AMG boss gives inside line on GT

Michael Schiebe takes us for a ride in new V8 coupé ahead of September reveal

- GREG KABLE

No model reflects the ascendancy of MercedesAMG in recent years quite as well as the GT. Launched in 2014 as a successor to the SLS, the classically proportioned V8 coupé and roadster has established itself as a true rival to the Porsche 911 and many others in the supercar ranks.

Against a backdrop of new electric models, it is an AMG car from the old school - one that, by remaining true to many of the brand's traditional values, resonates strongly with enthusiasts. But ever since AMG confirmed that the upcoming, C192-generation version would be twinned with the latest SL, there has been an endless stream of speculation about the new car.

Would the 2023 follow-up be bigger, heavier and, perhaps, less focused than the original? Would the spectre of tough new EU emissions laws strangle the performance potential of its engine and lead to an altogether gentler GT? Some have even suggested we might have already seen the best of the GT.

In pursuit of answers to these questions and more, Autocar joined AMG's new CEO, Michael Schiebe- who also heads Mercedes' other 'Top End Vehicle' brands, G-Class and Maybach - for a ride in a near-finished prototype.

"Before you ask, yes, we're only going to build it as a coupé," he said, immediately. "There is absolutely no shame in it sharing its DNA with the SL, which takes the roadster role in our portfolio."

The two AMG cars are based on the same Modular Sport Architecture platform, a lightweight space frame style structure that uses a combination of aluminium, steel, magnesium and plastic composites.