We get to grips with the Mercedes-AMG GT C Roadster’s brutish bark and bite

Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox
Thank you for signing up to Wallpaper. You will receive a verification email shortly.
There was a problem. Please refresh the page and try again.
The designers and engineers at Mercedes must spend their time spinning rooms full of plates, such is the diversity of the products the company creates. At precisely the same time the company’s stand at the Tokyo Motor Show was extolling the virtues of compact, quasi-autonomous city cars, a large lorry was disgorging a shiny new Mercedes-AMG GT C Roadster for Wallpaper* to assess.
Compare and contrast the modest, neat and subtle visions the company has for the roads of tomorrow with the screaming, howling drama generator that is the AMG GT. As the first standalone model of the Mercedes-AMG performance division, the GT had a lot of expectations to match up to. It arrived in late 2014 to plenty of plaudits – we loved it for its classic GT elegance.
Refined elegance is only a small part of the story. Throughout its history Mercedes has had a hand in some of the best-looking racing cars of all time. It’s only in recent decades that the company’s image has shifted more and more towards the luxury end of the market. Sure, there have been the occasional limited-run supercars and the epically enhanced products of the AMG division, but the baseline has always been refinement and elegance.
Mercedes-AMG GT C Roadster
Mercedes is on a mission to conquer everything. While we were getting to grips with the GT C’s bark and bite, the company was busy readying its contender for the ultimate crown – the hypercar. Alongside its diminutive smart vision EQ fortwo, the Tokyo stage featured the AMG Project One, a multi-million pound rival to forthcoming contenders from Aston Martin, McLaren, Ferrari, et al. Among motoring’s elite manufacturers, the race is on to create a road car capable of outclassing a Formula 1 machine or Le Mans contender. Given that the humble automobile is facing more and more challenges, these baroque extravagances, with their elaborate styling and engineering, feel like the last days of all that the industry has held dear for so long.
Project One is still a few years away, and we suspect it’ll be far more refined than the casually brutish GT C. Without a roof, the two-seater loses some of its visual fluidity, but also gives you a shocking insight into the sonic turbulence this car leaves in its wake. The V8 engine is channelled through a titanically loud exhaust system, with a ‘Sport’ button that might as well be labelled ‘look at me’, such is the crackle and snap it produces. Rock hard suspension, cacophonous noise and a wide, wide body make the GT C a fidgety companion in the city. In any case, cars like this are rapidly heading for urban extinction. The GT C is fine company providing you can find a far-flung reserve of decent road to enjoy it while you still can.
Interior of the GT C
It boasts rock hard suspension, cacophonous noise and a wide body
The V8 engine is channelled through a titanically loud exhaust system, with a ‘Sport’ button
The GT C is fine company providing you can find a far-flung reserve of decent road to enjoy it
INFORMATION
Mercedes-AMG GT C, from £126,545
Wallpaper* Newsletter
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox
Jonathan Bell has written for Wallpaper* magazine since 1999, covering everything from architecture and transport design to books, tech and graphic design. He is now the magazine’s Transport and Technology Editor. Jonathan has written and edited 15 books, including Concept Car Design, 21st Century House, and The New Modern House. He is also the host of Wallpaper’s first podcast.
-
Fender Tone Master Pro hopes to capture the ears of guitarists everywhere
The new Fender Tone Master Pro is the company’s first foray into digital multi-effects systems, a sophisticated unit that blends retro style with high-end electronics
By Jonathan Bell Published
-
Major Barbie exhibition announced at Design Museum, London
The Design Museum has announced a major Barbie exhibition (5 July 2024 – 23 February 2025) to coincide with the doll’s 65th anniversary
By Rosa Bertoli Published
-
Aqui Thami wins Hublot Design Prize 2023
Activist Aqui Thami is recognised by the Hublot Design Prize 2023 for her multidisciplinary practice benefitting the women and girls of Mumbai
By Hannah Silver Published
-
Four new compact camper vans showcase the best in modest mobile home design
Volkswagen, Citroën, Ford and Mercedes-Benz showcase their latest takes on contemporary van living
By Jonathan Bell Published
-
Mercedes EQE SUV brings more tech to the fore
Premium electrification means imposing scale and unavoidable technology in the all-conquering Mercedes EQE SUV
By Rory FH Smith Published
-
Mercedes-Benz Vision One-Eleven concept is a convincing mix of futuristic design and technology
The Mercedes-Benz Vision One-Eleven concept gives new electric tech a sleek 1970s-inspired skin, mixing the marque’s expansive heritage with its modern design language
By Guy Bird Published
-
Peugeot’s sparky 308 gets hybrid power and handsome lines
The Peugeot 308 proves that mass-market design needn’t be dull, blending hybrid power with sharp lines and excellent detailing
By Jonathan Bell Published
-
BMW Motorrad brings out the big guns for its newest cruisers
BMW Motorrad R 18 Bagger and Transcontinental set the tone for high-voltage cruising with a brand collaboration with speaker specialist Marshall
By George Chapman Last updated
-
Dacia’s new Manifesto concept is a true outdoor utility vehicle
Utilitarian auto brand Dacia sets a bold new agenda with its Manifesto, a concept car pitched at the active outdoor market
By Jonathan Bell Last updated
-
The sun sets on traditional supercars at California’s Monterey Car Week
Monterey Car Week, the world’s most prestigious car gathering, is showcasing ever-more extravagant special editions, coachbuilt cars and all-new electric concepts. Here are seven key machines from 2022
By Rory FH Smith Last updated
-
Is McLaren’s GT a sports car, a tourer, or the best of both?
The McLaren GT is a capable all-rounder dressed up in svelte supercar clothes. It might also be the last of its type
By Jonathan Bell Last updated