GT R houses a 4-litre biturbo V8, but packs a colossal 577bhp and 516lb ft of torque, enough for a 3.6-second 0-100kph time and a 320kph top speed. Dig beneath the surface and you’ll also find active rear-wheel steering (a first for Mercedes), a new rear diffuser and front splitter, a fixed rear spoiler that generates 155kg of downforce), and Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tyres. Oh, and if you’re looking to break Gebhardt’s record, you’ll need $180K for a GT R of your own…
