At October’s Paris motor show, Mercedes plans to unveil its SLS AMG replacement; the AMG GT. Mercedes has now revealed details of the unit that powers this Porsche 911 rival. AMG CEO Tobias Moers has called the car “a beast” that delivers “insane acceleration, massive power and tremendously high torque.” Mercedes AMG has also released a video to tell us exactly what the “beast” is capable of.
The engine is a 4.0-litre biturbo V8 petrol engine that makes 503bhp and 66.3kgm of torque. Internally known as M178, the engine is a brand new replacement for the naturally-aspirated 6.2-litre V8 of the SLS AMG. It has two turbochargers that mounted inside the V configuration instead of outside the cylinder banks – called ‘hot inside V’. The new engine has dry sump lubrication, and hence can be installed lower to keep the center of gravity closer to the road. Merc and AMG also claim that the engine is the lightest in its segment, with a dry weight of 209kg.
Further technical and performance details are expected as the car’s debut draws closer.