New Mercedes AMG GT4 Racer Breaks at Track Day
One gorgeous day at the track in a killer new car goes terribly sideways in mere seconds.
When it comes to racing, there are a number of cliches that apply. But generally speaking, everyone knows that whipping any car around a track at high speeds places a great amount of strain on any car’s mechanical parts. Breakage is just part of the deal, an inevitable nightmare of severe financial proportions. And when you’re testing out a new racer like the Mercedes AMG GT4, breaking stuff is just part of the developmental process.
Thus, it’s really not at all surprising to see it happen at this recent track day in the beautiful Netherlands. The whole thing was captured on film by YouTuber Gumbal after just a few spirited test laps. But before you watch the mechanical carnage, let’s take a minute and appreciate just how awesome these Mercedes AMG GT4 racers truly are.
The homologated version of Mercedes-AMG’s street-going coupe looks a whole lot like its road-legal brethren. And sure enough, the two share the same aluminum space-frame construction and suspension wheel travel. But from there, the gap widens significantly. The interior, formerly a luxurious place to be, is now a shelled out business-only office. The GT4 is powered by the familiar twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8. But shifts are handled by an F1-style pneumatically operated six-speed sequential manual transaxle.
As impressive as all of that is, it all comes to a halt on this ill-fated track day session. While doing battle with a pair of Porsche 911s and a McLaren, the Mercedes AMG GT4 lets out a plume of smoke. And just like that, a fun day at the track is over. But hey, that’s what mechanics and factory-backed teams are there for, right? Thank goodness for them.
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