Mercedes-AMG has officially confirmed the return of the GT Black Series as part of a joint development programme with its latest generation GT3 race car, both derived from the earlier Concept AMG GT Track Sport.
AMG describes the new road-going model as its most extreme Black Series yet, placing it above the GT 63 Pro – itself conceived as the most track-focused model in the second-generation GT line-up.
The current GT provides a reference point for the sort of performance expected. The GT 63 develops 577bhp and 590lb ft, while the GT 63 Pro lifts that to 603bhp and 627lb ft, with a 0-62mph time of 3.2sec and a top speed of 197mph.
The next Black Series will move well beyond that, says AMG.
The engine is also set to evolve. AMG has already confirmed that an updated version of its flat-plane crank V8 will feature in a forthcoming limited-production Mythos model based on the CLE coupe. That same unit is expected to underpin the new Black Series.
The previous GT Black Series, launched in 2020, introduced a flat-plane crank version of AMG’s twin-turbocharged 4.0-litre V8, producing 720bhp at up to 6900rpm and 590lb ft between 2000 and 6000rpm. It was capable of 0-62mph in around 3.2sec and a top speed of 202mph, along with a Nuerburgring lap record for a production car at the time.
AMG’s assertion that the new model will be its most extreme not only applies to its engine. Prototypes of the new GT Black Series also receive more aggressive aero and a chassis set-up aimed more at circuit use than current GT models. The link with the GT3 programme is central to that, with both cars being developed from the same starting point, AMG confirms.
Developing both the GT3 and its road twin in parallel allows AMG to carry over lessons from the track more directly, particularly in areas such as aerodynamics, cooling and chassis set-up.
