Mercedes-Benz AMG GT VS Audi RS5
Mercedes-Benz AMG GT
Likes
- Superb dynamics
- Sexy looks
- Fast
Dislikes
- Small boot
- Short warranty
- Getting out on your hands and knees
Audi RS5
Likes
- Potent engine
- Supermodel looks
- Premium and polished interior
Dislikes
- Tight rear seat in Coupe
- Gearbox can feel fidgety at speed
Summary
Mercedes-Benz AMG GT
"A racing car with street legal approval". Those are the words Mercedes-AMG uses to describe its GT R Coupe.
And even though I'm a forty-something, professional motoring journalist who's well aware of marketing speak when he reads it, the 15-year old in me was jumping around whooping and shouting: "Key! Gimme key to race car" at the launch of the updated Mercedes-AMG GT coupe which also included time in the more sedate GT C.
Well, that's like calling a Tiger Shark more sedate than a Great White, because the GT C still packs more than 400kW (550hp).
As will be the case with most buyers, my time in the Mercedes-AMG GT was spent entirely on the road, the closest we came to a racetrack was driving through Kilmore, and that one was for horses.
This was perfectly fine because you'll want to know just what these beasts are like to pilot on regular roads... roads where surfaces are far from perfect and the posted limits are hundreds of kilometres below the top speeds of these cars.
| Safety rating | |
|---|---|
| Engine Type | 4.0L turbo |
| Fuel Type | Premium Unleaded Petrol |
| Fuel Efficiency | 11.4L/100km |
| Seating | 2 seats |
Audi RS5
Audi's A5 Coupe and Sportback have always been good looking cars. Yes, yes, beauty is in the eye of the beholder and all that, but seriously, just look at one and tell me it's not handsome.
Happily, the just-updated RS5 doesn't just build on the looks of its more sedate sibling, but on the performance, too, adding near-supercar speed to those supermodel looks.Â
Sounds like a pretty good match, right? Let's find out, shall we?
| Safety rating | — |
|---|---|
| Engine Type | 2.9L turbo |
| Fuel Type | Premium Unleaded Petrol |
| Fuel Efficiency | 9.4L/100km |
| Seating | 4 seats |
Verdict
Mercedes-Benz AMG GT8.1/10
The AMG GT is better than a race car for the road because it offers all the comfort and luxury that is completely absent in a track car, yet retains superb dynamic ability – particularly the GT R.
As for the sweet spot, that's easy. The C Coupe offers the best of the S and R from a comfort and handling perspective, while being super quick for less money that the top grade R.
If you could have any of them, which Mercedes-AMG GT in the line-up would you pick? Tell us what you think in the comments below.
Audi RS58/10
Good looking, good to drive, and good to simply sit in, the Audi RS5 range ticks plenty of premium boxes. Whether you can live with the practicality pitfalls of the Coupe is up to you, but if you can't, might I suggest taking a wander over to our RS4 Avant review?
Design
Mercedes-Benz AMG GT10/10
There is nothing not interesting about the design of the AMG GT with its long bonnet and low, wide stance. The look is not as dramatic as the SLS AMG, which went into retirement five years ago, nor does it have that supercar's 'gullwing' doors. But there's a clear family resemblance to it and also the iconic 300SL beauty from 1954.
If anything, the AMG GT is a meaner and sharper looking beastie, but still dripping in exotic styling with the hungry looking 'Panamericana' grille flanked by hornet eye headlights and enormous wheel guards that push up into the bonnet to form pontoons over which the driver peers.
It's hard to tell from the images if the AMG GT is big or small, but the dimensions don't lie. The AMG GT is 4551mm end-to-end, 2007mm wide for the GT R and GT C but 1939mm for the GT S (and between 1260mm and 1288mm tall depending on the grade, making it fairly long, wide and short in stature.
There are three grades to choose from - the GTS, GT C and GT R – which all come as coupes, while only the GTC is available as a soft-top roadster, as well.
I can't think of a convertible which doesn't look better with the roof down than with it up and the GT C is no exception to this rule. The open top suits this cruiser's look perfectly.
Telling the three grades apart is easy if you know what to look for: the GT S is a 'narrow body', the GT C has wider rear guards and the GT R has wide rear and front guards.
From behind there's a smoother rear treatment to the S with no wide black vent between the tail-lights, while the GT C has vents behind the rear wheels and the GT R has the most aggro look with the giant diffuser and a central tailpipe.
Exterior styling has stayed the same save for the new LED headlights, wheels and paint colours, but it's the cabin where most of the design changes have taken place.
There's the new steering wheel with drive mode dials and a redesigned centre console with buttons configured in a V-shape which according to Mercedes-AMG is a nod to the V8 engine.
I'm not convinced by the restyling of the console, which didn't suit me ergonomically. It seems to centre around the two cupholders, places the shifter awkwardly rearwards of the media controller and puts the traction control button directly under the driver's elbow. The black piano plastic in the GT R also became smudged with fingerprints quickly.
Audi RS59/10
I defy anyone to describe the RS5, and especially the Coupe, as anything but stunning. Seriously, the near perfect proportions and swept-back styling make it look fast even when it's parked.Â
Up front, there's a new-look black-mesh grille that's been given a 3D effect, like it juts out over the road in front it, while the thing headlights have been carved back into the body work like they're been windswept under hard acceleration.
The 20-inch darkened alloys fill the arches, too, with a sharp body crease that runs from the front headlight all the way back to the bulging shoulder lines above the rear tyres accentuating the curves.
Inside, the RS5 is a sea of black Nappa leather and sporty touches, and we particularly like the chunky, flat-bottomed steering wheel, which both looks - and feels - great.
Practicality
Mercedes-Benz AMG GT6/10
All AMG GT Coupes and Roadsters have two doors and two seats. If you need seating for more there's the AMG GT 4-door which can fit five adults (well, four comfortably) and competes with the Porsche Panamera.
So, if it's just you and a significant other you'll be happy to know the AMG GT cockpit is spacious and even at 191cm tall and with the same wingspan I had more than enough head, shoulder, elbow and legroom.
Cabin storage is limited to a pair of cupholders, a small centre console bin and door pockets just wide enough for a small bottle of water.
Boot space in the Coupe is 175 litres and 165 litres in the Roadster. That was just enough room for the two airline overhead luggage-sized wheelie bags belonging to myself and co-pilot.
As for charging and power on board there are three USB ports and one 12-volt outlet.
Audi RS57/10
We only tested the Coupe, and I can tell you that the practicality perks on offer largely depend on where you're sitting.
Up front, you're spoiled for room in the two-door Coupe, with the two spacious seats separated by a sizeable centre console that's also home to two cupholders and a variety of cubbies, with extra bottle storage in each of the front doors.Â
The back seat, though, is a little, or a lot, tighter, with come acrobatics required to even climb into it, given the Coupe only has two doors. The Sportback offers two more doors, which will surely make the process a little easier.Â
The Coupe measures 4723mm in length, 1866mm in width and 1372mm in height, and will deliver a decent 410 litres in luggage space in the boot. The Sportback measures in at 4783mm, 1866mm and 1399mm, and boosts your luggage space to 465 litres.
Either vehicle has your tech needs sorted, with an abundance of USB and power outlets serving both front and backseat riders.
Price and features
Mercedes-Benz AMG GT8/10
The entry point into the three model range is the GT S Coupe with its $311,142 list price.
Stepping up to the GT C will cost $329,843 for the Coupe and $355,242 for the Roadster, while the GT R king of the castle commands a list price of $361,042.
Standard features on the S include nappa leather upholstery, heated and power-adjustable seats, AMG Performance steering wheel, panoramic sunroof, 10-speaker Burmester sound system, a 10.25-inch touchscreen with sat nav, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, 'Mercedes Me' connect system, a 12.3-inch virtual instrument cluster, LED headlights, plus alloy wheels (staggered 19-inch at the front and 20-inch at the rear) with a matt black finish.
You'll see all these S features on the GT C along with more in the form of AMG Performance seats, AMG Performance steering wheel clad in 'Dinamica' microfibre, heated and ventilated seats and staggered 19-/20-inch alloys in titanium grey.
The GT C Roadster has identical features but adds a neck heater, which works surprisingly well.
The GT R comes with the GT C's features and brings its own in the form of the AMG 'Interior Night' package, a carbon-fibre roof, static rear wing and yellow brake calipers.
Porsche's 911 GT3 is a good rival for the AMG GT R, but undercuts it by about $35K, while a Jaguar F-Type SVR is $297,242 and Audi's R8 tops out at $425,500 for the Spyder.
So, is the AMG GT good value? Sure is, when you consider what you're getting relative to what the competitors are offering.
Audi RS58/10
It's available as a Coupe or a Sportback, but either way, the RS5 commands a $150,900 asking price. And that's not chump change, but Audi's performance model does come with a lot of bang for those bucks.
We'll get to the engine and safety stuff in a moment, but in terms of fruit, you'll find 20-inch alloys outside, as well sportier RS body styling, sport brakes, Matrix LED headlights, keyless entry and push-button start and heated mirrors, a sunroof and privacy glass. Inside, there's Nappa leather seats (heated in the front), illuminated door sills, stainless steel pedals and ambient interior lighting.
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The tech stuff is handled by a new 10.1-inch central touchscreen that gets both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, as well as Audi's Virtual Cockpit, which replaces the dials in the driver's binnacle with a digital screen. There's also wireless phone charging, and a killer 19-speaker Bang and Olufsen sound system.
Under the bonnet
Mercedes-Benz AMG GT9/10
All AMG GTs have a 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 with three states of tune: in the S it makes 384kW/670Nm; in the C it produces 410kW/680Nm; while the output in R is 430kW/700Nm.
A seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission is used in all three grades.
All three grades have top speeds of more than 300km/h (318 in the R Coupe; 317km/h in the C Coupe; 316km/h in the C Roadster and 310km/h in the S Coupe) and 0-100km/h times of less than four seconds (R -3.6s, C - 3.7s, S - 3.8s).
Before you start wondering why the R costs $30K more to go one kilometre per hour faster than the C we need to talk about the hardware under the cars that makes the top-grade AMG GT worth the extra money in the section below.
Audi RS58/10
Its a terrific engine, this - a twin-turbo 2.9-litre six-cylinder TFSI that will deliver 331kW at 5700rpm and 600Nm at 1900rpm, sending it thundering to all four wheels (because quattro) via an eight-speed tiptronic automatic.
That's enough, says Audi, to deliver a 0-100km/h sprint time of 3.9 seconds in the Coupe and the Sportback. Which is very, very quick.
Efficiency
Mercedes-Benz AMG GT7/10
This might surprise you, but the official combined fuel consumption of the AMG GT S is 9.5L/100km, while the GT R's is 11.4L/100km, and the GT C's is 11.5L/100km.
The best combination of driving over motorways and country roads for me on this launch was in the GT R, and after a couple of hundred kilometres the trip computer told me the car was using an average of 12.9L/100km.
Audi RS58/10
The RS5 Coupe will sip a claimed 9.4L/100km on the combined cycle, and emit a claimed 208g/km of Co2. It's fitted with a 58-litre fuel tank.Â
The RS5 Coupe will the same 9.4L/100km, but emit 209g/km of Co2.
Driving
Mercedes-Benz AMG GT9/10
The only grade missing at the launch of the updated AMG GT was the S Coupe. So, while I'm sure it's darn good, I can really only comment about the driving experience of the R Coupe and the C in Coupe and Roadster forms in which we devoured hundreds of kilometres.
First, the R and C both have unique characters that go beyond just differences in horsepower.
The GT C uses the front axle set-up of the GT S with its aluminium double wishbone suspension, anti-dive, coil springs and stablisier bar offering a more supple and cushioned ride, and combines this with the rear axle of the GT R with its rear-axle steering and more pinned down dynamic focus.
The GT R's front axle is also aluminum double-wishbone but comes with braking torque support, mechanically stepless adjustable coil springs, adaptive dampers and an anti-roll bar.
So, while the GT C and GT R feel different to pilot, it's not night-and-day different... more early summer morning sunrise, and midday sun beating down different, if you know what I mean.
See, while the GT C feels just as quick, it's a far more comfortable and easier car to drive on course-chip bitumen and pock-marked Australian roads. The ride while rolling on 265/35 R19 rubber at the front and 305/30 R 20s at the rear is surprisingly pleasant.
Country road corners beckoned on our journey out of Melbourne and the GT C Roadster I set out in responded superbly. That front end felt light, soft and but pointable. What was immediately apparent was how wide the car is, and it felt like the GT C needed every millimetre of the narrow Aussie lanes.
Top down there was almost zero air turbulence in the cabin and while I kept an eye out for the scuttle shake that can come with a convertible, I barely noticed anything along those lines with those short thick A-Pillars holding firm.
Also holding firm was the GT C's rear end which squatted and held tight in the corners even with getting on the gas the roadster stayed composed.
Roof up, most road noise was shut out, well it was hard to hear anything over the bellow of that V8.
The GT C Coupe would be my pick of the AMG GT family and not just because of that smidge of extra boot space. The hardtop just bolsters the overall rigidity of the car and made it feel tauter.
The GT R is a step up in price, grunt and dynamic ability, but it's asking for a higher level of commitment in terms of livability.
The ride on its firmer suspension and 275/35 R19 rear tyres and 325/30 R 20 front rubber makes the GT R more brutal than most people would be happy to live with, I think.
But in return you are getting close to that "racing car with street legal approval" positioning, because the GT R is astounding in its balance, handling, grip and the connection it offers with the driver.
Truly engaging and almost wasted on a regular road, but why it's not quite a race car is that the cabin is dripping in luxury from the beautiful and supportive standard seats, to the leather upholstery and digital instrument cluster.
Audi RS58/10
With our time behind the wheel limited to the RS5 Coupe, we can only really report on how the two-door feels on the road, but given the prodigious power on offer, it's unlikely the addition of two doors is going to make the Sportback any slower.Â
In short, the RS5 is thunderously fast, collecting speed with utter nonchalance thanks to this thick and endless-feeling supply of power unleashed whenever you plant your right foot.
It makes even the most ham-fisted attempts at cornering feel fast as lightning, with the power flow able to make up for every slow entry and exit by simply piling on pace between bends.Â
But that's what you expect from an RS model, right? So perhaps more impressive is the RS5's ability to transform back into a relatively sedate urban cruiser when the red mist subsides. The suspension is firm, especially over rough road surfaces, and you do need to be a little careful with the accelerator to avoid that lurching feeling at every green light, but driven calmly, it doubles as a everyday car quite nicely.
Like in the RS4, we did find the gearbox felt a little quick to change at pace, shifting up or down at strange moments on the way into or out of corners, but you can reclaim control via the paddle shifters.
Safety
Mercedes-Benz AMG GT9/10
Coming standard on all AMG GTs is AEB, blind spot warning, lane keeping assistance, traffic sign recognition and adaptive cruise control.
All cars in the line-up come fortified with airbags, including a knee bag for the driver, side bags for the driver and passenger (combined thorax/pelvis bag), front airbags and window bags (Coupe only).
Front and rear cameras and auto parking make life easy, and while there's no spare wheel there is an inflation kit for temporary puncture repair.
A two-seater car the AMG GT doesn't have anchor points for child seats.
The AMG GT has not been assessed by ANCAP or Euro NCAP for its crash safety performance.
Audi RS59/10
The safety story begins with six (Coupe) or eight (Sportback), and the usual suite of braking and traction aids, but then climbs into the tech-savvy stuff from there.
You get a 360-degree camera, adaptive cruise with stop and go, active lane assist, front and rear parking sensors, AEB with pedestrian detection, rear cross-traffic alert, an exit warning system, blind-spot monitoring and turn assist, which monitors oncoming traffic when making a turn.
It's a lot of gear, and it all contributes to Audi's five-star ANCAP safety rating, awarded in 2017 to the A5 range.
Ownership
Mercedes-Benz AMG GT7/10
The AMG GT has a three-year unlimited/kilometre warranty and along with BMW and Audi it's short compared to the coverage offered by more affordable brands.
Servicing is recommended at 20,000km/12-month intervals. Mercedes-AMG offers a three-year plan which costs $3750 up front or you can pay as you go with capped price servicing at $800, $1000 and $2950 for each respective year.
Audi RS57/10
Audi vehicles are covered by a three-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty, which is feeling more than a little underdone when compared to some competitors.
Services are due every 12 months or 15,000kms, and Audi allows you to pre-pay your service costs for the first five years, at a cost of $3,050.