2019 Mercedes-Benz AMG GTR – Breaking Boundaries in Green Hell, Chasing New Challenges

The name Mercedes-Benz instantly evokes images of a long-established and popular German luxury automobile brand that has epitomized comfort, advanced technology, and wealth for generations. However, when the AMG label is added to a Mercedes car, it dramatically changes the character of the vehicle, pushing it beyond the ordinary luxury sedan. AMG represents a performance-focused evolution, transforming a standard Mercedes into a high-performance machine with a sporty character.

While we’ve previously discussed the AMG brand, it’s important to briefly reintroduce it here. AMG (Aufrecht, Melcher, and Großaspach) is Mercedes-Benz’s high-performance division, responsible for developing sports cars. Just as BMW has its M series and Audi has its Quattro S and RS variants, Mercedes-Benz uses the AMG label for its performance and racing-oriented cars. The AMG division, founded in 1967 by Hans Werner Aufrecht and Erhard Melcher, began with a vision to create high-performance race cars, initially working with Mercedes-Benz production models and modifying them for racing.

The first significant step in AMG’s success came with the modification of the Mercedes-Benz 300 SE to race in motorsport events. The result was a vehicle capable of competing successfully in German Touring Championship races. As Mercedes-Benz partnered with AMG, the division gained a reputation for producing performance versions of their existing cars, making them not only faster but also sportier and more agile.

By the late 1980s, AMG had already made a significant impact with its modifications to popular models like the 190E, creating the 190E Evolution and other performance variants. Over the years, AMG cars continued to push boundaries in motorsport and the performance car market, with vehicles like the E55, SL 73, C63, and many more.

One of the most notable AMG cars is the GTR. It’s a road-legal production car that takes the brand’s racing pedigree and injects it into a street car, developed for the highest possible performance in motorsport. The GTR is a significant evolution from the earlier SLS AMG, with improvements in power, handling, and technology.

The car features a unique rear-wheel steering system and a highly refined aerodynamic design, which allows it to achieve optimal stability and high speeds. It incorporates lightweight materials such as carbon fiber, titanium, and magnesium to minimize weight, while its advanced traction control system ensures the driver can maintain control even in extreme conditions.

The AMG GTR is powered by a V8 Bi-Turbo engine producing 577 horsepower, capable of reaching a top speed of 318 km/h, and accelerating from 0 to 100 km/h in just 3.6 seconds. This makes it a clear contender in the supercar category. In 2016, it set records at the Nürburgring, beating competitors like the Ferrari 488, Porsche GT3 RS, and Corvette Z01 in lap time, earning the nickname “Beast of the Green Hell.”

Thus, considering all these factors, the Mercedes-Benz AMG GTR stands as the epitome of a high-performance luxury car, blending the hallmark qualities of Mercedes-Benz—comfort, quality, practicality—with AMG’s focus on power, speed, and precision. It is not unfair to call it the “Beast of the Green Hell,” as it represents the ultimate blend of technology, design, and motorsport heritage.