2021 Mercedes-Benz AMG GT

The New AMG GT comes in two trims, namely GT and GT C coupe. Both of these trims belong to the very high end of the spectrum only to be surpassed by the GT R. The R and C variants will be reviewed separately. The 2021 AMG GT features a 10.25-inch infotainment screen, 19-inch wheels, LED headlights, Active exhaust, Integrated garage-door opener, and heated, power-folding side mirrors. What surprised us is that there isn’t any genuine leather inside, as standard at least. Only the steering wheel gets Nappa leather treatment, the rest is all faux leather. Even though it is of high quality, nothing comes close to the real thing. 

Which Trim should you buy?

The only difference between the GT & GT C trim is that the latter one gets a little extra horsepower and torque. It sure does get better infotainment & Nappa leather upholstery, but you can get most of these as options on the GT trim except for the Nappa leather. The GT trim with the Premium Leather package, Burmester audio, Lane tracking, and Keyless go packages will be our suggestion for you. There are some cosmetic options like the Exterior Night & Carbon Fiber packages, but that remains a personal choice. 

It is common knowledge that performance cars give you that power punch at cost of high fuel consumption, and this has been proven true for the AMG GT which has chosen power completely over efficiency. The vehicle returns 15 MPG in the city, which is the lowest on offer in its group. This could be easily countered with a bigger fuel tank, and Mercedes has done the same. Overall, expecting better fuel economy on a performance car is a distant dream.

Now we see where that performance sacrifice made by Aston Martin went, having better mileage than your peer performance rivals is a soothing feeling nevertheless. Aston not only has the best mileage, but the fuel capacity as well is better than most. The extreme performance offered by Porsche does take a toll on its fuel economy. It sips more fuel than the Godzilla.

The 2021 AMG GT is one of the most expensive AMG you can get from the line-up, and the interior gets only the finest of the materials. On the GT trim, you get optional Nappa leather. Standard upholstery is one which Mercedes calls the MB-Tex, and it’s a premium quality faux leather. The steering wheel is covered in Nappa leather. Moving on to the dashboard, it's one of the busiest ones with an infotainment screen and A/C vents all over. A standard dual-zone automatic climate control system is given. The most unique talking piece of this cabin is that aluminum center console, which literally looks like an engine cover. 

The seats on the GT C trim are covered in Nappa leather upholstery. These seats have one of the best lateral supports in the industry, not to mention the heating & ventilation they come with. The interior space is plenty but actually getting inside this car might be a chore.

The overall interior is great, but the material choice they have on the GT C trim should have been standard on both, that’s our only complaint. The list of the standard cabin features include a power tilt and telescopic steering wheel, power front seats with 3??osition memory and power lumbar support, and an auto-dimming rearview mirror.

We don’t know if you have any intentions of carrying cereal boxes and milk jugs in the trunk of this car, but the 10 cubic feet of space might only let you have them. The power liftgate opens up like a hatchback, so practically you can stuff in your groceries, but it would look like a royal mess back in there. Aston Martin Vantage offers better cargo capacity, but it can seat only two just like the Merc. Porsche and Nissan can seat 4 but their cargo capacity is abysmal. Standout interior features include:

• Heated power AMG Performance seats with memory
• MB-Tex/DINAMICA upholstery
• Dual-zone automatic climate control
• Ventilated seats (optional)
• Nappa leather upholstery (optional)
• AMG Black Piano Lacquer trim
• Power tilt/telescoping steering column
• Keyless entry and push-button start 

What’s there to keep you entertained?

The 2021 AMG GT comes equipped with a 10.25-inch screen and a 4-speaker sound system. Along with the touchscreen, a rotary knob is given for convenience especially while driving. Android Auto & Apple CarPlay comes standard along with navigation, Bluetooth, HD radio, two USB ports, and a Reconfigurable 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster. The list of features and price relation is an utter disappointment for a 6-figure car, but Mercedes calls it a lightweight infotainment system. Just spend $1,300 extra and get the Burmester sound system with 10 speakers with a 640-watt 10-channel digital amplifier and call it a day. Standout infotainment features include:

• 10.25-inch touchscreen
• Android Auto & Apple CarPlay
• 4-speaker sound system
• 11 speaker Burmester sound system (Optional)
• In-built navigation system
• SiriusXM satellite radio

The design of the 2021 AMG GT will remind you of the SLS AMG, why? Look at that long hood. The shiny grille with the huge logo is something Mercedes takes pride in. The hood swoops down like a nose, and it’s part of their new shark nose design language. Combined that with the functional air intakes and that sharp lower lip on the bumper makes for a deadly package, design-wise. The side profile of the AMG GT is very interesting as the passenger cabin shifted backward and the engine compartment itself takes a massive chunk of real estate on the body of the car. 

As aggressive as the front end is, the more dulled down is the rear end, and it suits the character of this car. The AMG GT has 19-inch 5-spoke wheels at the front and rear, but the GT C trim has 20-inch 5-spoke wheels at the rear. In the lighting department, LED headlights, LED Daytime Running, LED taillights, and rear fog lights are given. Panorama roof is optional on the base trim. The AMG Exterior Carbon Fiber Package I on upper trim adds the Carbon fiber front splitter, front fender trim, side sill inserts, and rear diffuser but eliminates the power deckled release which is optional on the base trim.

Nissan GT-R has the longest wheelbase in the group and also leads in the height and length dimension, which makes things better for the passengers inside. The high ground clearance on the Porsche compared to the rivals becomes useful in some tricky situations. The shortest wheelbase is offered on the rival from the Porsche which bestows it the agility which outperforms the fellow opponents. As for the AMG GT, it has the least amount of ground clearance which is shared with the Vantage. Standout exterior features include:

• 19-inch AMG twin 5-spoke wheels
• AMG ride control sport suspension
• Aluminum space frame
• AMG-specific grille
• Air panel advanced aerodynamics
• Black chrome exhaust
• LED headlights
• Panorama roof (optional)
• Rain-sensing windshield wipers

In the majority of the cases, expensive cars don’t get crash-tested by NHTSA or IIHS. Mercedes has used the best of the technology available in chassis engineering and inside the cabin, and the whole structure is reinforced with a steel crossbar, and the same procedure has been followed in the engine bay as well. All this makes up for an extremely rigid shell.

Despite being a high-performance luxury car, it comes loaded with advanced driver assistance tech. Rivals in this class offer more of a barebones car without advanced safety tech. The standard features offered are radar-based forward collision mitigation, brake hold, brake assist, hill start assist, front and rear sensors, front and rearview cameras, and eight airbags. Standout safety features include:

• Lane departure warning (optional)
• Blind-spot monitoring (optional)
• Automatic emergency braking
• Driver attention monitor
• Adaptive headlights
• Adaptive cruise control

2021 Mercedes-AMG GT vs 2021 Porsche 911 Turbo

The Porsche 911 Turbo has a much higher price tag, but it has the best performance to offer in the segment. The handling of the Porsche is very agile, and the interior also is classy. No matter how small, Porsche does offer an extra two-passenger capacity as compared to the AMG GT, which shares the same fuel economy with this counterpart. Choosing between the two comes down to what your priorities are from your coupe.

2021 Mercedes-AMG GT vs 2021 Nissan GT-R

The Nissan GT-R has the least menacing looks, and it also is the cheapest option on the list today. The GT-R has a V-6 engine unlike the V8 on the Merc, but still, it makes more power than the AMG and is better in acceleration. The car is also equally pretty efficient. Nissan lacks interior finesse, and it just doesn’t have that expensive feel to it the AMG has.

2021 Mercedes-AMG GT vs 2021 Aston Martin Vantage

Aston Martin and the AMG GT, both share a similar twin-turbo V8 engine, but the folks at Aston have prioritized fuel efficiency over extra horsepower. Yes, it has the best fuel economy among all, and those 50 fewer horses aren’t going to affect you much. The interior of Aston Martin has futuristic vibes. Both the cars are known for their luxury, so it all comes down to what you want from your car.

Even though it is expensive, the 2021 Mercedes AMG GT is an insane performance car. In terms of practicality, it does lose some points, but the AMG GT C does give you some bragging rights as it gets more power, but are your bragging rights worth $35k extra? We don’t think so. If we take the rivals in the picture, a red wedding situation is on the display, but the beloved child of the Mercedes-Benz comes out victorious, however, not unscathed. Therefore, if you want an all-rounder performance car that is easy on your pocket, slightly more efficient, and quick on its feet as well, the Nissan GT-R is a better choice, provided you don’t have a brand preference.