Following on from the launch of the coupe model, the first details of the convertible Mercedes-AMG GT Roadster have now been revealed ahead of its public debut at this month’s Paris Motor Show.
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Highlights include an AMG performance exhaust and electronic differential as standard, 57mm more rear width than the standard Roadster thanks to swollen bodywork to accommodate a wider track with wider wheels, and the R’s rear-wheel steering system.
Pricing is yet to be revealed, although Mercedes-AMG officials suggest the GT Roadster will be pitched around £10,000 above respective GT Coupe models.
The differences between the standard Roadster and the GT C Roadster are subtle as a sledgehammer. Deliveries won’t begin until second-half 2017.
While the actual layouts of the two Mercedes-Benz models drastically differ, they both deliver exciting performance for drivers to enjoy.
Below 100 km/h, the rear-axle steering system will turn the rear wheels opposite the front wheels, to effectively shorten the wheelbase and improve maneuverability.
As with its successor, the SLS Roadster produced between 2011 and 2014, the GT Roadster features an automatic fabric roof.
Inside, the GT and GT C are largely the same as their coupe siblings, albeit with the obvious difference of the folding fabric roof – which is available in black, red and beige. The soft top can be folded electrically in just eleven seconds even when the vehicle is running at a speed of 50 kmph.
The structure has been reinforced further to compensate for the lack of a roof. Instead, AMG promises it will offer a driving experience to match the coupe, albeit with a lot more headroom.
The AMG GT Roadster (the white one) is the tamer of the two, the 4.0-Litre Biturbo V8 engine in the AMG GT Roadster produces 350 kW and peak torque of 630 Nm. The GT R’s extensive carbon fiber treatment won’t carry over, but the GT C does get a lithium-ion battery to shave a few pounds.
There are two stereo systems available for the Roadster, a “standard” Burmester system and a high-end version from the same brand.
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By comparison, the twin-turbocharged 3.8L horizontally opposed 6-cyl. powering the Porsche 911 S Turbo Cabriolet kicks out 580 hp and 516 lb. -ft. AMG’s engineers have also fiddled with the latter’s seven-speed DCT gearbox, giving it a higher first gear, a lower seventh gear and final ratio to make it more responsive, and an extra transmission mode called “Race”.
