Mercedes-AMG GT R Black Series will roast its rear tires with a 720-hp V8

Mercedes-AMG will send off the GT by releasing a limited-edition, high-horsepower variant developed with racing in mind. Our spies in Germany have spotted test mules wearing a huge grille and a massive rear wing prowling the roads around the Nürburgring, and a recent report sheds light on what’s hidden under the long, vented hood.

AMG’s next Black Series model unexpectedly appeared on the website of a company named Fastabast that sells speedy rides around the ‘Ring, among other activities. Without citing sources, it revealed power will come from an evolution of the standard GT’s 4.0-liter V8 that’s twin-turbocharged to 720 horsepower and 627 pound-feet of torque. It pelts the Black Series from zero to 62 mph in 3.3 seconds, and on to a 199-mph top speed.

If they’re accurate, these figures will make the Black Series considerably more powerful than the GT R, which made its debut in 2017 with 577 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque between its fenders. AMG quotes a 3.6-second sprint from zero to 60, and the same top speed as the Black Series. Although the two GTs are similar on paper, they’ll be more different than the numbers suggest, because engineers put the Black Series on a diet to extract every last ounce of street-legal performance from the chassis before they put it out to pasture.

Fastabast — which plans to charge nearly $350 for a lap in the passenger seat — noted the Black Series is equipped with a roll cage and a six-point racing harness. We don’t know yet if these features will come standard, if they’ll be optional, or if the company will add them to guarantee the safety of its customers.

Mercedes-AMG will introduce the GT R Black Series online this summer, and sales will start shortly after the model’s unveiling. It’s expected to carry a base price of €250,000, which converts to approximately $283,000, but you’ll need more than a big wad of cash to add one to your collection. While there’s no word on how many examples will be made, Carscoops learned Project One reservation holders have the opportunity to buy the Black Series before anyone else. This sounds like a way to keep them relatively satisfied in spite of the delays that have plagued AMG’s road-going Formula One car. Current AMG owners will then have the opportunity to order the Black Series, and members of the general public will need to tussle over any and all remaining build slots.

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