Simply Abu Dhabi Magazine XVI

2 2 8 S I M P LY A B U DH A B I S ince as early as 2012 the world of high performance and prestige motoring has been buzzing with rumours that Mercedes was set to launch a dramatic new addition to its family of supercars. With each new snippet of information the excitement grew until it reached fever pitch. Now, finally, the car has hit the road. And that car is the Mercedes AMG GT. Essentially, this GT is the baby sibling of the legendary SLS and enters the fray as a bold new competitor to the Porsche 911 and its contemporaries. In comparison to the SLS, theMercedes AMGGT is lighter and slimmer, making evenmore use of super-lightweight carbon fibre and aluminium and ditching the trademark gullwing doors, presumably for even greater weight reduction. While the GT is somewhat smaller than the SLS AMG, it can certainly be viewed as that car’s spiritual descendant in terms of pure design. Dramatic, muscular lines run in the family and, much like the SLS, the GT is instantly recognisable by its spectacularly long bonnet, short, almost cut-off boot line, and a driving compartment that’s been shifted as far to the rear of the car as is humanly possible. For me, that’s a truly classic look and makes this Mercedes’ intent clear. It looks like it’s travelling at the speed of sound, even standing in the parking garage. Take a look at the face on the front of the GT and you’re left in no doubt of the car’s heritage. It’s very close in looks to the SLS AMG, with a wide, forceful mouth formed by the new diamond-pattern grille Mercedes is using on its latest models and the beautifully shaped new headlamps that seem to flow seamlessly into the front wings. Looking downward, most of the GT’s front apron is taken up by a slim but purposeful air dam that meets up with wide air intakes serving to direct cooling air to the large front brakes essential in bringing this machine to a halt. Looking along the sides towards the rear, the car’s muscular lines continue to impress, while the back end itself provides a masterclass in contemporary design and brings in a host of distinctly Mercedes styling cues. Thin, elegant tail lights sparkle like jewellery above the deep rear bumper, while the wide exhaust tips further below add another dimension to the GT’s powerful, aggressive haunches. More importantly perhaps, where the SLS features a small boot lid, the GT replaces that detail with a large, useful tailgate that incorporates the rear window and adds AFamilyAffair Mercedes AMG GT

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