The driver of a Mercedes-AMG GT prototype has stuck their nose where it doesn’t belong while doing donuts at the Goodwood Festival of Speed.
Mercedes-AMG is yet to debut the 2024 Mercedes-AMG GT, but a camouflaged prototype appeared at Goodwood wearing a colourful skin and yellow tape to cover its headlights and tail lights. As if the wrap wasn’t out there enough, the driver made sure to get all eyes on the car.
A video posted to YouTube by TFJJ shows the vehicle doing donuts in a enclosed area surrounded by hay bales and a fence.
The driver appears to know what they’re doing at the beginning of the video, as they twirl the GT like a ballerina.
Source: TFJJ
However, they then takes their foot off the accelerator and lose control of the vehicle at low speeds, sending it up the grass embankment into some hay.
Thankfully the incident didn’t spark any major damage on the vehicle – or the hay. The video continues as the driver retreats to the exit.
The car had some hay stuck to its front diffuser, but otherwise doesn’t appear damaged by the embarrassing incident.
Source: TFJJ
Mercedes-AMG posted a photo on Instagram with Mick Schumacher in the driver’s seat of the GT coupe, however it doesn’t appear he was driving the vehicle during the donut incident.
The same YouTube video it also shows the Mercedes-AMG GT completing the hillclimb at the Goodwood Festival of Speed.
Towards the end of the video it shows the coupe up close while parked in the sheds.
Source: Mercedes-AMG Instagram
The vehicle appears to feature an active rear-spoiler, but otherwise previous spy photos have told us everything we need to know about it.
It appears to be production ready, but Mercedes-AMG may have brought the vehicle to the festival for testing purposes.
Mercedes-AMG posted a teaser photo of the vehicle to its Instagram showing the corner of the coupe.
Source: Mercedes-AMG Instagram
The upcoming model will be built on the Modular Sports Architecture (MSA), shared with the Mercedes-AMG SL.
Although it will feature a fairly evolutionary design language compared to its predecessor, it appears the styling at the front is slightly smoother. At the rear, it features squared-off exhausts.
Mercedes-AMG is expected to offer a plug-in hybrid variant within the upcoming GT range. The upcoming line-up is also expected to feature a range of mild-hybrid powertrains as well.
Source: Mercedes-AMG Instagram
It’s unclear what the interior of the new GT coupe will look like but it’s expected to share a similar layout to its SL counterpart.
It’s unlikely to have the two rear seats of the SL. Removing the two rear seats for the GT coupe could allow Mercedes-AMG to strengthen and stiffen the aluminium MSA platform for a more track-focused set-up.
Mercedes-AMG is yet to confirm what’s under the bonnet, but the GT may adopt some of the powertrains offered in the SL.
Source: Mercedes-AMG Instagram
The SL range opens with the 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder SL 43, which features a 48V mild-hybrid system and produces 280kW of power and 480Nm of torque. It’s less likely to feature in the GT, given the car has previously been pitched as a brand halo.
The more powerful twin-turbocharged 4.0-litre V8-powered SL 55 4Matic+ and SL 63 4Matic+ produce 350kW and 700Nm, and 430kW and 800Nm, respectively.
The GT 63 S E Performance may use the 4.0-litre twin-turbo plug-in hybrid V8 powertrain from the 63 S E Performance variant of the unrelated Mercedes-AMG GT 4-Door Coupe, which has total system outputs of 620kW and 1400Nm.
Source: TFJJ
