Since revealing their enticing GT Concept at this year’s Geneva Motor Show, Mercedes-AMG have kept us waiting long enough before finally taking the car out on test runs in prototype form.
This GT4 was spotted close to the AMG facility in Germany, and a close look at its body cladding reveals how it’s actually trying to make us think it’s the all-new CLS. Nice try.
Since the 4-door AMG GT will target rivals such as the Porsche Panamera, it’s good that Mercedes went with a hatch design at the rear, instead of a typical saloon trunk.
As for how it will interject with the CLS, before you worry about them being too similar, take note of what Mercedes design boss Gorden Wagener said during a recent interview, namely that “the CLS is for James Bond, and the GT Concept is for Jason Bourne. That describes the different approaches to those vehicles.”
In other words, one is more about style and comfort, whereas the other is more performance oriented.
Underneath its shell, the four-door AMG GT will utilize Mercedes’ modular rear architecture (MRA), shared with the likes of the C63, E63 and S63 saloons. However, the new model will have its own “unique” wheelbase and track width measurements.
Power is expected to come from a new twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V8, delivering over 600 horsepower (for the S 4Matic+), as it does in the new E63. According to Autonews, the GT4 will also have a hybrid powertrain inspired by Mercedes-AMG’s Formula One cars – such a model could take the fight directly to the Porsche Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid.
It’s also possible we could see a less powerful six-cylinder version, powered by a turbocharged 3.0-liter unit, working together with a newly developed integrated starter generator (ISG) and a 20 HP electric motor mounted within the gearbox.
Expect the new Mercedes-AMG GT4 to hit the streets no sooner than 2018.
Photo Credits: CarPix for CarScoops
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