Visitors to the Monterey Car Week witnessed the US debut of the 2018 Mercedes AMG GT R. The power-packed supercar is hard to miss in its Green Hell Magno colour – a reference to the hazardous circuits of the infamous Nurburgring.

The 2018 Mercedes AMG GT R is the third member of the AMG GT family and was designed for the racetrack (hence spending most of its development time at Nurburgring). It is packed with a 4.0 litre twin-turbo V8 engine that churns out 585 hp and 516 pf of torque. The powerhouse boasts a top speed of 318 km/h, while 0-100 km/h sprint is completed in 3.6 seconds.

The front-mid-engine concept and the suspension are extensively modified along with other aerodynamic modifications for a super thrilling driving experience. Modifications like wider front and rear wings give the 2018 Mercedes AMG GT R increased track width, which leads to better road grip and higher cornering speeds.

The excellent racetrack performance can be attributed to the intelligent lightweight construction with lots of aluminium and carbon fibre, reinforcements in the body shell and of course the seven speed dual clutch transmission partnered with the V8. The car’s power-to-weight ratio is 2.66 kg per hp. Coupled with the vehicle’s low centre of gravity, the 2018 Mercedes GT R takes racetrack agility to a new level.