Biblical clouds breeze throughout the sky above, vacillating between transient, wonderful moments of sunshine and darkish grey clouds unleashing onslaughts of track-soaking downpours. It’s lastly my flip to drive Mercedes-AMG’s new GT63 Professional on the Ascari racing circuit, and regardless of not having pushed the automobile or the observe earlier than, I’m not apprehensive. The sky is blue as I stroll towards the herd of purple and grey automobiles, and as I method, the growl of a gaggle of burbling twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8s regularly grows louder. My internal baby is grinning from ear to ear. As I choose the biggest helmet accessible and squeeze it over my gargantuan cranium, it out of the blue begins to pour down rain. “Nicely, I assume that is gonna be an actual check of the brand new AMG GT63 Professional’s supposed driver friendliness,” I feel to myself as I watch for the driving force’s seat to whirr again into its rear-most place in preparation for my prolonged body. I ease myself behind the wheel and into the surprisingly spacious driver’s seat; mercifully, I match.
Full Disclosure: Mercedes-AMG flew me to Spain to drive the CLE53 Cabriolet on highway and to expertise the AMG GT63 Professional on the Ascari racing circuit. It was my first time on this a part of Spain, and my first time driving on the beautiful string of tarmac that’s Ascari. I solely drove the GT63 Professional on observe, so there are not any on-road impressions on this evaluation. I’m endlessly grateful for this chance to recollect how cool my job is, and to expertise the great thing about the Andalusian area.
The GT63 Professional is supposed to be each approachable every day driver and succesful observe day automobile that helps drivers squeeze out the very best lap occasions, in distinction to the previous-generation AMG GT R Professional that was a devoted observe assault machine and didn’t coddle drivers in any manner at any time. This isn’t a direct substitute for that automobile, however clarifying the naming similarity is so as. Like different second-gen AMG GTs, the GT63 Professional has commonplace all-wheel drive and rear-wheel steering, and its handcrafted twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 produces 603 horsepower and 627 pound-feet of torque, up 26 horsepower and 37 torques over the usual GT63. It’s 0.5 seconds sooner to 124 mph than the usual automobile, however regardless of the extra energy, the 0-to-60-mph time stays the identical at 3.1 seconds. Improved observe day longevity comes courtesy of aero tweaks for elevated downforce and cooling, water cooling for all three differentials, two extra radiators for a grand complete of 4, and commonplace carbon-ceramic brakes with further cooling inlets when in comparison with the GT63.
It’s visually distinguished from its lesser sibling by subtly wider entrance air ducts and checkered flag emblems connected to its fenders and hind finish, and it may be had as a 2+2 with nearly ineffective rear seats or as a real two-seater. Pricing hasn’t been introduced but, however a Mercedes-AMG consultant advised me to anticipate the Professional’s beginning value to be across the $200,000 mark, about $20,000 greater than a traditional GT63. That’s plenty of automobile to be taking round a moist observe for the primary time ever, however there I used to be.
Legendary racing icon Bernd Schneider’s enchanting accent comes over the walkie talkie giving us an thought of what to anticipate. One warm-up lap to familiarize ourselves with issues, three sizzling laps, and one cool-down lap. “I simply need to make it by 5 laps with out going off, I can do that,” I feel. Positive, I’m licensed in efficiency driving and car dealing with, however I’ve by no means pushed on the infamous Ascari earlier than, and my first sizzling laps will probably be within the rain. I modify the whole lot to my liking, and Bernd begins to tug on observe. I pop the AMG GT into drive, flip the wipers to full pace, and take a deep breath. Even Eminem would wrestle to understand how apocalyptically sweaty my palms are, however we’re on the observe now so focus, Logan.
My first laps on the circuit are frankly terrifying. I take advantage of all my mind energy to thumb by my rolodex of recollections desperately hoping to find my driver’s coaching whereas concurrently following the five-time DTM champion Bernd Schneider on a drenched observe in a automobile with over 600 horsepower funneled to the highway by chilly Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R tires, a stickier no-cost possibility not provided on the bottom automobile. Evidently I’m mainly shitting myself for 5 laps, however I make it again to the pits with out ruining the automobile or my status. The AMG GT63 Professional is surprisingly pleasant on the drenched observe, however I’m grateful for traction management as there are a number of alarming and fully essential interventions. On the chilly tires and moist observe, I discover each understeer and oversteer, and don’t let myself belief the automobile’s downforce to maintain me glued mid-corner. Maybe in opposition to my finest judgment, I instantly request one other run.
Mercifully, the skies clear and the sheets of water are largely dried up by the point my second likelihood comes alongside. We hit the flawlessly clean asphalt floor of Ascari for spherical two, and I’m prepared. This time, I let the automobile do the work and am in a position to belief it to remain glued to the course by the high-speed turns. The GT63 Professional isn’t a razor-sharp observe assault monster, but it surely’s extremely succesful, particularly when taking corners at pace. AMG labored to cut back front-end carry at excessive speeds whereas additionally rising downforce on the rear, and on the dry observe I’m astonished by how a lot the automobile stays planted regardless of mid-corner bumps and occasional moist patches. The rear-wheel steering retains it feeling surprisingly managed, even once I roll onto the throttle too closely on nook exit and the rear will get a bit squirrely. It doesn’t really feel notably sharp or edgy in any capability regardless of its immense energy, however the Professional positive feels quick.
Flip-in is exact, however I discover myself wanting for extra suggestions from the steering wheel. It’s not a difficulty of steering precision or pace, however particularly on a moist observe I have to know extra in regards to the grip ranges that my entrance tires have, and it doesn’t give me any really feel till I understeer egregiously. The 9-speed dual-clutch computerized transmission does an excellent job of choosing the proper gear on the observe, and it possesses the very best trait {that a} transmission can possess: you’ll be able to belief it, and also you by no means need to assume twice about it. Stomping on the huge carbon-ceramic clampers heading right into a low-speed flip produces fairly a little bit of wiggle from the rear finish, however the brakes by no means present even hints of fade or elevated pedal journey. Naturally, the V8 sounds nice, with the occasional pops and burbles to spice issues up a bit. The automobile feels lots able to laying down some nice occasions whereas remaining snug, however total a bit numb.
On the straights it feels highly effective, however not too highly effective. What’s too highly effective? I as soon as rode passenger in a Porsche 911 Turbo S on the Porsche Expertise Heart, and it was so unfathomably quick that it made me dizzy and I began experiencing tunnel imaginative and prescient when honking on it on the observe. Fortunately, I don’t encounter that when driving the AMG GT63 Professional. Its energy supply is linear, with most horsepower delivered between 5,500 and 6,500 rpm, and may the wall of torque smack you upside the top, the all-wheel-drive system manages to dole it out with grace.
Is it a hardcore track-focused 911 GT3 RS competitor? No, but it surely’s not presupposed to be. It’s a extra pure competitor to one thing just like the Porsche 911 GTS; barely extra track-focused than the conventional GT63, however with out the complete road-legal race automobile vibe. Mercedes-AMG’s aim for the Professional was to create a automobile able to being a cushty and opulent every day driver whereas concurrently having the ability to excel on the observe. It’s an excellent automobile, however I used to be left desirous to know extra in regards to the relationship between the GT63 Professional’s wheels and the wonderful race observe beneath them. If you happen to’re a contemporary Mercedes-AMG fan, you then’ll find it irresistible. I’m excited to see what extra the oldsters at AMG can do with this platform for future hardcore variants, however within the meantime, the GT63 Professional is a every day driveable, or every day trackable, efficiency automobile that doesn’t defy its luxurious roots.
