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Mercedes-AMG GT R sets new 'Ring lap record*

*For rear-drive cars. Germany’s GT R gets within two seconds of Japan’s on Nürburgring run

Published: 09 Dec 2016

Mercedes-AMG is determined to market its new flagship, the GT R, as a so-called ‘Beast of the Green Hell’. A Nürburgring king. The racecar that inspired it already is – the AMG GT3 won the N24 outright earlier in 2016. But the GT R road car, besides being painted in Kermit livery, hasn’t really had a pub fact to back up the trash talk. Until now. 

Germany’s Sport Auto magazine subjected the 577bhp bi-turbo V8 Benz to its Nordschleife lap time test, and the apparently standard car achieved a verified time of 7m 10.9s. That makes it – Radical lightweights excepted – the fastest street-legal rear-wheel drive car ever around the 'Ring. 

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It’s a monstrous ten seconds quicker than the Ferrari 488 GTB rocketship, and just behind the Nissan GT-R Nismo, which deployed all-wheel drive and a dash more power to record a 7min 8.06sec in 2014. Anyone up for a rematch when the mooted AMG GT Black Series pops up?

Before you ask, no, this isn’t an ‘official’ AMG lap time. AMG didn’t use one of its racing drivers – it was Sport Auto’s Christian Gebhardt behind the suede wheel. Why? Because as AMG boss Tobias Moers told TG.com in November: "I don’t see value in doing lap records. Yes, we did one with the SLS Electric Drive, but that was a standard car. I always have some doubts if a manufacturer announces a new record”. 

You can read the complete interview – and a counterpoint from the boss of Nissan Nismo – by clicking or tapping on these blue words. It’s like magic.

If that’s whetted your whistle for some more AMG GT R hoonery, then stay tuned to TG.com...

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