Mercedes-AMG Teases Hardcore GT Track Sport Concept

Mercedes-AMG recently provided the first official look at its next performance project, the Concept AMG GT Track Sport. The teaser photos and words of the brand hint that AMG is set to add a new degree of track-tuned performance to its GT range, perhaps recapturing the ruthless point that the last-gen AMG GT Black Series embodied.

A New Chapter in the AMG GT Lineup

As Mercedes-AMG tells it, the Concept GT Track Sport is a harbinger that the "GT family is not yet complete." Although news is scant, the wording used in this report suggests the possibility that this concept might develop into an even more hardcore version of the existing 2+2 AMG GT or could be released as a standalone model within the AMG GT lineup. Either prospect, the concept suggests an expansion of AMG's performance car ambitions.

The first AMG GT, particularly in Black Series trim, was an outright track beast. That iteration set the production car lap record at the Nürburgring for a brief period and was the peak of Mercedes-AMG road-going capability. Later AMG GTs, although potent and sophisticated, have trended more toward grand touring rather than pure track menace. The Track Sport idea may be the solution for those who bemoan the loss of the raw aggression of the original model.

V8 Power and a Return to Pure Performance

Mercedes-AMG has also confirmed that the Concept GT Track Sport will be powered by a V8, putting it in line with the balance of the existing AMG GT lineup. The GT range currently comprises four eight-cylinder variants: beginning with the 463 bhp GT 55 and going all the way up to the 794 bhp plug-in hybrid GT 63 S E-Performance. The Track Sport could cost somewhere in between or escalate past these numbers, depending on where it's being positioned.

This engine confirmation also makes it improbable that the idea is an all-electric or hybrid-only venture, keeping it grounded in conventional AMG performance. Whether naturally aspirated or using the brand's newer hybrid technology updates remains to be determined. 

Trying to take on the Porsche 911 GT3?

With the current AMG GT's placement as a 2+2 grand tourer targeting the Porsche 911 line, the Track Sport edition would be AMG's equivalent of the more extreme 911 GT3. That would be sensible from a product strategy point of view since it would enable Mercedes-AMG to go head-to-head against Porsche's well-respected track-capable sports car.

If this production model is indeed meant to compete with the GT3, look for lighter weight, track-tuned suspension, more aggressive aerodynamics, and a possible resurgence of the Black Series moniker. The very name of the concept, "Track Sport", hints pretty heavily that its priorities are going to be in cornering dynamics, lap time capability, and driving experience for enthusiasts over outright luxury and daily usability.