2016 Geneva Motor Show: AMG GT R confirmed, Black Series coming

AMG has confirmed it will build an even faster, more extreme version of its flagship GT performance car, dubbed GT R.

The new, track-focused model will make its debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in June and will include cutting edge technologies such as active aerodynamics and four-wheel steering to go with a boost in power, as revealed in our March edition.

Official power outputs are yet to be released, but expect the GT R’s 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 to produce in excess of 420kW. The current AMG GT produces 375kW/700Nm in its most powerful S specification.

AMG boss Tobias Moers confirmed the GT R’s launch, and name, to Wheels at the Geneva Motor Show.

“The next performance level for AMG will be the GT R version of the GT,” he said. “Now it’s official, it’s going to be called GT R. You will see this car at Goodwood.”

Pitched as a rival for the Porsche 911 GT3 RS, the GT R is expected to be even more honed, Mercedes insiders told Wheels. That suggests significant mechanical changes beyond a more aggressive body kit, more power and larger brakes.

Moers confirmed the GT R will be “faster than an SLS Black around a race track”.

He also revealed plans to rapidly expand the AMG GT family. A convertible model will arrive in 2017 and an ever more hardcore Black Series variant after that.

Moers described the convertible GT as a “must have” for the AMG brand, and even revealed he’d like to extend the GT family even further to include a four-door version to rival the likes of the Porsche Panamera and Aston Martin Rapide.

Rumours of the four-seat GT, called GT4, have circulated for months, and when asked if he’d like to make such a car Moers replied: “Absolutely. You know the rumours? I too know the rumours. Let’s wait and see.”

As for whether AMG asked Nissan for permission to use the GT R name?

“No, we didn’t ask them,” said Moers. “But ours is spelt differently.”