First Look: The 2024 Mercedes-AMG GT Returns as a Sportier SL Coupe
As the German brand shrinks its two-door lineup, the AMG GT is keeping the bad-boy coupe dream alive at Mercedes.
If the new 2024 Mercedes-AMG GT demonstrates anything, it could be that if you build it, they don't always come. The AMG model survives into 2024 with a V-8 rumble, but a distinct move toward the mainstream gives this model more widespread appeal. Based partially on customer feedback, the 2024 AMG GT is larger, more comfortable, and more practical than before. But before enthusiasts write angry letters to Mercedes, let's take a moment to enjoy the launch of another low-to-the-ground, sporty two-door. One that's still here for 2024.
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Consolidation and electrification are big at Mercedes right now, with the stylish CLE-Class replacing two other coupes, and 700-hp plug-in hybrids launching from AMG. Woah. Yet here we are, with the non-hybrid 2024 AMG GT V-8 coupe, which offers a rear seat and standard all-wheel drive, as well as a new-for-2025 AMG GT43 four-cylinder coupe.
The 500-HP Grand Tourer?
Even if the GT55's rear seats are mostly used for a weekend duffel, the "just in case" functionality of two extra seats delivers enough peace of mind to make them worth it, even if accessing them will never be as comfortable as the seats ina GT 4-Door Coupe. Trust us; we tried the back seat in person. Sales were never the only purpose of a brand-building car like the AMG GT Coupe … but the AMG 4-Door Coupe is probably an easier sell. The latter boasts four doors, snob appeal, and a base price of around $100,000.
The revived AMG GT Coupe will start for tens of thousands of dollars more than that with a standard V-8 engine under its long hood. Two models exist at launch, followed later by a third, the GT43, for 2025:
- 2024 Mercedes-AMG GT55 Coupe
- 2024 Mercedes-AMG GT63 Coupe
- 2025 Mercedes-AMG GT43 Coupe
The two-to-four-seat GT55 model gets a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V-8 with 469 hp and 516 lb-ft of torque. These are impressive numbers that may sound familiar from the SL55. The two-seat GT63 uses a higher tuning of the same engine, good for 577 hp and 590 lb-ft. So for now, there's no complex plug-in hybrid AMG powertrain as we've seen on new performance models including the C63, S63, and GLC63 S E Performance.
We've tested the SL55 hitting 60 mph in only 3.6 seconds, and the SL63 making the 0-60-mph run in only 3.1 seconds. The 2024 AMG GT Coupes should be at least as quick (Mercedes estimates 3.2 seconds for 0-62 mph). No matter the model, the new 2024 Mercedes-AMG GT Coupe will provide straight-line thrills even if drivers are accustomed to electric performance models.
What about the GT43? New for 2025, this variant uses a turbocharged 2.0-liter I-4 gas engine. While that might sound lowly compared to the V-8s listed above, this AMG M139 engine delivers a stout 416 hp and 369 lb-ft of torque. That a (hand-built) four-cylinder can get within firing distance of a V-8's output is impressive, to be sure, while the smaller engine should make the AMG GT43 lighter than its siblings, though final figures are forthcoming. As such, performance remains sparkling: AMG claims the GT43 can reach 60 mph in 4.5 seconds, less than a second behind the GT55. The I-4's turbocharger is electric, too, so it can spin up independent of exhaust gases, all but eliminating turbo lag. It also operates alongside a 48-volt electrical architecture, making the 43 a mild hybrid capable of electric assist via the starter/generator motor on its accessory drive belt.
AWD and Performance Tech for All
What happens when the road curves? No longer a strictly rear-wheel-drive model, the new AMG GT Coupe includes a standard AMG-tuned AWD system. Depending on situation and drive mode, the all-wheel-drive system can shift all the torque to the rear axle or split it evenly between the front and rear. In the SL55, we found the AWD setup let the car get tail happy in its sportier drive modes. We've already seen an AMG GT Coupe prototype doing donuts at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, so the two-door should be ready for some sideways fun if you have the space (and skill).
"This is the sportiest car in our lineup," said Matthias Schmidt, the AMG GT's lead product manager, in an interview withMotorTrend. With the GT, Schmidt added, Mercedes-AMG proves it can engineer serious sports cars. But can it rival our favorite rear-engine Porsche, the 911? We'll see.
Miss rear-wheel drive? That's where the 2025 Mercedes-AMG GT43 comes in. Not only does it carry less engine than the GT55 and GT63 models, it also lacks a front differential and driveshafts, all but guaranteeing it weighs less overall. The rear-drive layout should deliver lively, more sports-car-like moves from the GT platform.
As for the more comfortable ride, that's a claim we look forward to testing for ourselves. The new AMG GT Coupe has AMG Active Ride Control, an advanced piece of tech we've experienced on the SL63. Here, the tech is standard on both the GT55 and GT63 models, where it replaces anti-roll bars with interlinked hydraulic lines that impact the ride. It's supposed to make the car corner more flatly, which should help at high speeds in the twisties when the driver encounters an unexpected bump.
In the SL63, we found the tech resulted in a stiff ride that's "livable yet not plush." Will that be the case with the GT Coupe, a car that hasn't had the best reputation for ride quality? Mercedes says the tech has a unique tuning here with the 2024 AMG GT, so it's possible. Even sporty cars can have nice ride quality.
One feature owners will surely appreciate: The tech can raise the front axle by 1.2 inches, which is sometimes the difference between a cringe-inducing scrape and a clean entry into a driveway. Rear-axle steering is also standard on the 2024 AMG GT Coupe. That's good, as we're fans of Mercedes' version of this industry tech. Here, the rears move up to 2.5 degrees in the same direction as the fronts at speeds above 62 mph, or in the opposite direction when traveling slower than 62 (which is about 100 kph for those keeping track). The automaker notes that the tech has been specially tuned for use in the AMG GT Coupe.
In keeping with the GT43's less is, well, less, theme, it rides on steel coil springs, which feature a new integrated perch design that AMG says saves 0.4 pound per spring and reduces lifetime wear (compared to separate springs and spring pads). AMG Ride Control, which includes active dampers, is optional on the 43s.
"Wait and See" Performance
You can change everything from the steering to the suspension to the exhaust note by selecting one of the six drive modes: Smooth, Comfort, Sport, Sport+, Individual (a custom drive mode), and Race. As on the SL, the GT Coupe gets 15.4-inch steel brake discs while carbon-ceramic options are available (even on the GT43!).
In the SL, the brakes delivered mixed results. Although both systems proved extremely capable, our test team found that both the SL55 and the SL63 had super-short pedal travel that made modulation more difficult. Perhaps that won't be the case with the AMG GT. Given our history testing the last AMG GT as well as the existing SL, all this info keeps us excited to evaluate the new AMG GT. Will it feel more sporty than just an SL Coupe? We'll see.
Design and Proportions: Don't Complain
The old AMG GT's looong hood was one of its best design details, and that's mostly still here for the 2024 model. The hood is shorter, but the car still looks mean and low in person. Its sports-car shape isn't as pure as the last one, but taken on its own the car sends all the right signals.
Inside, the interior has price-appropriate decor, starting with beautiful turbine-style air vents whose shape is echoed in dual bumps in the dash. Like the SL, the 2024 AMG GT has a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and portrait-style touchscreen. Thanks to the AMG GT's hard roof, the screen probably won't get as hot as the SL's can when the top is down. We're told outward visibility is better than before, and those available rear seats do fold. The power liftgate on the new model is a good (and expected) feature for a car like this.
Four Cheers for a Second-Gen AMG GT Coupe
The SL helps the two-door AMG GT emerge as more than just a one-generation wonder. Yes, standard AWD and rear seats tell one story, but a V-8 engine and rear-biased tuning tell another. Our only real issue with the 2024 Mercedes-AMG GT Coupe at this point is that it will likely be a gas guzzler, if the SL's EPA classification is anything to go by. But if climate-change guilt isn't going to sway you from a classically styled sports car, Mercedes may have just what you're looking for.
I’ve come a long way since I drove sugar packets across restaurant tables as a kid, pretending they were cars. With more than 17 years of experience, I'm passionate about demystifying the new car market for shoppers and enthusiasts. My expertise comes from thoughtfully reviewing countless vehicles across the automotive spectrum. The greatest thrill I get isn’t just from behind the wheel of an exotic car but from a well-executed car that’s affordable, entertaining, and well-made. Since about the time I learned to walk I’ve been fascinated by cars of all shapes and sizes, but it wasn’t until I struggled through a summer high school class at the Pasadena Art Center College of Design that I realized writing was my ticket into the automotive industry. My drive to high school was magical, taking me through a beautiful and winding canyon; I've never lost the excited feeling some 16-year-olds get when they first set out on the road. The automotive industry, singing, and writing have always been my passions, but because no one seeks a writer who sings about the automotive industry, I honed my writing and editing skills at UC Irvine (zot zot!), serving as an editor of the official campus newspaper and writing stories as a literary journalism major. At USC, I developed a much greater appreciation for broadcast journalists and became acquainted with copy editing rules such as why the Oxford comma is so important. Though my beloved 1996 Audi A4 didn’t survive my college years, my career with MotorTrend did. I started at the company in 2007 building articles for motorcycle magazines, soon transitioning to writing news posts for MotorTrend’s budding online department. I spent some valuable time in the copy editing department, as an online news director, and as a senior production editor. Today, MotorTrend keeps me busy as the Buyer's Guide Director. Not everyone has a career centered on one of their passions, and I remind myself all the time how lucky I am.
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