GT R Roadster Will Blow Your Hair Back... and Then Some

AMG's topless V8 supercar

How do you make AMG’s most attractive sportscar even better-looking? You remove its metal roof and replace it with a folding canvas top. Mercedes-Benz has spun a series of derivatives form its hugely successful GT-series sportscar platform, but nobody ever expected them to do a pure GT R roadster. One with lots of trick bits, all collaborating to make it go faster and your drive even more engaging.

A very rapid roadster

That central exhaust system bellows the characteristically dramatic tune of AMG’s renowned biturbo 4-liter V8 good for 577hp. Being slightly heavier than the GT R coupé, the roadster is slightly slower in terms of acceleration. It runs the benchmark 0-60mph sprint in 3.5 seconds, before powering on to a top speed of 197mph.

>>Join the conversation about the Mercedes-AMG GT R Roadster right here in the MBWorld Forum!

When is the last time you saw a roadster with a rear wing like that?

Scrutinize the aft deck area, and you notice something on this AMG roadster which is vastly different from most other two-seater cabriolets. And that’s the fixed wing. With the roof down, it might make for a great Pacific Coast Highway cruiser. But this remains a GT R-spec AMG and that means that all the aerodynamic bits aren’t cosmetic. 

>>Join the conversation about the Mercedes-AMG GT R Roadster right here in the MBWorld Forum!

Nine steps to rear-wheel driver engagement

To ensure that the GT R roadster rewards all those who are set to own one, AMG has equipped the car with its sophisticated nine-stage traction control system. Between those nine settings, you will find one which is appropriate for your skill level, without having to either feel unsafe or robbed of the feeling of piloting a high-performance rear-wheel-drive AMG.

>>Join the conversation about the Mercedes-AMG GT R Roadster right here in the MBWorld Forum!

Chasing the sun, with intent

This is what GT R roadster ownership is all about: a perfect coastal road and the roof down. Revel in that burbling biturbo V8, which pops-and-crackles on each downshift, and effortlessly compresses the distance between corners.

>>Join the conversation about the Mercedes-AMG GT R Roadster right here in the MBWorld Forum!

A drop-top worth waiting for

It took AMG two years to develop a folding-top version of its GT R after the extremely rapid sportscar debuted in 2017. For those who have no fear of enjoying the elements when speeding along, the GT R is Mercedes-Benz’s ultimate roadster. With the top down, none of the GT-series styling merits are lost. In fact, it could be argued that the AMG GT looks even better as a roadster.

>>Join the conversation about the Mercedes-AMG GT R Roadster right here in the MBWorld Forum!

More than quick enough

For those who are obsessed with academic vehicle details, yes, the roadster version is ever so slightly slower compared to the GT R coupé, which boasts a top speed of 198mph. We doubt anybody is going to have an issue with that missing mile-an-hour at the top end.

>>Join the conversation about the Mercedes-AMG GT R Roadster right here in the MBWorld Forum!

Don't bother with your own scarf - it has one

The other bit of absolute Mercedes-Benz engineering genius is the company’s air scarf system. Designed to encourage as much top-down motoring as possible, it channels a consistent flow of warm air onto the driver and passenger’s neck and shoulder area, ducted from a channel in the headrests. This air scarf feature makes the GT R roadster a high-performance cabriolet for all weather conditions. Perfect for those early Sunday morning top-down drives, chasing uncrowded roads in cooler weather.

>>Join the conversation about the Mercedes-AMG GT R Roadster right here in the MBWorld Forum!

A future roadster classic

Mercedes-Benz is ensuring that GT R roadster ownership is appropriately exclusive, which should guarantee the car’s future value. Only 750 will be built for all global markets and retail is set for $159 350 in the US. It might be 170 lbs heavier than the GT R coupé, but with the roof down, that 4-liter engine drowns your ears in the V8 acoustics with so much more immediacy. That must count for something, right?

>>Join the conversation about the Mercedes-AMG GT R Roadster right here in the MBWorld Forum!

For service and maintenance information on your car, check the how to section of MBWorld.com.