The 2016 Mercedes-AMG GT: A New Halo Car With A New Mission

It is intended to cut a broader swath and to become much more than a supercar for the ultra-wealthy.

The dash is straightforward and the instrumentation is logical.

The 2016 AMG GT is much more curvaceous, particularly when viewed from the rear, with its higher beltline and smaller windows.

As with the SLS, the shape of the new AMG GT pays tribute to the 300 SL sports racer of the 1950s.

The strongly horizontal taillights are reminiscent of the new S-class coupe.

The new 4.0 litre twin-turbo V8 develops 462 hp in standard tune.

The two turbochargers are located in the valley between the two rows of cylinders, rather than on the outside.

The GT’s lines are generally softer and less hard-edged than those of the SLS.

Steering wheel and other pieces trimmed in Alcantara, body-colour stitching, carbon fibre accents and metal pedals combine to accentuate the sporting character of the vehicle.

The console is very wide.

Only one transmission is offered: a seven-speed dual-clutch unit.

The AMG GT will assume a range of personalities with driver programs labelled Comfort, Sport and Sport+.

In the flick of a finger it changes from comfortable to primeval.

The car turns in response to finger pressure only.

The AMG GT has a retractable spoiler that is fully concealed in the bodywork at rest and deploys gradually at higher speeds.

The GT S goes from zero to 100 kph in about 3.8 seconds, and the garden-variety GT is only a couple of hundredths behind it.