2025 Mercedes-AMG GT43 | UK Assessment

How do you’re feeling about fusion meals? Your need to strive spaghetti tacos or a ramen burger may solid helpful mild on how open-minded you’re to this slender black coupe. You’re wanting on the new Mercedes-AMG GT43, a automotive that sells its 1,991 cubic capability for a six-figure price ticket. We’ve tried this wilfully completely different recipe already, broadly appreciating its SL43 roadster cousin, although the idea of a sub-V8 soft-top doesn’t really feel anyplace close to as disruptive as a child supercar with simply 4 cylinders beneath its suggestively lengthy bonnet.

The engine is a 421hp and 369lb ft tune of the M139 2.0-litre turbo 4 that’s acquainted from a wealth of Mercedes-AMG hatches and SUVs. To not point out the Lotus Emira. When it’s amidship in a light-weight coupe descended from the Esprit, nobody’s placing pen to placard and on the point of protest. However within the snout of a gnarly AMG coupe we’ve solely beforehand seen occupied by V8 energy? You could already be misplaced to the feedback part…

The GT43 has extra energy than the SL43 we initially drove (that mannequin now has parity) and prices a number of grand much less, which helps edge it greater up the PHometer earlier than we’ve even opened a door. It shifts its 1,974kg to 62mph in 4.6 seconds and onto a 174mph prime pace (versus 3.9 and 183 within the Merc-AMG GT55) whereas claiming 27.4mpg (towards 20.2). Maybe essentially the most fascinating quantity on its spec sheet, although, considerations its peak torque supply. The place the burlier V8 above it dishes out 516lb ft from 2,250–4,500, the GT43 delivers its thinner determine at 5,000rpm. Which suggests you’ll be revving it.

By way of a quick nine-speed transmission too; second gear is completed lengthy earlier than the UK restrict whereas third tops out simply wanting 80mph. Assuming you don’t rev the automotive till breaking level each shift, you might be flick-flacking up and down its gears repeatedly on a great part of highway – and thus actually squeezing one of the best from the lighter, extra reactive chassis beneath you.

It’s a a lot much less complicated automotive than different gen2, ‘C192’ GTs, forgoing drive on the entrance axle and steering on the rear for a purer, lighter and (engine apart) extra conventional tackle a front-engined GT automotive. There’s tons to love about that, and you are feeling the profit proper from the off. I sunk into the seat of this GT43 instantly after driving an Alpine A110 R – the different £100k 4cyl coupe – and regardless of being almost double the kerbweight, the large Merc didn’t really feel embarrassed. They each possess the identical bassy soundtrack and hard-edged redline, the curiously interesting sound of a hard-working sizzling hatch motor buried in a spot you might least count on it.

In fact, the A110 ethos revolves round light-weight, hardworking parts and the psychological leap to 4cyl energy in a luxe GT is unmistakably bigger. However the Merc’s inside is unchanged and on appearances alone it drips with no much less exotica than its pricier, stronger siblings.

And this 43 gives one thing feistier than the extra senior GTs handle to muster at highway pace. It’s very straightforward to take by the scuff of its neck, and also you’re newly inspired to think about this as a sporting automotive. It’s fast, alert steering snaps a extra keen entrance finish into corners, whereas the rear axle – bearing sole duty for placing the ability down – doesn’t thoughts enjoying the hooligan when requested, particularly if the tyres aren’t absolutely warmed via. 

It’s instantly a extra interactive automotive, and whereas neither 55 nor 63 are missing in enjoyable, you’ll uncover it right here with a lot much less dedication. Simply be careful in your upshifts into third – the engine boosts so shortly, and second is so brief, you need to have fast proper set off fingers when you’ve locked the automotive in handbook mode. Leaving it in auto whereas nonetheless doing a lot of the shifts your self is undoubtedly one of the best ways to keep away from dopily bumping into the limiter.

On this transient first impression, its experience is much less pressured by typical highway surfacing, too. The 43 reacts amiably to massive compression modifications, and its circulation isn’t perturbed by undulations. There’s rigidity to its reactions – it’s nonetheless a two-tonne bruiser regardless of its blockbuster act of downsizing – it simply breathes with the highway a mite much less fussily than earlier than. It additionally cruises at motorway speeds at a hushed 1,500rpm and guarantees one other 100 miles of grand touring between fills over a V8 GT, given it shares the identical 70-litre gas tank. So whereas it could not in the end attraction you as a lot as a 55 or 63, it has the potential to slide into your life with fewer excuses. 

Harder to forecast is its future basic potential. Will it’s as covetable as these V8s? I might say nearly definitely not, and it shares their 37% BIK fee – 235g/km of CO2 received’t ever be deemed harmless by European laws – ruling out a lot tangible profit to picking one past its £37,000 saving over a base GT55 and its much less frequent gas stops.

Plus, it’s further agile. There’s a way many Mercedes-AMG GT patrons are angling to strive one thing really completely different, having maybe exhausted the plethora of trims and attitudes supplied by Stuttgart’s different 2+2. Loads of foodies flock to Heston Blumenthal’s expensive tasting menus, in any case. Lots of them are keen on a scoop of bacon ‘n’ egg ice cream; the GT43’s curious fusion of sizzling hatch energy and glamorous GT type may but show equally tempting.

Engine: 1,991cc, four-cyl turbo, plus 48v ISG
Transmission: 9-speed auto, rear-wheel drive
Energy (hp): 421@6,750rpm
Torque (lb ft): 369@5,000rpm
0-62mph: 4.6 seconds
Prime pace: 174mph
Weight: 1,974kg
MPG: 27.4 (WLTP)
CO2: 235g/km (WLTP)
Value: £105,435