ZINVO's Favorite Cars: Mercedes-Benz AMG GT S

The next car to make our favorite list is the Mercedes-Benz AMG GT S Edition 1. Join us and our ZINVO watch of choice, the Blade Venom, in Dubai as we check out this beautiful luxury Benz. 

 

Mercedes-Benz is known for their quality, reliability, and longevity. On the other hand, AMG is known for their aggressive designs and extreme engines. Combining these two approaches makes an incredibly reliable high-performance vehicle, which has captivated car enthusiasts worldwide. While many of us may know the history of Mercedes-Benz, where does AMG fit in?

 

 

Brief History of AMG and Mercedes

AMG was founded in Affalterbach, Germany in 1967 as a company that designs and tests racecar engines. Among their services, AMG also modified existing Mercedes-Benz cars for their clients to make them leaner and faster. Over the years, Mercedes-Benz noticed that many of their customers, both within and outside Germany, were sending their cars to AMG for modification. So by 1999, Mercedes-Benz (named DaimlerChrysler at the time) bought 51% of AMG's shares. AMG eventually become a wholly owned subsidiary by of Mercedes-Benz in 2005.

 

The AMG GT S Edition 1 Engine

The AMG GT S Edition 1 comes with a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V-8 engine that produces 503 horsepower and 479 lb-ft of torque. It has an acceleration of 0-60 mph in 3.7 seconds. It is interesting to note that AMG also provides the engines for the Pagani Zonda and Huayra supercars that all car enthusiasts love. Those engines that are exclusive to those Pagani supercars emphasizes AMG's mastery of extreme engines. 

 

The Exterior of the AMG GT S Edition 1

 

The Edition 1 package of the AMG GT S comes with an aggressive aerodynamic package. Not only does this decrease drag and increase speed, but it also reduces exterior noise. As a result, the AMG GT S offers a smooth and quiet ride that's not typically associated with supercars. 

 

The exhaust system on this particular Mercedes-Benz features AMG’s two integrated bypass valves which open and close depending on the driving mode and engine speed. In sports mode, the valves are completely open for a more menacing sound, but in normal mode, the noise of the aggressive AMG engine is tamed for those neighbors that don’t appreciate loud engines.

 

The Interior of the AMG GT S Edition 1

The sports bucket seats are fitted with Nappa leather and dynamic microfiber inserts, which add to the comfort of the ride. The car is started by depressing the brakes while simultaneously pressing the “start button”. However, the car may also be manually started by inserting the key into an ignition cylinder found under the center console. Also found on the center console is the exhaust bypass valve button. This button will manually open up the exhaust system, unleashing the powerful AMG sound we all love when the situation calls for it.

 

 

All engine, suspension and stability/traction control settings are customizable via dials on the center console. Settings like Comfort, Sport, and Sport+ can be applied to all or each feature separately to match the driver’s driving style.

 

The AMG GT S also features two high-resolution screens, a Burmester Surround System, Hands-free Bluetooth interface with audio streaming, and dual USB audio ports. As a Mercedes car, ultra-luxury style and comfort is expected. 

 

The Price of the AMG GT S Edition 1 

 

Its starting price of $131,000 is a steal for a supercar of this caliber—especially from the likes of Mercedes-Benz and AMG. The AMG GT S replaces the highly successful AMG SLS and it does an excellent job doing so, particularly if you consider the current price point. The AMG GT S is the second car that AMG designed from scratch, and it is a home run. Given their sophomore project, we certainly look forward to what they will be designing next!