Mercedes is challenging Porsche and McLaren for street-legal race car supremacy with the new 2021 Mercedes-AMG GT Black Series
Kristen Lee
- The 2021 Mercedes-AMG GT Black Series is the sixth Black Series model from the automaker.
- It has the most powerful V8 engine Mercedes has ever made.
- No pricing or release date was announced at this time.
Six years after Mercedes-AMG first unveiled the GT sports car, we're finally getting its most ultimate iteration. Meet the 2021 Mercedes-AMG GT Black Series.
As a quick recap, Black Series models are the even more track- and performance-focused versions of Mercedes's sporty AMG models. To date, there have only been five Black Series models ever produced (the GT Black Series would make the sixth).
Black Series treatment is given only to two-door AMG models. They typically include an increase in power and additional high-performance hardware. The cars are only made in very limited numbers. Think only a few hundred produced and distributed globally.
As the latest Black Series model, the GT Black Series also has the most powerful AMG V8 engine of all time: a claimed output of 720 horsepower and 590 pounds-feet of torque from a twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8. That makes it a solid competitor for the McLaren 720S and Porsche 911 GT2 RS.
About time, too, since the Mercedes-AMG lineup has been missing a flagship that would go toe-to-toe against other 700-horsepower rivals.
Mercedes-AMG did not announce pricing, production numbers, or availability at this time.
Keep scrolling to learn more.
The 2021 Mercedes-AMG GT Black Series is the brand-new, high-performance sports car from Mercedes-AMG.
It marks the sixth Black Series model Mercedes has made.
Mercedes started creating Black Series models in 2006. They are even higher performance versions of AMG two-door models and include the SLK 55 AMG Black Series, CLK 63 AMG Black Series, SL 65 AMG Black Series, C 63 AMG Black Series, and SLS AMG Black Series.
The GT Black Series is based on the Mercedes-AMG GT sports car.
It has front fender vents and five body-color fins to help with downforce and cooling.
They look like gills.
The engine, with a new internal code of M178 LS2, is based on the regular 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8s found in other AMG models.
But it's been redesigned. Mercedes says it's the most powerful V8 from Mercedes-AMG ever.
Now, it has a flat-plane crankshaft — a term here that means it has race car-derived technology so the engine can rev higher, more quickly, and is louder than engines with cross-plane crankshafts. Output is a claimed 720 horsepower and 590 pounds-feet of torque.
Inside, there's the AMG Performance steering wheel that has a flat bottom.
Everything is decorated with contrasting orange stitching.
The deep bucket seats will hold you in place during hard cornering.
The rear end is dominated by a wing big enough to sleep on.
Both of the blades are made of carbon fiber and can be mechanically adjusted to fit the conditions.
Mercedes says the GT Black Series will do zero to 60 mph in a claimed 3.1 seconds and has an estimated top speed of 202 mph.
The car is rear-wheel drive and uses a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission.
Scoops, wings, dips, and vents found all over the car all serve to improve cooling and increase downforce.
The roof and rear hatch are made from lightweight carbon fiber.
The rear window is also made from lightweight glass.
Michelin helped to create a special tire for the Black Series, called the Pilot Sport Cup 2 R MO.
The car’s underbody is also nearly fully paneled to channel air.
Mercedes says that while the car is going 155 mph, the combined downforce produced by all the aerodynamic measures surpasses 882 pounds.
The GT Black Series truly seems like a race car for the road.
With all that power and performance, it'll be a certain competitor against McLaren and Porsche.
Specifically, the McLaren 720S.
And the Porsche 911 GT2 RS.
Mercedes did not announce pricing, production numbers, or a release date at this time.
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