About the most tepid automotive take we can offer is to just buy a Porsche — specifically the 911 — if you're in the market for a fancy sports car. It will match up with just about anything for looks and performance. If you can conceive of a 911 you would want — everything about the GT3 but low-key and without the wing? — Porsche is probably already building it. The 911 won't depreciate, compared to other sports cars. And even if you go full Turbo, the Porsche 911 will still be a reliable, relatively comfortable daily driver.
The Porsche 911 has been so much the gold standard for sports cars it hasn't had a strong competitor. But according to Autocar, Mercedes-AMG hopes to change that paradigm with the second-generation GT arriving in 2023. Per the report, the new two-door GT will be evolutionary stylistically but revolutionary enough to get German sports car fans to think twice — maybe.
Mercedes is going all-electric. But the new GT will reportedly launch with the tried-and-true twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8. A GT 53 version will pack 469 hp, and a GT 63 version will pack 577 hp. The GT will upgrade from a seven-speed transmission to an in-house-developed nine-speed wet clutch transmission. Those cars will have Mercedes' 4Matic+ AWD system.
Want a higher-end version? The GT will also get a 63 S E Performance plug-in hybrid, according to Autocar. It should pack 831 hp and up to 1,084 lb-ft of torque with an over-boost mode.
Autocar says the new GT will lean into active aerodynamics. It will get the front underbody spoiler from the SL that deploys at 62 mph to reduce the front axle lift. A rear wing will also deploy at 50 mph and tilt in five stages to provide more downforce. The 47:53 weight distribution should remain about the same. But the GT will switch from a rear transaxle alignment, allowing more space for variable AWD and four-wheel steering.
Will the upgraded GT prove a match for the Porsche 911? Well, we don't know yet. Porsche has some significant upgrades in store for its flagship sports car too.
