Free Reads
Back to Library >
Mercedes-AMG GT43 review
4 weeks ago
Halving the number of cylinders also removes around 150kg of weight
And forget it we should try to do because at a smidge over £100,000, it’s over £40,000 cheaper than the most affordable V8 GT, the GT55. This means the GT43 does without its front drive shafts, rear wheel steering, active dampers and torque vectoring rear differential. It also means it does without quite a lot of mass, about 150kg of the stuff in fact, though at a whiff under 1900kg, it’s still hardly light. A base Porsche 911 Carrera which costs about the same is a simply staggering 379kg lighter… And has six cylinders.
But a no less interesting equation shows us that this 416bhp GT43 loses barely anything relative to the V8 GT in terms of power to weight: it’s a mere 11bhp per tonne of mass, which really isn’t that much at all, and the fact the V8 can hit 62mph in 3.9sec rather than 4.6sec says very little about relative real-world performance and a whole lot more about four-wheel drive traction off the line.
If you’re used to it, you will miss the rumble; if not you’ll find the four cylinder motor an amiable enough companion, with outstanding throttle response for an engine with such a high specific output and more than capable enough of bowling the GT43 along as fast as anyone would or, at least, should want to go on the public highway. It works well with the nine speed gearbox too.
"It gives the GT43 a litheness, an edge that some drivers might even value more highly than a V8 motor"
But its real appeal lies not so much in the fact that it’s lighter, but from where that weight has been taken, the huge, steaming majority of which has come from under the bonnet. It gives the GT43 a litheness, an edge that some drivers might even value more highly than a V8 motor. And all that stuff that’s been removed, like the four-wheel drive, trick dampers and rear steer? To be honest I don’t think I missed any of it very much, if at all.
Even so, though this car a highly capable tourer with credible sporting pretensions, I cannot put my hand on my heart and say it’s actually better for trading half its capacity and cylinders. It’s not. It’s just cheaper. Of course the car I’d really like to try is one with the pared back chassis spec of the 43 with the motor from the 55 priced somewhere between the two. That, I suspect, might be quite something. Sadly, however, it doesn’t exist.
Mercedes-AMG GT43
Engine:
1991cc, 4 cyls, turbocharged
Transmission:
9-speed automatic, rear-wheel drive
Power:
419bhp @ 6750rpm
Torque:
368lb ft @ 5000rpm
Weight:
1899kg
Power-to-weight:
221bhp/tonne
0-62mph:
4.6sec
Top speed:
174mph
Price:
£105,435
Does the Mercedes-AMG GT43 sound like your dream car? If you are looking to finance a GT43 or any comparable car, see what JBR Capital can do for you today. They are dedicated to serving car enthusiasts like you, offering personalised finance solutions tailored to your specific needs. Forget the one-size-fits-all approach – with JBR Capital, you’ll speak to them directly and they will work with you to create a finance package that fits your needs.
Find out more about Mercedes-Benz finance or use JBR Capital’s Finance Calculator.
JBR Capital is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.
