The multimillionaire who wants every toy for the track already has plenty of options, but there’s a new contender for the collection. This is the Mercedes-AMG GT2 Edition W16. The W16 part sadly does not signal a new engine, but rather a nod to Formula 1. It’s the most powerful Mercedes Customer Racing car ever, and AMG’s motorsport boss Christoph Sagemüller calls it nothing short of “a spectacular race and track day vehicle in every respect.”
As you’d expect, the engine is the star of the show. It’s the flat-plane-crank 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 from the old GT Black Series, now fitted with bigger turbos and revised engine electronics compared to the standard GT2. Power stands at 707 hp (527 kW) before you even press the Push2Pass button. Activate that and you unleash 818 hp (610 kW) and 1,000 Nm (737 lb-ft) of torque. In a car weighing 1,400 kg, those figures are outrageous. Drive goes through a six-speed sequential transaxle linked to the engine via a carbon torque tube, putting every bit of that output onto the track.
Hardware is at a level you might argue exceeds most racing series rules. The Edition W16 gets four-way adjustable dampers and the same adjustability for its anti-roll bars. It sits on magnesium wheels with massive high-performance brakes to cope with speeds now beyond 200 mph (322 km/h).
Part of that top speed boost comes from raw power, but the aero work deserves credit too. A steering-wheel-operated DRS system is fitted, the exterior mirrors have been reshaped for aero efficiency, and the body gains a carbon bootlid lip, active louvres above the front wheels, and a larger front diffuser. The result is as aggressive to look at as it is functional.
Just 30 units will be built, each priced at €679,000 (approx R14 million). Buyers won’t just get the car either. Along with a tailored cover, race overalls from OMP, and a Bell helmet, the handover will take place at an exclusive European circuit event. That includes driving the car and meeting members of the F1 team.
Young F1 prospect Kimi Antonelli is a named ambassador for the project and has even signed the door sills. After testing it, he said, “I had the opportunity to test drive the Mercedes-AMG GT2 Edition W16 and had so much fun that I would have loved to spend more time on the track. The Push2Pass function is a truly sensational feature. The edition model is not only fast, but also safe. This immediately inspires confidence. I am very proud to be part of this project and to have my signature immortalised in every Mercedes-AMG GT2 Edition W16.”
