A Mercedes to covet

THE 10th commandment says one should not covet thy neighbor's donkey. But if that donkey just happens to be a P15-million plus Mercedes-Benz AMG GT, then one could perhaps be forgiven for just a little covetousness.

It certainly is a beauty—described by radio host and car critic Chris Evens as "so beautiful, at first I wasn't sure if it was real."

Mercedes describes its new flagship sports car as “a contemporary sports car which embodies the spirit of glorious Mercedes sports cars of the past.”

This is a modern-day muscle car developed entirely in-house by AMG, the high performance division of Mercedes-Benz.

While it retains the same front mid-engine, rear-wheel drive layout, it's smaller and less expensive than its predecessor; the SLS AMG GT. Mercedes is clearly gunning to successfully compete with Porsche 911, Jaguar F-type, Aston Martin Vantage and the Audi R8.

The car is based around a magnesium and aluminum body structure produced by German construction specialist Thyssen Krupp. This is the same company that turns out body structure components for McLaren and Lamborghini. It weighs in at 1540kg.

The GT's 4.0-liter twin-turbo V-8 engine is available in two different versions. The standard GT produces 462 hp at 6000 rpm which allows a 0-62 mph (100 km/h) sprint time of 4.0 seconds. The more potent S version gains an extra 47 hp 0-62 mph time of just 3.8 seconds.

Top speeds also differ between the standard GT and the GT S – the GT is limited to 189 mph (304 km/h), while the GT S tops out at 193 mph (310 km/h).

Muscle car indeed, but with its practical tailgate, easily accessible 350 liter luggage compartment, high level of comfort on long journeys and the extensive Mercedes-Benz Intelligent Drive assistance systems make it a straightforward, comfortable and reliable machine for everyday motoring.

"With the new Mercedes-AMG GT, we are venturing out into a challenging sports car segment with its top-class competitive field. This is an incentive and motivation for us at the same time to prove to sports car enthusiasts around the world the kind of performance that AMG is capable of," said Dr. Thomas Weber, member of the Board of Management of Daimler AG, responsible for Group Research & Mercedes-Benz Cars Development.

"With the new GT we are positioning Mercedes-AMG even more aggressively than to date as a dynamic sports car brand," says Tobias Moers, CEO of Mercedes-AMG GmbH. "With its technological substance, the Mercedes-AMG GT fulfills our high aspirations with regard to driving dynamics, agility and sportiness."

In the snug cockpit, the GT has a high-tech, luxurious feel. The dash is topped by a 7-inch screen, which its above four "spotlight style" air vents. Extensive use of premium leathers, real metals, and top-tier plastics all add to the luxury feel.

The magnificent GT is not on sale yet in the Philippines. CATS Motors, the Mercedes distributor for the Philippines, tell me they are planning to make the more powerful S version available by the end of the year.

Time perhaps to raid the piggy bank!

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