Mercedes-AMG GT4 racer revealed

A MERCEDES-AMG GT4 will become a new option for amateur racers in Europe’s growing GT series.

Benz’s performance division has previewed its new racing car with sketches, though has provided few details apart from confirming the GT4 is based on the upcoming GT R road car.

The GT4 series sits below GT3 in the GT pecking order, providing manufacturers and privateer teams with a more affordable form of motor racing. Cars are closer to their production model donors than GT3, and the sketches indeed suggest the AMG GT4 will look essentially like a Mercedes-AMG GT R with a bigger, flatter rear wing and more cooling ducts incorporated into the bodywork.

The Mercedes-AMG GT3 is vastly different to the GT supercar, most notably its extravagantly broadened bodywork that’s made of carbon fibre rather than aluminium and the normally aspirated 6.2-litre V8 carried over from the SLS (for durability) rather than the road model’s twin-turbo 4.0-litre V8.

AMG’s GT4 features green striping on the body and tyres, presumably to reflect the ‘Green Hell’ hero colour of the new GT R.

Timing has yet to be confirmed, but the GT4 would be eligible for a future staging of the Bathurst 12-hour. In 2017, the B12 will increase its GT4 entrants with the likes of Pro Sport’s two Porsche Cayman GT4s and Miedecke Stone Motorsport’s Aston Martin Vantage GT4.

In Europe, BMW runs an M3 GT4 which will be replaced with an M4 GT4 in 2018.

The GT4 series is approved by world governing body FIA and uses the same ‘balance of performance’ regulations as GT3 to ensure a level playing field for close, exciting racing.

“The development of the Mercedes-AMG GT4 is another important step in the continuing expansion of our Mercedes-AMG motorsport program,” said Mercedes-AMG boss Tobias Moers.

“The excellent feedback [from] our Customer Sports teams concerning the AMG GT3 and the increasing interest for GT4 race cars strengthened our decision. We are delighted to address an even larger target group of amateur and professional drivers and teams in the future with it.”