It says much for the iconic Porsche 911 that it still sets the benchmark for rival sports car manufacturers to try and beat. Many have tried; most fail, some get close and others, like Mercedes, believe they have a sports car that can not only match it, but see it off.
Mercedes are so confident that their uber-gorgeous AMG GT S has what it takes to beat the 911 that the TV advertisement for this car takes a cheeky swipe at their German rivals. The theme of the ad is that the 911 has always been the dream car for young lads. I was one of them.
– #Quiz360: WIN dinner for 2 at Jumeira Rotana
It shows the rear view and wing mirrors of what is clearly a 911 with the Merc getting closer and closer and ends with the line… “the car you dreamed of as a child has just been overtaken”, as the Mercedes blasts past.
All very mischievous; but if you are going to be that brazen you had better be able to back it up. So does the AMG GT S deliver what is promised? I got a chance to find out when I took it for a spin on Abu Dhabi’s Yas Marina Formula One circuit.
Mercedes used a boxing ring setting to introduce the car, alongside the new C63 AMG, the idea being that these were two new Mercedes fighters entering the arena and it has to be said that the GT S looks like it could go a few rounds with Mike Tyson and probably win.
Like all AMG cars, this is one muscular, yet refined looking beast with its long signature Mercedes bonnet, sleek lines, signature air intakes on the side, and wide bulky rear. It looks a bit like a small, stockier SLS without the gullwing doors and it just oozes class and aggression.
The very first Mercedes was a sports car and this little beauty carries that heritage forward into an exciting new era where it throws down the gauntlet to Porsche, the Jaguar F-Type R and the Aston Martin Vantage, all spectacularly brilliant cars in their own right.
One of the joys of driving a Mercedes AMG car is the glorious baritone growl that comes from their magnificent engines and the GT S is no exception. It is powered by a newly developed four-litre V8 bi-turbo and I guarantee that when you push the red starter button you will want to sit there for a while and enjoy listening to the burble as it ticks over.
Obviously, any car that takes on the mighty 911 is going to have awesome power and this engine delivers a hefty 510bhp with 650nm of torque which is enough to get you from 0-100kmh in an adrenalin pumping 3.8 seconds.
The interior is beautiful and clearly designed to offer ultimate luxury and an intimately emotional driving experience. It is extremely compact without being cramped, is incredibly comfortable and is built from the finest leathers, carbon fibre, metals and veneers that leave you in no doubt you are in one of the finest sports cars in the world. The instrument cluster is ultra-modern whilst retaining a classic Mercedes feel and there is a wide, carbon fibre, centre console which houses the AMG Drive Unit where you can choose which mode you want to drive in – comfort, sport, sport plus or, if you are feeling really confident, race. Other buttons control the suspension, exhaust flaps which make that noise even more thrilling, stability control and transmission set up. The dash is dominated by the circular air vents and an excellent infotainment screen which looks a bit like an iPad.
To drive, this car is a dream. It is amazingly responsive with instantaneous power available across the rev range. The seven-speed double-clutch automatic gearbox is smooth with blindingly quick, seamless, gear changes and there are paddle-shifts which up the ante on the enjoyment front.
The GT S is built from aluminium so it is light and with an awesome amount of power on tap the performance, from an acceleration, braking and general handling point of view is faultless. It dealt with all the technical sections of the Yas Marina circuit with incredible grip and poise. And although this is essentially a two-seater, high-end sports car it is also versatile enough to deal with everyday driving with ease and because it is a hatchback there is a surprising amount of room in the boot.
So, is it better than a 911? Well at Dh566,376 it is more expensive and quicker than the new Porsche 911 GT S and slightly cheaper than the 911 Turbo S which beats it on the 0-100kmh time. It’s not all about performance though so it’s probably down to personal preference but the GT S is one magnificent car.
Verdict: 9/10
