It’s not every day you get to experience automotive excellence like the 2016 Mercedes-AMG GT S. As someone deeply invested in car care and performance, the opportunity to spend a week piloting what Mercedes intended as a true Porsche 911 competitor was genuinely exciting. My previous encounter had been limited to a single, exhilarating lap at Road America. This extended test drive, covering 342 miles, allowed me to delve into the daily driving experience of this striking coupe and understand what makes it truly special. Having spent a week with this $146,330 marvel, here are my key takeaways.
More Performance Than You Can Realistically Use on the Street
The reality of driving in Chicago, with its grid-like layout and less-than-perfect roads, often stifles driving enthusiasm. However, I sought out opportunities to explore the GT S’s capabilities within the urban landscape. Freeway on-ramps became my impromptu acceleration test tracks, cloverleaf off-ramps served as makeshift skidpads, and a brief stretch of Sheridan Road in Winnetka, with its rare twists mirroring Californian canyon roads (albeit a mere 3/4 mile), offered a glimpse of agility. Pushing the GT S in these environments revealed a fundamental truth: its immense power and razor-sharp handling far exceed what is comfortably – or legally – usable on public streets.
Track Performance – Recalling the Road America Experience
While street driving only hinted at the GT S’s potential, memories of a lap at Road America vividly highlighted its true capabilities. Several aspects stood out from that track experience. The car’s turn-in response was nothing short of magical, reacting instantly and precisely to steering inputs. The steering itself was both quick and communicative, providing abundant feedback. Perhaps most impressively, the GT S exhibited remarkable stability at high speeds. During that lap, I reached 138 mph while navigating Road America’s challenging Kettle Bottoms section approaching Canada Corner. This demanding segment, immediately following the infamous “kink,” requires both bravery and trust to maintain full throttle while guiding the car left. Achieving that speed, the fastest I’ve personally experienced through that section, was only possible thanks to the GT S’s planted and confidence-inspiring stability.
Driving Modes: From Relaxed Comfort to Race-Ready Aggression
The ride quality in the GT S is undeniably firm. For daily driving, most owners will likely gravitate towards the Dynamic Select Drive’s Comfort setting. This mode softens the ride to an acceptable level for everyday use, but it noticeably dampens engine responsiveness, particularly from a standstill. In fact, the twin-turbo V-8 can feel as though it suffers from considerable turbo lag in Comfort mode. However, the driving experience transforms dramatically when switching to Sport, Sport +, and Race modes, each progressively amplifying the car’s performance and driver engagement. Sport mode remains suitable for street use, significantly improving throttle response and making the car’s power more readily accessible. Sport + and especially Race mode keep the engine on high alert at all times, maintaining peak responsiveness. These more aggressive settings are best reserved for the controlled environment of a racetrack or a truly deserted, winding canyon road. The thought of experiencing canyon roads near Chicago, especially in a performance machine like the GT S, is certainly tantalizing.
A True Rival to the Benchmark Porsche 911
Mercedes-Benz has long been synonymous with luxury and comfort, but with the Mercedes-AMG GT S, they have undeniably created a compelling rival to the Porsche 911 Carrera, the established benchmark for sporty dynamics. In terms of power and price, the GT S more closely aligns with the Porsche 911 Turbo. While the Porsche might possess a slightly sharper edge in handling and a marginally more compliant ride, the Mercedes counters with arguably more striking aesthetics and greater exclusivity. The 911, while iconic, is a far more common sight. The prospect of Mercedes introducing a more accessible, lower-priced GT model to directly compete with the 911 Carrera S is certainly appealing. And naturally, the idea of experiencing an even higher-performance Black Series variant is incredibly exciting.
In conclusion, the 2016 Mercedes-AMG GT S is a remarkable sports car. It delivers exhilarating performance, track-ready capabilities, and positions itself as a genuine contender against the Porsche 911. While its full potential remains largely untapped in typical street driving scenarios, the GT S offers a compelling blend of power, luxury, and exclusivity that is sure to captivate driving enthusiasts.
