Mercedes-AMG makes a wide variety of wild beasts, but perhaps none is wilder than the winged machine that stands as the sharpest point of its sports car lineup: the Mercedes-AMG GT R and GT R Pro. Combining a 577-horsepower version of AMG's twin-turbo V8 with a track-tuned suspension and the company's rigid sports car chassis creates a wild two-door that can, in GT R Pro form, scream around the Nurburgring Nordschleife in 7:04.
And here's the twist: you only have until December 29th to order one.
The surprising news comes from a recent email sent to Mercedes-Benz dealerships and brought to light by Allcarnews and CarBuzz. "We would like to inform you that the 2021 Mercedes-AMG GT R has been discontinued," the letter reportedly reads. "Order banks for the MY21 [model year 2021] GT R will be shut down Tuesday, December 29. Existing orders will not be converted to MY22."
But why, you might be anxiously yelling at your phone, would Mercedes get rid of such an awesome car? Well, for the usual reason: there's an even more awesome car coming to take its place. In this case, that's the new Mercedes-AMG GT Black Series, which is basically the GT R with all the dials turned up past 11 all the way to 15.
In the Black Series — which is expected to be among the last of the current-generation AMG GT models, before a new generation that shares its platform with the next SL-Class arrives soon — the 4.0-liter biturbo V8 has jumped from 577 horses to 720 ponies, while torque rises to 590 pound-feet. Its aerodynamics are further optimized for track use, complete with a carbon fiber hood that improves cooling while boosting downforce and a two-position front splitter.
And, of course, it gets an even bigger wing.
All this good work means, among other things, that the AMG GT Black Series not only utterly smashes the 'Ring times of the GT R and GT R Pro, but it humiliates every other production car at the famous Germany track, too. As of now, its laptime of 6:43 holds the street car record at the Nordschleife; even the more-potent, all-wheel-drive, active aero-equipped Lamborghini Aventador SVJ eats its dust.
If there's a downside to the consumer to AMG's decision to axe the GT R in favor of the GT Black Series, it's the price. While the GT R starts at $162,900 before destination, pricing for the Black Series begins at $325,000 — enough to buy a GT R for the weekends and a GT 63 S for daily driving.
That said, if you happen to win a quarter-million-dollar lottery jackpot on December 30th and desperately want a Mercedes sports car, you can take respite in knowing that the GT C — which starts at $150,900, packs 550 horses, and is almost as wild as the GT R for us mortals — will be sticking around. Or, y'know, there's always eBay Motors.
