For several years, the hottest Mercedes-AMG GT you could get was the GT R. Then came the Black Series, which did more than just supplant the GT R as the hottest car in the GT family. It set a new record as the fastest overall production car at the Nürburgring, which is unreal for a front-engine, rear-wheel-drive machine. Now, it could be pushing the GT R out of existence.
That’s the word according to a video report from Allcarnews on YouTube, which states the GT R will disappear after the 2021 model year. The source is an alleged email sent to Mercedes-Benz dealerships stating the former GT flagship was discontinued for 2021. Furthermore, order banks for 2021 model-year GT Rs are said to close forever on December 29, with any existing orders not being converted to 2022. The email featured in the video looks legitimate, but we’ve contacted Mercedes-Benz for an official confirmation and we’ll let you know if/when we receive that. Sometimes, automakers can be a bit cagey talking about such things.
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At approximately $163,000, the AMG GT R isn’t a cheap car by any means. However, it’s in a completely different financial universe compared to the lineup’s new flagship, the GT Black Series. Pricing for that car starts at $325,000 – nearly double the MSRP for the GT R. The extra cash doesn’t give you double the horsepower, but the twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V8 under the long hood is a completely different animal. Its flat-plane-crank design that redlines at 7,200 rpm and generates 730 hp (537 kW), all sent to the rear wheels. With gobs of aero tweaks, upgraded suspension, and a carbon fiber diet, it laps the ‘Ring in 6 minutes, 43.6 seconds.
As for the rest of the GT line, the base model just received a power boost to 523 hp (385 kW). That brings the GT much closer to GT R performance, and with the Black Series serving as the flagship, cutting some fat from the AMG lineup does make sense. The AMG GT family is also getting along in years, having debuted for the 2015 model year so don’t be surprised to see more extensive changes in the near future.
