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Marton Pettendy25 Oct 2014
NEWS

AMG GT in hot demand

Australian waiting list for Mercedes-AMG's new GT super-coupe to extend into 2016; C 63 wait will be shorter

Demand for AMG's hottest new releases of 2015, the redesigned C 63 sedan and all-new GT super-coupe, will easily exceed supply in Australia, where the Mercedes-Benz hot shop will sell its 10,000th vehicle next month.

Mercedes-Benz Australia/Pacific won't say exactly how many pre-orders it has taken for either model, or how many vehicles it will receive, because its allocation is yet to be confirmed and pricing won't be announced until later this year.

But it has confirmed that well over 100 pre-orders have been received for the AMG GT, indicative pricing for which has been listed at $250,000 – around the same as Porsche's 911 Carrera S.

All Australian orders are for the more powerful S version, which will be the first to arrive around mid-2015, with S production to commence three months later.

As we've reported, Benz is yet to decide whether it will import base versions of the GT, but will do so before year's end.

Mercedes has cautioned that, even if it's made available here, the entry-level AMG GT won't be significantly less expensive than the circa-$250K GT S, and won't be as cheap as Porsche's entry-level 911 coupe ($214,550 auto).

The twin-turbo 4.0-litre V8 in the base GT produces 340kW/600Nm, punching the 1540kg rear-drive two-seat coupe to 100km/h in four seconds, while 375kW/650Nm GT S hits 100km/h in 3.8 seconds despite weighing 30kg more. Both cars come standard with a seven-speed dual-clutch auto.

Convertible, a powered-up Black series and a GT3 racer are virtually certain and, if the 911 is any guide, all-wheel drive, targa top, GT3 road car and limited-edition versions of the GT could also eventuate.

The same situation applies to the C 63, which could also be offered here in base and S guises. Derived from the GT's 4.0-litre V8, the standard C 63 engine produces 350kW/650Nm, while the C 63 S delivers 375kW/700Nm.

The superseded C 63 sedan -- which was AMG's top-seller here, with a record 750 sold last year, before being overtaken by the four-cylinder 45 AMG models -- was last sold in Australia at about $169,407 (Edition 507).

The regular C 63 was previously priced at around $160,000, meaning the new base model will be cheaper if it's sold here.

Pent-up demand has led to even more Australian interest in the C 63 AMG sedan than the GT, but a much larger allocation will spell a shorter waiting list.

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