2019 Mercedes-AMG GT C Roadster Test Drive Review: Bold And Brash
To attack an icon, you need a serious weapon. Thus was the case for the Mercedes-AMG department, who decided to build a bespoke car to do battle with the Porsche 911. Simply modifying an existing Mercedes model would not be enough to take down the 911, so the AMG Division started off with a clean-sheet spaceframe chassis and body to create the ideal sports car. The result is the AMG GT, a sports car with enough sub-models to overwhelm even an avid Porsche enthusiast.
Mercedes sent us a 2019 GT C Roadster (the most powerful convertible model available for 2019) to see how it stacks up against the competition. With an ear drum-bashing 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 under the massive hood, the AMG GT C looks like it has the goods to match the 911 on performance. But is it comfortable enough to drive every day? That question is a bit tougher to answer.
What's the Price of the 2019 Mercedes-AMG GT C Roadster?
A starting price of $125,625 might be a hard pill to swallow, but for most shopping in this league, that price will seem entirely palatable, especially when compared to the likes of Audi's R8, which starts at $177,100 or the Porsche 911 Turbo Cabriolet at $174,100. Additional options will see the asking price creep closer to the $200k mark, and purchasing a GT C Roadster will start off at $158,850, but for a high-end vehicle such as the GT C, optional extras are reasonably priced. The starting price of $158,850 excludes a destination fee of $925.
Best Deals on 2019 Mercedes-AMG GT Roadster
Handling and Driving Impressions
It is clear AMG wanted the GT C Roadster to combat the Porsche 911 on the race track and so it does. The steering offers far more feedback than other AMG models and the grip from the wide tires will give your neck muscles a workout. Even with only two driven wheels handling 550 horses, the GT C rarely struggles for grip but still possesses the ability to shred its rubber if so desired. Drivers can select from five drive modes - Individual, Comfort, Sport, Sport +, and Race - which change the characteristics of the car such as the suspension, throttle mapping, exhaust mode, transmission calibration, and traction control. All of these parameters can also be toggled individually if, for example, you want loud exhaust with comfortable suspension.
But although the GT C is remarkably quick and agile, it lacks everyday usability. Even in its comfort suspension mode, the car crashes and vibrates over even slightly bumpy road surfaces. The AMG racing bucks do a great job holding you in during hard cornering but they only make the car feel even less comfortable during normal driving. AMG should just change the name from 'Comfort' to 'Normal' because there is simply nothing comfortable about the GT C. We would be interested to try the base GT Roadster to see if the suspension is more livable.
Verdict: Is the 2019 Mercedes-AMG GT C Roadster A Good car?
Summing up the 2019 AMG GT C Roadster is tough because it truly depends on what you define as "a good car." In terms of speed, the GT C is bonkers but when it comes to everyday livability, the car falls flat on its chiseled face. AMG offers plenty of similarly-priced sedans and coupes with greater practicality, so if you don't plan on attending many track events, you are probably better off with one of those. Although, the GT is far more eye-catching than the rest of the AMG cars, which are based on more mundane Mercedes models. The decision is up to you but for us, the GT C Roadster simply fails as a daily driver and we'd only consider it as a second or third car designated for the race track and smooth backroads.
What Mercedes-AMG GT Roadster Model Should I Buy?
For 2019, there are only two AMG GT Roadster models to choose from. We were only able to sample the GT C, though the base GT offers similar performance (with 81 less horsepower) for around $34,000 less. If you don't plan to take the car to a racetrack, we say save the money and just go for the base car, which is more comfortable.
2019 Mercedes-AMG GT Roadster Comparisons
2019 Mercedes-AMG GT Roadster vs Porsche 911 Turbo
The Porsche 911 is the benchmark many manufacturers pit their latest creations against, and for a good reason: the 2019 911 is more accomplished, capable, and comfortable than ever; put simply, it's rather magnificent, but how does it stack up against the best Mercedes has to offer? Power in Turbo guise comes from a twin-turbo 3.8-liter flat-six producing 540 hp and 486 lb-ft of torque, which is comparable to the Merc, but the Porsche manages to put its power down more effectively with standard AWD, sprinting to sixty in three seconds flat while returning a far superior 21 mpg combined. The Porsche is noticeably smaller but offers a functional interior space and a premium if somewhat austere cabin design that can seat up to four. The GT C provides a more comprehensive features list as standard, though. In the end, the Porsche offers understated performance, unlike the GT C, which yells, "look at me!" every chance it gets. Picking one over the other will boil down to your personality.
2019 Mercedes-AMG GT Roadster vs Audi R8 Spyder
The Audi R8 Spyder laughs in the face of turbochargers with its 5.2-liter naturally aspirated V10. This sonorous powerplant might not be able to match its competitors in terms of torque delivery, but 532 hp and 398 lb-ft has never sounded so good and matches the GT C in terms of sprint times and gas mileage. The R8 Spyder is shorter, sits lower to the ground, and looks every bit the supercar of teenage dreams, unlike the GT C, which adopts a more traditional convertible coupe look. The GT C trumps the R8 in terms of features and practicality (the R8 Spyder doesn't really have any cargo space worth mentioning), but when it comes to sheer presence and sense of occasion, the R8 wins every time.