Bathurst blast: Mercedes-AMG GT S takes on The Mountain

IS THIS the best video you’ll watch all day? It shows racing legend Bernd Schneider attacking a damp Mount Panorama in Mercedes-AMG’s newest, and slightly bonkers, GT S hot-rod.

Sure, it’s Mercedes PR. But we mean attacking. At the 0m54s mark, Bernd is so crossed up he’s inches away from tearing the $295,000 car apart on Bathurst’s famous walls.

He doesn’t, though, and Bernd goes on to clock a lap time of 2:24.03, which you’ve got to admit, is bloody quick for a standard production car, even if it does have 375 kW.

The only options fitted to the Mercedes-AMG GT S used in the film were stickier Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tyres and carbon ceramic brakes, both of which any customer can purchase for their car.

And while Benz can’t claim the record as official, we’re struggling to think of another production car that’s gone quicker.

To put the GT’s time into perspective, a race-prepped V8 Supercar laps the Mountain in the 2:07 bracket. Schneider himself has gone quicker at Bathurst too, and lapped the famous circuit in 2:07.6 on his way to win the 2013 Bathurst 12 Hour in a SLS GT3. But these are racing cars bristling with slick tyres, slippery aero and racing suspension.

Hit play and watch Schneider and the GT S earn their keep.

And if you want to know how the car rates against the new Porsche 911 GT3, you’ll find a track showdown in the September edition of Wheels, on sale August 20.

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