Mercedes-AMG GT R: the Hope Classic Rally Guide
0-62mph in 3.6sec, 198mph top speed: the GT R is sound and fury signifying... well, chest-vibrating sound, and considerable fury.
Whatever you do, try not to accuse the GT R of a lack of intent. One of the recent stars of our Driving Through The Ages day at Goodwood (this variant on the GT line-up made its world debut during the 2016 Festival of Speed), the GT R is equipped with a 577bhp twin-turbo V8 that makes a glorious sound that shouldn't really be discussed in polite company. Where the law will allow, it'll will 198mph, and warp drive from zero to 62mph in 3.6 seconds.
What the experts say..
Nick Cackett, AUTOCARThe kicks come from the angrier looks and the splendid noise
"Most cars, when they become track-focused specials, ramp down the weight and ramp up the interaction. The thing about the GT R – and it’s quite a nice thing – is that the theatre and drama that comes with the regular car isn’t just present, it’s also amplified. Yes, the GT R is harder than a regular GT, but the additional kicks come from the angrier looks, the lashings of Alcantara and the splendid noise."
"Naturally, the big difference between this and the standard car is how fast it can go – and that starts with the engine. The 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 unit has been tuned to produce 585hp – 75hp more than even the potent AMG GT S. As a result, this GT R accelerates from 0-62mph in just 3.6 seconds and tops out at just shy of 200mph. Oh, and it sounds fantastic, too."
TopGear
"It finds so much grip on the way into corners and so much drive on the way out that you really can enjoy working it to and beyond its limits, as you would with a 911 GT3."
"...the GT R can be pushed hard with confidence, its grip huge, its limits predictable and less difficult to manage than its sometimes tricky GT S relation."
Little known facts...
This, among other curiosities assembled by Automobile:
"It's amazing how hot air comes out of the back of the GT R. Gustavo's team found a fascinating way to use air pressure to channel the 500-degree air that surrounds the center-exit exhaust's titanium muffler through the double-deck rear diffusers. No physical conduits were needed...."
The GT R at Driving Through The Ages
For one day in September 2019, the Hope Classic Rally team assembled an amazing collection of classic and exotic cars - including the GT R - at Goodwood for a group of our charity auction winners to experience. All proceeds from the auction go to We See Hope.
Oh, and before you go...
The Hope Classic Rally turns a love of classic cars into support for vulnerable children in Southern and Eastern Africa through the WeSeeHope charity.
The Hope Classic Rally is an annual event where enthusiasts donate their classic cars for other enthusiasts to drive.
If you have a classic car that you think would add to the annual Rally, or if you want to know how to support the event, please get in touch!
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