Times are a-‘Changin, proven by the fact that even Mercedes-AMG, a champion of large, loud, angry V8s, has been downsizing to four and six-cylinders. Now, from a technical point of view, these new, smaller engines are mightily impressive, but it just isn’t the same as a big V8, is it? For a long time, Mercedes’ motorsports division has been spared from downsizing, but even it has to slowly change, too. Cue the arrival of the Mercedes-AMG GT3 Edition 130Y Motorsport, which isn’t just a mouthful to say, but it celebrates 130 years of Mercedes-Benz racing, and it’ll be the last Mercedes-AMG GT3 model with a naturally-aspirated powertrain.
It remains to be seen what we’ll see from the AMG racing squad this coming GT3 season, but I think we’ll likely see a race-ready powertrain derived from the 4.0-litre turbo V8 that currently powers the road-going AMG GT. The outgoing AMG GT3, which has been dominating the GT3 field for a long time now, is powered by a thunderous 6.3-litre naturally-aspirated V8 engine. Somehow, this limited-edition Mercedes-AMG GT3 Edition 130Y Motorsport variant features more optimisations and improvements atop the race-winning powertrain. Altogether, without the regulation-spec air restrictor, you’re looking at 680hp and 730Nm of torque.
The Most Powerful GT3 Racer Ever Made By AMG
As a result of those world-ending power figures, this has now become the most powerful GT3 race car to ever leave the AMG skunkworks. Power is then sent through a sequential 6-speed racing transmission, and it’s capable of reaching a top speed beyond 315km/h. As you might already know, today’s world of motorsports is dominated by aerodynamics, which is why it’s just as important the Mercedes-AMG GT3 Edition 130Y Motorsport learns how to cut through the air as smoothly as possible. With this in mind, this swansong model has a redesigned front splitter, louvres in the front wings, modified side skirts, and a bigger rear diffuser.
Plus, alongside some adjustments to its underfloor aero, you’re now looking at a 15% increase in downforce compared to the base GT3 variant. And, with a press of a button on the steering wheel, the Mercedes-AMG GT3 Edition 130Y Motorsport has a DRS (drag-reduction system) as well, inspired by DTM and Formula 1. What it’ll do is flatten the main element of that vast rear wing and extend active aero bits on the front floor to maximise its top speed. So far, AMG has already proven just how consequential it’s been, having set a new record for GT cars at Mount Panorama, completing the circuit in 1m 56.605s, beating the previous record by 2.074 seconds.
A Record-Breaking, Race-Winning GT3 Formula
With all that speed, you’d definitely want some heavy anchors to stop it on a dime, and this is another area where we’ve seen improvements from the regular GT3 models. AMG has fitted a set of carbon brake discs that are lighter and better than the homologated GT3 cars, with their steel discs. Alongside superior braking performance, you can adjust its brake balance, allowing you to better fine-tune your brakes depending on brake conditions. Moreover, with race-ready shock absorbers – which are 4-way adjustable – and double-wishbone suspension all-around, it has all the makings of a proper race car. It’s really light too, weighing just 1,275kg.
Alas, there are so many more changes with the Mercedes-AMG GT3 Edition 130Y Motorsport that I’ve yet to mention. Whether that’s the silver paintwork inspired by the Silver Arrows and the 300 SL race car from 1952, or the blue chequered fabric and brown leather headrests that pays homage to the 1955 SLR 300. For the lucky few who want to race a GT3 car, only 13 of these will be made, with a starting price of EUR 1,030,000. Still, at least AMG throws in some goodies to make it worthwhile, including a complete set of racing apparel (designed by PUMA, no less), a custom BELL race helmet, a personalised bag, and even a 1:8 scale model.
