This is Mercedes’ new Porsche 911 rival, set to be badged simply ‘GT’ and go on sale in 2015.
The rear-drive coupe, codenamed ‘C190’, will cost from £80,000 and offer only V8 power, unlike the Jaguar F-type, which offers a mix of supercharged V6 and V8 powerplant, and Maserati’s upcoming 911 rival, which is V6-only.
What do we know about the 2015 Mercedes GT’s tech spec?
Instead of a pricey carbonfibre tub or conventional steel chassis, the GT will be based around a lightweight aluminium spaceframe, and weigh in much lighter than the 1695kg SLS AMG.
There’ll be a three-tier range for how hot you’d like your Mercedes GT. Standard models will develop 485bhp from their front-mounted, 4.0-litre V8 engine. Want more? Then wait for the GT ‘S’, good for 505bhp, or the extreme stripped Black Series model, which will push out a massive 585bhp – more than the current Porsche 911 Turbo S.
As standard, the Mercedes GT will ride on 19in wheels, while fixed aerodynamic add-ons are a dead-cert for the Black Series model. It’s also likely that Mercedes will offer a carbon ceramic brake option, as with most high-performance AMG models.
Is the Mercedes GT just another two-seater weekend car?
Nope – the GT will have practicality to match a Porsche 911. Gullwing doors have been ditched for conventional doors, and the cabin features a 2+2 seating arrangement. And despite the long-bonnet/cab-back stance, there should be a usable boot too – take note, F-type…