Soon after official images leaked online, the 2016 Mercedes-AMG GT3 was revealed prior to the Geneva Motor Show 2015. Designed to comply with the FIA GT3 rules, the first shipments of Mercedes-AMG GT3 are due for customer teams at the end of the year.
Surprisingly the 2016 Mercedes-AMG GT3 doesn’t feature the 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8 engine of the road car but the same 6.2-litre V8 engine as the outgoing Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3. The German marque says the engine was chosen as it is reliable, user-friendly and has low running costs.
Mercedes-AMG GT3 at the Geneva Motor Show 2015
Mated to the 6.2-litre V8 engine of the Mercedes-AMG GT3 is a six-speed sequential transmission mounted in a transaxle configuration on the rear wheels. This has been done to optimise weight distribution and unsurprisingly, the power from the naturally-aspirated V8 engine is sent straight to the rear wheels.
Underpinning the Mercedes-AMG GT3 is a strong and lightweight aluminium spaceframe which also incorporates a carbon fibre seat pan as well as a high strength steel roll cage. Compared to the road car, the racing variant now features carbon fibre used for the bonnet, doors, front wings, sidewalls, side skirts, diffuser, bootlid, rear aerofoil and front and rear aprons.
The Mercedes-AMG GT3 uses double-wishbone suspension at all four corners made almost entirely from aluminium.
The Mercedes-AMG GT3 features a plethora of visual and aerodynamic modifications over the road-going AMG GT3, with a new front grille of vertical chrome slats. Additionally, the front fascia now incorporates a prominent splitter as well as two eye-catching canards on both sides of the bumper.
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