Mercedes-AMG teases GT interior, announces fall 2014 debut

Tue, 15 Apr 2014

Mercedes-Benz opted to tease the assembled media at its post-New York Auto Show party, showing off a pair of images of the exquisitely crafted interior of the highly anticipated successor of the SLS AMG - the V8-powered Mercedes-AMG GT.

Slated for a debut in the fall at either Paris or Los Angeles (we're betting Paris), you'll note straight away that there's something wrong with this car's name. Where's the "Benz?" Well, it's been ditched to, as Mercedes says, "make the dream of the authentic Mercedes-AMG sports car come true." Sorry Karl.

"The new Mercedes-AMG GT proves that we will be positioning AMG as a dynamic sports car brand even more strongly and aggressively than before," said Tobias Moers, CEO of Mercedes-AMG.

As for these images, there isn't a lot to see, aside from a very nicely designed interior. The materials look first rate, and the overall layout is one of the more modern we've seen from Mercedes. Further confirming that an eight-cylinder sits under the hood, the AMG Drive Unit - the bank of buttons on either side of the shifter - has been designed with four per side, which form a "V" shape, similar to an engine.

Hopefully we'll hear more on the new Mercedes-AMG GT ahead of its official debut later this year. Take a look below for a brief press release, with additional remarks from Tobias Moers.

The new Mercedes-AMG GT
The sports sensation

Affalterbach. A new AMG high-performance automobile is all set for its world premiere in the fall of 2014. The Mercedes-AMG GT will thrill sports car fans around the world with breathtaking design and supreme agility. Fascinating, dynamic – and versatile to boot: the GT will line up in a new segment – and it will make the dream of the authentic Mercedes-AMG sports car come true.

"The new Mercedes-AMG GT proves that we will be positioning AMG as a dynamic sports car brand even more strongly and aggressively than before," notes Tobias Moers, CEO of Mercedes-AMG GmbH. "The technological substance of the Mercedes-AMG GT underscores our high aspirations with regard to vehicle dynamics, agility and sportiness. Following the global success of the SLS AMG, the new GT is the second sports car developed fully independently by Mercedes-AMG. A first exclusive look at the design of the interior shows what is in store for our customers: a GT sports car in its purest form."

The sensuous purity of a superlative driving machine

A sneak preview of the interior arouses anticipation of the new Mercedes-AMG GT: the interior design embodies emotion and sensuousness like no other sports car. The uncompromising lines of the interior components and their authentic materials display a clarity that uses contrasts to help define "modern luxury".

A dominant aspect in the cockpit of the GT is the stylistic evolution of the central "aviation design" theme typical of Mercedes-Benz sports cars. The dashboard places extreme emphasis on width, creating the impression of a powerful wing. This effect is boosted by the four central climate-control spot vents and the single vents at the left and right ends of the dashboard. The dominant center stack presents a correspondingly dynamic character: its shape is reminiscent of a NACA scoop and its materials suggest that it has been adopted directly from motor racing. Another clever design feature comes in the form of the controls on the AMG DRIVE UNIT, which are arranged like the cylinders of a V8 engine and further augment the powerful, high-tech impression made by the center console.

Enough to set pulses racing even when stationary

The interior of the Mercedes-AMG GT also boasts a fascinatingly exclusive look and feel, with the finest materials and outstanding workmanship combining to create a setting that simply exudes class. As such, the exclusive interior of the Mercedes-AMG GT alone is enough to get one truly hooked on this vehicle. Designed to set the driver's and front passenger's pulses racing even while at a standstill, it provides an enticing hint of the superlative dynamic performance the new GT is capable of when its AMG V8 comes to life.

By Brandon Turkus