Merc doubles fun factor with new roadsters

MERCEDES-BENZ is hoping that by offering not one, but two distinct versions of the Mercedes-AMG GT roadster, it will breathe fresh air into the sports convertible market.

Whenever Mercedes launches a flagship hardtop sportscar, one thing is always certain – that a soft-top version won’t be far behind.

However, with the new AMG GT, the company is going one better and offering consumers the choice of two models, each with their own characteristics.

The Mercedes-AMG GT Roadster will come with 280kW and 630Nm of torque, which together provide a 302km/h top speed and a 0-100km/h time of just 4.0 seconds.

Its AMG sport suspension will ensure that it offers fun in the bends, roof up or down, and for when more is required from the car, there’s a sport and a sport + mode.

For the AMG GT C Roadster everything goes up a notch.

Alongside sport and sport + modes, the driver can select ‘Race’ and in doing so unleash every one of the car’s 415kW’s, hitting a 316km/h top speed and covering the 0-100km/h dash in 3.7sec.

But the C model isn’t simply more powerful, it’s also much more dynamic in every sense.

This is because Mercedes has imbued it with much of the technology that was recently unveiled on the AMG-GT R ‘flagship flagship’ sports coupé including rear-wheel steering and a high-tech electronic differential.

The AMG GT C is also wider at the rear so that it can accommodate larger 20-inch wheels.

The final major difference is AMG Ride Control suspension, which offers active damping based on the ride selector in the form of Comfort, Sport and Race settings.

Tobias Moers, Chairman of Mercedes-AMG GmbH had this to say at the eve of these roadsters’ launch at the Paris Motor Show.

‘With our two roadster models, we are strategically expanding the AMG GT family by two exciting variants.

In the AMG GT C Roadster, we are also introducing a new model variant to which we have transferred main performance-related components from our top sports car, the AMG GT R.

The result is a highly dynamic driving experience in a very exclusive ambience, coupled with that pure roadster feeling,’ said Moers.

After making their global debut at the Paris Motor Show the roadsters will go on sale in early 2017, across the globe in probably also in SA.