Mercedes-AMG GT S #77

2015 Mercedes-AMG GT S in magnetite black metallic is not just an early C190 — it is an Edition 1. AMG produced the Edition 1 exclusively during the first year of GT production as a launch-specification car with a fixed equipment list that could not be replicated through the standard configurator. Every Edition 1 left Affalterbach with the same package of visual and mechanical upgrades that marked it as the definitive version of the car AMG intended to build before customer preferences started diluting the spec sheet. Finding one a decade later with 28,100 km on the odometer is finding a car that somebody bought correctly and then barely drove.

The M178 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8 sits behind the front axle in a front-mid position — the same layout philosophy as the SLS that preceded it executed in a more compact and significantly more aggressive package.

The S-tune raises output to 503 hp and 650 Nm of torque delivered exclusively to the rear axle through a seven-speed AMG SPEEDSHIFT dual-clutch transmission mounted at the rear in a transaxle configuration. The weight distribution this creates — 47:53 front to rear — is the mechanical foundation of everything the GT S does on a back road. The sprint from 0 to 100 km/h arrives in 3.8 seconds. Top speed is electronically limited to 310 km/h.

The Edition 1 package adds a static rear spoiler in exposed carbon fibre along with a front splitter and side skirt inserts from the AMG Aerodynamics Package. It also features carbon fibre mirror caps and a full carbon roof that lowers the centre of gravity by measurable millimetres. The AMG Night Package finishes all exterior chrome trim in high-gloss black. On magnetite black metallic the combined effect is a car that disappears into its own shadow until the carbon weave catches direct sunlight and announces itself. AMG 10-spoke forged alloy wheels in matte black fill the arches at 19 inches front and 20 inches rear with mixed-width tyres. Red-painted brake calipers sit behind the spokes — a visual anchor that ties directly to what happens inside the cabin.

Open the door and the first thing you notice is the red seatbelts. The AMG Performance seats are upholstered in black Nappa leather and DINAMICA microfibre — narrow deep-bolstered and heated. The flat-bottom AMG steering wheel is wrapped in DINAMICA microfibre. The instrument cluster centres a large analogue rev counter flanked by digital displays — a layout that prioritises the information a driver actually needs on a circuit and ignores everything else. Dark-tinted glass wraps the cabin. AMG door sills greet you on entry.

The Track Package adds the hardware that separates a fast road car from a vehicle you can actually take to a circuit. An electronically controlled locking rear differential distributes torque across the rear axle under load via a multi-plate clutch pack working in concert with the AMG RIDE CONTROL adjustable suspension and its three selectable modes. The switchable AMG exhaust system opens the valves in Sport and Sport+ modes unleashing the signature cross-plane V8 thunder of the M178 engine — one of the few sounds in modern motoring that genuinely justifies the word aggressive. A lithium-ion starter battery saves weight over a conventional lead-acid unit revealing just how seriously Affalterbach approached the Edition 1 as a driver's car.

Residing in Cyprus this right-hand-drive UK-delivered example balances its track-focused aggression with genuine grand touring capability. The Burmester premium audio system cuts through the mechanical soundtrack when desired while COMAND Online handles navigation duties across the island. Daily usability is rounded out by a suite of driving assists ranging from blind spot monitoring and active brake intervention to a rear-view camera integrated into the Parktronic system. The interior features dual-zone automatic climate control alongside Keyless Go and traffic sign recognition. Further conveniences include adaptive automatic high beam DAB digital radio and a memory package for the driver's seat steering column and mirrors. Auto-dimming interior and exterior mirrors work alongside auto-folding functionality.

Boot capacity stands at 350 litres — precisely enough for a weekend bag and a crash helmet. With just 28,100 km covered in a decade this AMG GT S Edition 1 has averaged fewer than 3,000 km per year preserving a definitive piece of AMG history for its next guardian.