By Matt Bird \/ Friday, 3 November 2023 \/ Loading comments<\/p>\n
The race cars that can\u2019t be raced market is a burgeoning one, with all the major supercar manufacturers now offering up track specials that are faster than homologated competition machines. Never a firm to miss out on an opportunity, Mercedes-AMG now has one of its own: the GT2 Pro. <\/p>\n
The name will be familiar from the actual AMG GT2 racer shown last year. Much is carried over from the GT2-spec machine, including the 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 – now with up to 750hp from a push-to-pass system – a six-speed sequential in a transaxle, and 18-inch centre-lock light alloy wheels. There are actually elements of the Pro that improve upon the standard GT2: the dampers are now four-way adjustable where they were three-way before, and check out those rear wing endplates – the aero is even more aggressive. Where the actual race car is only delivered in Iridium Silver, the Pro will be sold in a \u2018multi-colour finish\u2019, with turquoise accent evoking the F1 car. <\/p>\n
Reflecting the Pro\u2019s status as the ultimate AMG rather than a purely motorsport machine is the interior. It\u2019s said that the cabin combines \u2018the typical user-friendliness of the AMG customer sports cars with coherent ergonomics\u2019, including a Cube Controls steering wheel, varnished centre console specific to this model, the jazzy seat stitching and air-con. That being said, it\u2019s hardly like this is going to be mistaken for just another GT, what with the extinguisher, carbon safety cell, five-point harnesses and even an extrication hatch. These might not be race cars in the truest sense of the word, but AMG wants these used – and used hard.<\/p>\n
Indeed, the car can actually be downgraded from Pro to GT2 specification for those who do want to compete. Customers that don\u2019t will get priority when entering the new AMG Racing Series, which is a \u2018range of exclusive track day events at Europe\u2019s most beautiful circuits\u2019. The first of those is next week at the Circuit Ricardo Tormo; these won\u2019t be your average open pitlanes with a circuit cafe open for a cup of tea, either. AMG will offer up engineers, spare parts and coaching to Pro customers to get the most from themselves and their cars.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s not all that\u2019s on offer for the Pro\u2019s \u20ac479,000 asking price (the GT2 was \u20ac409,000). A \u2018comprehensive delivery package\u2019 includes a car cover, Puma race clobber, and a personalised Bell helmet. Options include a drinking system, a passenger safety cell if there\u2019s someone to show off to, seat and helmet cooling – so let\u2019s call it half a million to be safe.<\/p>\n
Christoph Sagem\u00fcller, head of Mercedes-AMG Motorsport, said: \u201cWe are very proud to have achieved the next milestone in the customer sports segment with the Mercedes-AMG GT2 Pro. Demand for pure track day cars has increased significantly, so therefore, we also respond to the expansion of the derivatisation in the track day and club sport segment at the same time. With its technical refinements that include, among others, the new Push2Pass function, the GT2 Pro is the ultimate track day tool. Moreover, the car is easy and quick to drive. The GT2 Pro is exceptionally agile, allowing the fascination of racing to be experienced enormously, both for amateurs and professionals.\u201d Does sound pretty great. And it\u2019s about the same money as a roadgoing Black Series. Wonder if the Racing Series goes to Anglesey?<\/p>\n