Mercedes-AMG has revealed its new 316 km/h GT Roadster ahead of a planned world premiere for the wind in the hair two-seater at the Paris motor show later this month.
The GT Roadster will be sold in two distinct versions with the 350 kW GT Roadster and the more powerful 410 kW GT C Roadster.
Sporting the styling updates unveiled on the 430 kW GT R in June, the GT R Roadster features AMG’s distinctive and quite horrible vertical slatted grille (taken from the W 154 Silver Arrow pre-war.
To ensure more efficient cooling of the engine and improved aerodynamic properties, the GT Roadster also adopts the active air management system that debuted on the GT R. It uses a series of vertical louvers within the grille, which automatically open and close depending on the temperature of the engine to either enhance cooling or smooth airflow.
At the rear, the two GT Roaster models differ in width due to the adoption of differing rear fenders. The standard GT Roadster uses the same fenders as the existing GT Coupe, while the GT C Roadster uses the 57mm wider bodywork of the GT R. This allows the latter to run larger 20-inch rear wheels with 305/30 profile rubber as standard in place of the 19-inch rims and 295/35 tyres of the former.
As with its successor, the SLS Roadster produced between 2011 and 2014, the GT Roadster features an automatic fabric roof. The three layer structure, which comes in either black, red or beige, is supported by a frame manufactured from aluminium, magnesium and steel. It opens and closes in a claimed 11sec at speeds up to 31mph, folding and stowing over the rear bulkhead behind the two seat cabin. Counteracting this being an open car is a stiffened aluminium body structure with thicker sill elements, an additional dashboard support and a new aluminium cross member supporting a fixed roll over bars.
The GT Roadster extracts 350 kW from its petrol V8 and the GT C Roadster boasts 410 kW, with both models covering zero to 100 km under 4 seconds.
AMG says the 65kg weight difference between the GT Roadster and GT C Roadster due to the latter receiving a higher level of standard features. Included is the rear-wheel steering system first unveiled on the GT R. It steers the rear wheels in the opposite direction to those up front at speeds up to 100 km/h to enhance agility and reduce the amount of steering input that is required to turn into corners. Once the speed exceeds 100 km/h, the rear wheels then turn in the same direction as those at the front in a move that is claimed to enhance longitudinal stability without any reduction in overall steering response.
As with the GT Coupe, the two GT Roadster models feature differing suspension set-ups. The standard GT Roadster model receives a so-called sports suspension with fixed rate damping, with the GT C Roadster boasting AMG Ride Control with adaptive damping.
Mercedes is improving on what was already excellent. Yes, I’ll have a GTC.
