Mercedes-AMG GT Black Series – 911 GT3 RS rival to fight back with twin-turbo V8 power
Just because the CLE 646 is here, doesn’t mean ‘Black Series’ is dead. This prototype shows the upcoming AMG GT Black Series
Mercedes-AMG’s crusade to recapture its mojo is continuing at pace. Following the introduction of the astonishing CLE 646 last week, featuring its new 636bhp twin-turbo V8, the next AMG GT Black Series has been spied again, set to carry over a version of the same M177 Evo flat-plane-crank V8.
It’ll be the jewel in the crown of the latest Mercedes-AMG GT range, which being a 2+2 with a wide range of powertrain options is the most direct attack on the Porsche 911 Mercedes-AMG has yet mustered. If the GT55 is AMG’s 911 Carrera S, the 63 its Carrera 4 GTS, the GT Pro its GT3 and the E Performance its Turbo S, what’s the Black Series to be? Judging by the astonishing aero work on this prototype spotted testing at the Nürburgring, nothing less than its GT3 RS or Manthey 911 GT3 RS. Judging by the expected 800bhp-plus output that’s expected, perhaps more GT2 RS…
Mercedes-AMG GT Black Series powertrain
Mercedes-AMG has teased its latest Black Series since 2025, when it showed the ‘Concept Track Sport’ car, which has been followed by camouflaged cars putting in the development miles at the Nürburgring, Bilster Berg, Portimao and Monteblanco circuits. As the next stage of development gets underway, AMG has confirmed the Black Series name is returning on its next road car. It’ll be a Black Series with motorsport pedigree too, given the extensive changes to the road car will also inform the limits to which Mercedes-AMG’s next GT3 racing car will be allowed to be pushed in terms of aero regulations.
We expect it to ditch the complex and heavy plug-in hybrid system, and most likely the GT’s current M178 LS2, instead using a hopped-up version of the M177 Evo flat-plane-crank V8 from the new 646 Spezialanfertigung, albeit with a significant boost, to over 720bhp at least. That’s what it’ll need to put it ahead of the last AMG GT Black Series, which introduced the concept of an AMG with a Ferrari and McLaren-style flat-plane crank.
The potential of this engine to reach over 800bhp is well-known, given a version of the previous Black Series engine is affixed to the back of the carbonfibre passenger cell of the Aston Martin Valhalla, contributing 817bhp to the 1064bhp hybrid hypercar concoction. Like the Spezialanfertigung and unlike the last Black Series, it’s likely, for emissions reasons as well as performance, that the new Black Series will run a 48-volt mild starter-generator mild hybrid system.
Next AMG GT Black Series – aerodynamics and chassis
A full width and height swan-neck rear wing featuring a drag reduction system, a diffuser you could park an A-class in, and box-sill sections to provide a home for the side-exit exhaust are all fitted to the development cars. So too is a front splitter that will be adjustable to balance the aero when the rear DRS is open. And AMG One hypercar-style active aero-winglets in the top of the front wings to allow air out of the wheelarches.
AMG’s adjustable, multi-stage traction control is a given, and we expect the active suspension of the regular GT road cars to be replaced with more performance-orientated adjustable coilover set-up. The CLE 646 uses a four-way adjustable coilovers developed with KW Automotive, so we wouldn’t be surprised to see that partnership continue on the AMG GT Black Series
We expect to see the AMG GT Black Series make an appearance next year, with a list price in the region of £300,000. We don’t expect it to be as limited as the CLE 646, of which just 30 are being made. We also expect to see an AMG GT facelift that will inherit the three-pointed star day-running light accents seen on this prototype and indeed, the CLE 646. Like the incoming CLE 63, the facelifted AMG GT will likely get a version of the more emissions-friendly M177 Evo V8 too.
