Are the Mercedes-AMG SL and GT 43 Sacrilege? Think Again!
Does this GT 43 four-banger 4-pot really sink Stuttgart to new levels of rot? Some of uc disagree – even history is on our side.
The MB World chat rooms deep inside this site lit up again this week. That age old argument about four-cylinder AMGs has tongues wagging, keyboards clashing all over. How is it possible that AMG can put a four-cylinder in a GT or SL? There’s pretty good reason, actually. But let’s look at the news that’s stirring that pot, shall we?
It started when Benz last year trotted out an SL with a fresh take on the A45 AMG’s most powerful four-cylinder in the world under that long hood. It was summarily followed by cries of foul. But the world went on turning. And now Mercedes-AMG has done it again. This time, lo and behold, Stuttgart’s sunk to new levels of rot with this four-banger AMG GT 43.
But wait. Dubbed GT 43, AMG promises greater agility from this fatter but still sleek new 410 HP 369 lb.-ft coupé. Significantly lighter overall, the 43 sheds a 270-pound fat man’s worth of blubber versus its full-cream GT 63 sister with its 560 HP 4-liter V8. The same nine-speed automatic gearbox only turns the rear axle, rather than the 63’s AWD.
GT 43 Said to Be Far Better Balanced
That brings more favourable 54-46 front to rear weight distribution. Even before optional rear-wheel steering peps up its five-link steel springs adaptive twin-valve damper front and rear suspension. Subtly less aggressive styling and 19 in wheels, instead of 20s do dumb it down a touch.
So all is not yet lost, even if the GT 43’s 4.6 second 0-60 sprint is a second and a half off the V8. Which is probably why Mercedes-AMG calls this one the most agile car in its GT line-up. AMG boss Michael Scheibe even promises, “It will put a smile on your dial on winding roads.”
So, getting back to all that grinding of teeth, moaning, and complaining about the lack of a singing six pot or rumbling V8 in even the most menial Mercedes GTs and SLs, is all the jabbering justified? Well we don’t think so, and here’s why.
A 4-Pot GT 43 is Most Justified. It’s Even Written In History
Way back when, when your great grandpa was still buying cars, Mercedes-Benz was already building the SL. It came out as that famous gullwing coupé, basically this new GTs great grandfather, and a drop top. Back in ’55 you could only have it in a dumbed-down version of the grand-prix 3-litre straight six. Which came at Ferrari money.
But everybody wanted an SL, and before great grandpa, and your starry eyed grandpa knew it, Mercedes has dropped the significantly a faithful four cylinder into its now more affordable four cylinder 190 SL . Nobody complained, it sild like hot cakes and a star was quite literally born.
Roll on seventy years and it seems all folk can do is complain that Mercedes has just done the same and introduced a lighter, nimbler, more affordable four cylinder SL and GT. Not quite sure why, but there you go. This four cylinder really is beyond justified by history. And will probably sell like hot cakes all over again. Good on ya, Mercedes-AMG!
Photos: Mercedes-AMG