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100-712: The Mercedes-AMG GT is a series of 2-door sports cars produced by German automobile manufacturer Mercedes-AMG . The car was introduced on 9 September 2014 and was officially unveiled to the public in October 2014 at the Paris Motor Show . While not directly replacing the SLS AMG (competing in a different segment), it is the second sports car developed entirely in-house by Mercedes-AMG. The Mercedes-AMG GT went on sale in two variants (GT and GT S) in March 2015, while

200-700: A Burmester surround sound system, keyless go and parking assist . On exterior, new racing stripes offered in Gloss Light Green when combined with the Selenite Gray Magno color exterior, or stripes in Matte Dark Gray with all other exterior colors. The unique accent stripes can also offered for the GT R Pro. For the GT R Pro, Mercedes-AMG also offered an optional track package which adds a full steel roll-cage , four-point harnesses and

300-739: A Car of the Year , Car and Driver publishes its top ten picks each year in its Car and Driver 10Best . Car and Driver is home to the John Lingenfelter Memorial Trophy. This award is given annually at their Supercar Challenge . Currently, Car and Driver is also published in Germany, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and Spain. The Spanish version just makes use of the Car and Driver name; no editorial direction

400-666: A PC game to Electronic Arts entitled Car and Driver . The game was in 3D, and the courses included racing circuits , an oval track, automobile route racing with traffic, a dragstrip , and an autocross circuit. The ten vehicles included the Porsche 959 , Ferrari F40 , Lotus Esprit , Eagle Talon , and the Ferrari 512 . In the 1970s, to celebrate the Interstate Highway System and to protest speed limits, reporter Brock Yates and editor Steve Smith conceived

500-434: A Triumph Spitfire and Ferrari 488 Pista can be considered sports cars, despite vastly different levels of performance. Broader definitions of sports cars include cars "in which performance takes precedence over carrying capacity", or that emphasise the "thrill of driving" or are marketed "using the excitement of speed and the glamour of the (race)track" However, other people have more specific definitions, such as "must be

600-404: A 2 kg fire extinguisher . With all these upgrades curb weight has been reduced by 25 kg (55 lb), and with track package equipped 40 kg (88 lb) of weight reduced over the GT R. In November 2018, Mercedes-AMG conducted a test at Nürburgring Nordschleife for the new GT R Pro, and the car completed a lap time, driven by Maro Engel , set a lap time of 7:04.632 minutes around

700-692: A GT3 racing variant of the car was introduced in 2015. A high performance variant called the GT ;R was introduced in 2016. A GT4 racing variant, targeted at semi-professional drivers and based on the GT R variant, was introduced in 2017. In 2021, a new variant called the AMG GT Black Series was released. All variants are assembled at the Mercedes-Benz plant in Sindelfingen , Germany. On 28 October 2021, Mercedes-Benz announced

800-451: A blog, an automotive buyer's guide (with AccuPayment, a price-calculating tool), and a social networking site called Backfires. As had occurred with other online auto magazines, Car and Driver first suspended its popular Backfires column in 2020; then, did make a partial effort in 2021 to continue with readers' comments, but eventually found, like the other magazines, the effort was too costly and often too divisive. Car and Driver Television

900-479: A carbon fibre roof, a fixed rear wing, red interior accents and red brake calipers, and various other extras. The GT C is a performance oriented variant of the Mercedes-AMG GT. The M178 engine in this variant is tuned to an output of 410 kW (557 PS; 550 hp) and 502 lb⋅ft (681 N⋅m) of torque. While the GT C retains the key mechanical differences the GT S gains over the GT, it also has

1000-483: A claimed top speed of 319 km/h (198 mph). While the GT R retains the key mechanical differences the GT C gains over the GT S, it also gains manually adjustable coilover springs (in conjunction with the AMG Ride Control suspension of the base models), an active underbody fairing, a manually adjustable rear wing, and a 9-mode AMG Traction Control system. As befitting of a high-performance variant,

1100-399: A controversial choice for a "purist" sports car. The Elan sold poorly and was discontinued after three years. The 1996 Lotus Elise , a mid-engined, rear-wheel drive roadster, was much more successful and remained in production until 2021. Roadsters enjoyed a resurgence in the mid-1990s, including the 1989-present Mazda MX-5 , the 1995-2002 BMW Z3 (succeeded by the 2002-2016 BMW Z4 ),

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1200-620: A coupe. It is bigger and heavier than its predecessor, will have all-wheel drive and a nine-speed automatic transmission, as well as a 2+2 cabin setup. At the beginning of sales, there will be two V8 models, the 469 hp GT55, and the 577 hp GT63, while the E-performance plug-in hybrid will follow later. In March 2015, Mercedes-AMG presented the AMG GT3, a race version of the GT, at the Geneva Motor Show , which employs

1300-423: A fixed roof (which were previously considered grand tourers ). Attributing the definition of 'sports car' to any particular model can be controversial or the subject of debate among enthusiasts. Authors and experts have often contributed their ideas to capture a definition. Insurance companies have also attempted to use mathematical formulae to categorise sports cars, often charging more for insurance due to

1400-407: A frequent contributor. Former editors include William Jeanes and David E. Davis, Jr. , the latter of whom led some employees to defect in 1985 to create Automobile . When CBS acquired Ziff Davis' consumer magazines in 1985, the company decided to keep both Car and Driver and existing CBS automobile magazine, Road & Track . Successive owners keep this arrangement. Rather than electing

1500-405: A lithium-ion battery. Keyless-Go is standard equipment, as is a staggered set of wheels (19-inch at the front, 20-inch at the rear). As with many other recent Mercedes-AMGs, at the time of introduction a limited production "Edition 1" series was issued of the GT S. 375 examples were sold worldwide, and include a gloss black aerodynamic set including a front splitter, lower wheelwell extensions,

1600-478: A mechanical limited-slip differential, an absorbent glass mat battery, the lack of the "Race Mode" setting in the AMG Dynamic Select adaptive drivetrain system, the lack of the AMG Ride Control adaptive suspensive system, and a passive AMG Sport Exhaust System. Keyless-Go is also an optional feature, as opposed to standard equipment. The GT is equipped with 19-inch wheels at the front and rear. The GT S

1700-399: A pressed-steel chassis, a gated 4-speed transmission, pushrod-actuated overhead inlet valves , a honeycomb radiator, low-tension magneto ignition , a long wheelbase, a low center of mass and a very effective suspension system. The overall result was a "safe and well-balanced machine" with a higher performance than any other contemporary production car. At the 1903 Gordon Bennett Cup ,

1800-427: A production Simplex 60 hp was entered only due to a specially-built 90 hp racing car being destroyed in a fire; the 60 hp famously went on to win the race. The 1910 Austro-Daimler 27/80 is another early sports car which had success in motor racing. The 27/80 was designed by Ferdinand Porsche , who drove the car to victory in the 1910 Prince Henry Tour motor race. The Vauxhall and Austro-Daimler —like

1900-403: A smaller compressor wheel, resulting in an increase in boost from the GT R's 135 to 170 kPa (19.6 to 24.6 psi). The GT Black Series accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 3.2 seconds though it was tested at 3.0 seconds and has a claimed top speed of 325 km/h (202 mph). The suspension is unique, with a carbon-fibre anti-roll bar with two adjustment settings for

2000-417: A starting price tag of USD $ 200,645. The GT R Pro retains all key mechanical differences of the GT R gains over the GT C with other minor upgrades, the GT R Pro uses the same engine and power output of the GT R, which is rated at 430 kW (585 PS; 577 hp) at 6,250 rpm and 700 N⋅m (516 lb⋅ft) of torque at 5,500 rpm. And retains the same 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) time 3.6 seconds and

2100-583: A total maximum downforce of more than 400 kg (882 lb) at 249 km/h (155 mph). The Michelin Pilot Cup 2 R tires are specific to the car, and are available in M01A soft and M02 hard compounds. Carbon-fibre is used extensively for most of the body, including the hood, roof, hatch and underbody. The exterior gains an enlarged grille, based on the Mercedes-AMG GT3, large air outlets on

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2200-556: A two-seater or a 2+2 seater" or a car with two seats only. In the United Kingdom, early recorded usage of the "sports car" was in The Times newspaper in 1919. The first known use of the term in the United States was in 1928. Sports cars started to become popular during the 1920s. The term initially described two-seat roadsters (cars without a fixed roof), however, since the 1970s the term has also been used for cars with

2300-462: A two-tone silver pearl or black against grey quilted-leather interior which features a micro-suede wrapped steering wheel; and, "Edition 50" and "1 of 500" lettering on the steering wheel bezel and 12 o'clock mark in silver pearl. In the United States, the Edition 50 is limited in production to 50 coupes and 50 roadsters. Globally, the Edition 50 is limited to 500 units, which explains the "1 of 500" on

2400-642: A wider body (2,007 mm (79 in)) and active rear steering, which the GT S does not have (even as options). In the United States, the Lane Tracking and AMG Dynamic Plus option packages are standard equipment on the GT C. A limited-edition model, the Edition 50, was released as part of the debut of the GT C variant at the 2017 Detroit Auto Show . The Edition 50 features: a choice of two shades of matte paint known as designo Graphite Grey Magno and designo Cashmere White Magno ; black chrome exterior trim, headlight surrounds and forged / cross-spoke wheels;

2500-442: Is a double wishbone unit at the front and rear, with forged aluminium wishbones and hub carriers. The car is powered by a 4.0-litre M178 twin-turbocharged V8 engine . The engine is in "hot inside V" configuration—with exhaust manifolds and turbochargers inside the cylinder banks to reduce turbo lag—and uses dry-sump lubrication. Power is sent to the rear wheels through a seven-speed AMG SPEEDSHIFT dual-clutch transmission ;

2600-520: Is a more highly equipped variant of the Mercedes-AMG GT. The M178 engine in this variant is tuned to an output of 375 kW (510 PS; 503 hp) and 651 N⋅m (480 lb⋅ft) of torque. The key mechanical differences the GT S gains over the GT include an electronically controlled limited-slip differential, "Race Mode" and "Race Start" mode settings in the AMG Dynamic Select adaptive drivetrain system, AMG Ride Control adaptive suspensive system, an AMG Performance Exhaust System with dynamic flaps, and

2700-494: Is a type of car that is designed with an emphasis on dynamic performance, such as handling , acceleration, top speed, the thrill of driving, and racing capability. Sports cars originated in Europe in the early 1910s and are currently produced by many manufacturers around the world. Definitions of sports cars often relate to how the car design is optimised for dynamic performance, without any specific minimum requirements; both

2800-452: Is an iconic sports car of the early 1960s, due to its attractive styling and claimed top speed of 241 km/h (150 mph). The E-type was produced for 14 years and was initially powered by a six-cylinder engine, followed by a V12 engine for the final generation. In 1962, the MG B introduced a new era of affordable lightweight four-cylinder roadsters. The MG B used a unibody construction and

2900-406: Is notable for using a three-seat layout, where the front row consists of a centrally-located driver's seat. The location of the engine and driven wheels significantly influence the handling characteristics of a car and are therefore crucial in the design of a sports car. Traditionally, most sports cars have used rear-wheel drive with the engine either located at the front ( FR layout ) or in

3000-591: Is shared. China had an edition called 名车志 Car and Driver ( transl.  Quality Automotive Magazine "Car and Driver" ). The Middle Eastern edition is issued by ITP Publishing based in Dubai. The magazine was one of the first to be unabashedly critical of the American automakers. However, it has been quick to praise noteworthy efforts like the Ford Focus and Chevrolet Corvette . The magazine has been at

3100-521: Is tuned to an output of 537 kW (730 PS; 720 hp) at 6,700–6,900 rpm and 800 N⋅m (590 lb⋅ft) of torque at 2,000–6,000 rpm. Referred to as the M178 LS2 , the engine has a slightly higher redline at 7,200 rpm compared to the GT R's 7,000 rpm, and uses a flat-plane crankshaft instead of a cross-plane crankshaft, turning out in different firing order . Additionally, the M178 LS2 uses

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3200-608: The M159 6,208 cc (378.8 cu in) V8 naturally aspirated engine also used in the SLS AMG GT3. It consists largely of carbon-fiber-reinforced polymer to decrease the vehicle's weight to under 1,300 kg (2,866 lb) to comply with FIA regulations for races. In 2016, AKKA ASP, Black Falcon, HTP Motorsport and Zakspeed competed in the Blancpain Endurance Series . Zakspeed also competed in

3300-491: The 2015 Australian Grand Prix . The GT R was used as F1's safety car from 2018 to 2021. Since 2022, the GT R was replaced by the Black Series. The GT is the entry level variant of the Mercedes-AMG GT family. The M178 engine in this variant is tuned to an output of 340 kW (462 PS; 456 hp) and 601 N⋅m (443 lb⋅ft) of torque, with the key differences between this and its more expensive siblings being

3400-452: The 2016 Australian Grand Prix . Riley Technologies entered two customer AMG GT3s in the 2017 IMSA SportsCar Championship GTD class. One of the teams cars finished 3rd in class and 20th outright at the 2017 24 Hours of Daytona before going on to win the GTD class and finish 16th outright in the 2017 12 Hours of Sebring . As of June 2019, a total of 130 GT3 cars were sold. A GT4 version of

3500-621: The ADAC GT Masters . They claimed a 1-2-3-4 and 6 at the 24 Hours Nürburgring . In the 2016 Super GT GT300 class, the AMG GT3s made their Super GT debut with Goodsmile Racing with Team UKYO, the number 11 GAINER team, LEON Racing, and Rn-sports opting to use the AMG GT3s in favor of the SLS AMG GT3s that they used in the previous season. Two Mercedes customer teams, R'Qs Motor Sports and Arnage Racing, opted to continue using

3600-520: The Audi RS 2 Avant . Ford Europe withdrew from the sports car market at the end of 1986 when the Capri was discontinued after a production run of nearly two decades. There was no direct successor, as Ford was concentrating on higher-performance versions of its hatchback and saloon models at the time. In 1989, a new generation of Lotus Elan roadster was released which used a front-wheel drive layout,

3700-541: The BMW 303 , Citroën Traction Avant and Fiat 508 — offered similar handling and comfort to the more expensive sports cars. Powerful, reliable, and economical (although softly suspended) American saloons began to be imported to Europe in significant numbers. Sports car ownership was increased through models such as the Austin 7 and Wolseley Hornet six , however many of these sports cars did not offer any performance upgrades over

3800-623: The Bentley Speed Six (1928-1930), with the former famously described by Bugatti's founder as "the fastest lorry in the world". Between the Great Depression and the World War II the pre-war era was a period of decline in importance for sports car manufacturers, although the period was not devoid of advances, for example streamlining . Cheap, light-weight family sedans with independent front suspension— such as

3900-520: The Jensen FF became the first sports car to use all-wheel drive . The Ford Capri is a 2+2 coupe that was produced from 1968 to 1986 and intended to be a smaller European equivalent of the Ford Mustang. A main rival to the Capri was Opel Manta , which was produced from 1970 to 1988. The 1973-1978 Lancia Stratos was a mid-engined two-seat coupe that was powered by a Ferrari V6 engine. This

4000-609: The SRO GT2 category. The car features a 707 bhp 4.0-liter biturbo V8 AMG engine, making it the most powerful customer Mercedes car yet. The car made its racing debut during the first round of the 2023 GT2 European Series at Monza, and won its first race during the second round at the Red Bull Ring. Official US Sales figures for 2019, 2020 and 2021 also include the X290 GT 4-door coupe. Sports car A sports car

4100-408: The front axle , and an iron anti-roll bar with three adjustment settings for the rear axle. Like previous Black Series vehicles, the camber is manually adjustable for both the front and rear axles. Handling has been improved with carbon-fibre panels at the front and rear, as well as carbon-ceramic brake rotors and Black Series specific brake pads. The wing has an active aero flap, and contributes to

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4200-403: The 1905 Isotta Fraschini Tipo D, the 1906 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost , the 1908 Delage , the 1910 Bugatti Type 13 , and the 1912 DFP 12/15 . Early motor racing events included the 1903 Paris–Madrid race , the 1905-1907 Herkomer Trophy, the 1908-1911 Prince Henry Tour and the 1911–present Monte Carlo Rally . The Prince Henry Tours (which were similar to modern car rallies) were among

4300-495: The 1921 Coppa Florio . Another approach— such as that used by Morris Garages— was to convert touring cars into sports cars. The first 24 Hours of Le Mans race for sports cars was held in 1923, although the two-seat sports cars only competed in the smallest class, with the majority of cars entered being four-seat fast touring cars. "This race, together with the Tourist Trophy Series of Races , organised after

4400-404: The 1948 Ferrari 166 S . A new concept altogether was the modern Gran Turismo class from Italy, which was in effect unknown before the war: sustained high-speed motoring from relatively modest engine size and compact closed or berlinetta coachwork. The 1947 Maserati A6 1500 two-seat berlinetta was the first production model from Maserati. In Germany, the motor industry was devastated by

4500-499: The 1980 Deutsche Rennsport Meisterschaft and Giro d'Italia automobilistico marathon. The Montecarlo was a basis for the silhouette racing car , Lancia Rally 037 . In the 1970s, turbocharging began to be adopted by sports cars, such as the BMW 2002 Turbo in 1973, the first Porsche 911 Turbo in 1975, and the Saab 99 Turbo in 1978. Turbocharging became increasingly popular in the 1980s, from relatively affordable coupes such as

4600-452: The 1980–1986 Renault Fuego and 1992–1996 Rover 220 Coupé Turbo , to expensive supercars such as the 1984-1987 Ferrari 288 GTO and 1987-1992 Ferrari F40 . In the late 1980s and early 1990s, several manufacturers developed supercars that competed for production car top speed records . These cars included the 1986–1993 Porsche 959 , 1991–1995 Bugatti EB 110 , 1992–1994 Jaguar XJ220 and 1993–998 McLaren F1 . The 1980-1995 Audi Quattro

4700-506: The 1990s, all-wheel drive has become more common in sports cars. All-wheel drive offers better acceleration and favorable handling characteristics (especially in slippery conditions), but is often heavier and more mechanically complex than traditional layouts. Examples of all-wheel drive sports cars are the Lamborghini Huracan , Bugatti Veyron , and Nissan GT-R . Rear engine layouts are not typical for sports cars, with

4800-508: The 1995-2002 MG F , the 1996–present Porsche Boxster and the 1998–present Audi TT . Car and Driver Car and Driver was founded as Sports Cars Illustrated in 1955. In its early years, the magazine focused primarily on small, imported sports cars . In 1961, editor Karl Ludvigsen renamed the magazine Car and Driver to show a more general automotive focus. Car and Driver once featured Bruce McCall , Jean Shepherd , and Brock Yates as columnists, and P. J. O'Rourke as

4900-509: The FIA GT3 category. New technologies include an automatic data logger and analysis system, a function to automatically start the engine when the car is lowered from its in-built air jacks along with new brake and traction control systems. The design was also updated in line with the design of the new design update of the AMG GT road car with the changes being the new headlamps and the grille with

5000-492: The GT C coupé, has a limited "Edition 50" model, celebrating AMG's 50 years of existence. Mercedes-AMG official announced that its AMG GT Black Series and AMG GT Dark night officially listed special edition models, Mercedes-AMG GT models launched a total of 2, The prices are US$ 576,612 and $ 229,594. The GT Black Series is a high-performance variant of the Mercedes-AMG GT and was officially revealed on Mercedes-AMG 's YouTube channel on 9 July 2020. The M178 engine in this variant

5100-517: The GT R Pro, same Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 semi-slick tires which were also used in the GT R, new carbon-fibre braced active aerodynamic front splitter and canards, new front fenders with GT3 inspired vents, new rear diffuser with canards, new side skirts, updated rear wing with a small gurney for increase downforce while reducing weight. Interior upgrades includes, a 10.25-inch digital instrument binnacle and infotainment system ,

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5200-554: The GT R became the official Formula 1 safety car . During the 2020 Tuscan Grand Prix , the Safety Car ran a red livery rather than the traditional silver to commemorate Scuderia Ferrari 's 1,000th Grand Prix start. For the 2021 F1 season, the GT R Safety Car permanently wears a red livery (along with the Mercedes F1 Team's sponsor CrowdStrike ) rather than the traditional silver to increase the chances of drivers seeing

5300-410: The GT R loses Keyless-Go, the integrated garage-door opener, the heated and power-folding side mirrors, the auto-dimming interior and exterior mirrors and reverts to the basic light-weight 4-speaker audio system that the GT comes with, but these features can still be added as options. When it was launched, the GT R had several cosmetic changes compared with the standard car, notably the vertical slats in

5400-511: The GT R variant to help with cooling and airflow performance. The GT C roadster retains the wider bodywork of the GT C coupé, and the GT roadster has a slightly higher first and lower seventh gear with a longer final drive compared to the GT coupé. The GT and GT C roadsters feature a three-layer fabric roof built around an aluminum, magnesium and steel structure, available in black, red or beige, and which can open and close in 11 seconds up to speeds of 50 km/h (31 mph). The GT C roadster, like

5500-485: The GT S variant employs an electronically controlled mechanical limited-slip differential . In a road test executed by Car and Driver , the GT S accelerated from 0–97 km/h (60 mph) in 3.0 seconds, completed the quarter mile in 11.2 seconds and attained a top speed of 311 km/h (193 mph). The GT S was the Formula 1 safety car for the 2015, 2016 and 2017 seasons, having made its debut in that role at

5600-402: The GT, with 340 kW (462 PS; 456 hp), and the GT S with 375 kW (510 PS; 503 hp). The GT generates 600 N⋅m (443 lb⋅ft) of torque, and the GT S generates 650 N⋅m (479 lb⋅ft) of torque. Shortly after its introduction, Mercedes-AMG CEO at the time, Tobias Moers promised a Black Series variant of the Mercedes-AMG GT. The new high performance variant

5700-468: The Mercedes Simplex 60 hp— were production fast touring cars. The 1912 Hispano-Suiza Alfonso XIII is also considered one of the earliest sports cars, as it was a "purpose built, high performance, two-seater production automobile". The model was named after King Alfonso XIII of Spain , a patron of the car's chief designer and an enthusiast for the marque. Other early sports cars include

5800-562: The Mercedes-AMG GT was presented at the 2017 24 Hours of Spa . This customer racing car is based on the GT R road version and it made its debut in the ROWE 6 Stunden ADAC Ruhr-Pokal-Rennen race, the fifth round of the 2017 VLN season. The car received significant upgrades for the 2022 season. An updated version of the GT3 was introduced at the 24 Hours of Nürburgring in June 2019 for the 2020 season of

5900-622: The Mercedes-AMG GT3 Edition 55 were sold, each costing €625,000. The Mercedes-AMG GT2 Pro is a non-competitive track day version of the Mercedes-AMG GT2. This car features a 739 bhp engine, more powerful than its racing counterpart. The second generation AMG GT was unveiled on 19 August 2023, at Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance in America. It will use the same platform as the new SL and will only be offered as

6000-487: The SLS AMG GT3s. Both of them would switch to AMG GT3s during the 2018 season, switching from SLS AMG GT3 and Ferrari 488 GT3 respectively. New Zealand born driver Craig Baird gave the new AMG GT3 its first race win anywhere when he took out race 1 of round 2 of the 2016 Australian GT Championship at the Melbourne Grand Prix Circuit on 17 March 2016. The round was held as a support race to

6100-550: The Safety Car in poor visibility. It will also share the role with the Aston Martin Vantage . It completed a lap of the Nürburgring Nordschleife track in 7:10.92, in a test conducted by German magazine Sport Auto , making it the fastest rear wheel driven road-legal production car around the track at the time and the 5th fastest lap time for a road-legal production vehicle around the track at

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6200-479: The car appeared during the next year or two, all conforming to the same basic design and earning for themselves a reputation second to none for fast and reliable travel. The 60-h.p. cars were announced late in 1902. The cars were possessed of a very real performance superior to anything else which could be bought at the time... and the model achieved an almost invincible position among the fast cars of its day. The Sports Car: Development and Design The basis for

6300-411: The center of a few controversies based on this editorial direction, including the following: The magazine is widely known for an often irreverent tone, especially regarding cars it considers inferior. The magazine also frequently touches on politics. The editorial slant of the magazine is decidedly pro-automobile. Car and Driver operates a website that features articles (both original and from print),

6400-411: The development of performance cars such as the 1910 Vauxhall Prince Henry , 1910 Sunbeam 12/16 , 1910 Talbot 25 hp , 1910 Straker-Squire 15 hp and 1913 Star 15.9 hp . Following the halt in sports car production caused by World War I , Europe returned to manufacturing automobiles from around 1920. It was around this time that the term 'Sports Car' began to appear in the motor catalogues, although

6500-400: The early 1920s, the cost to produce a racing car was not significantly higher than a road car, therefore several manufacturers used the design from the current year's racing car for the next year's sports car. For example, the 1921 Ballot 2LS based on the racing car that finished third at the 1921 French Grand Prix. The Benz 28/95PS was also a successful racing car, with victories including

6600-463: The exact origin of the name is not known. The decade that followed became known as the vintage era and featured rapid technical advances over the preceding Brass Era cars . Engine performance benefited from the abandonment of " tax horsepower " (where vehicles were taxed based on bore and number of cylinders, rather than actual power output) and the introduction of leaded fuel , which increased power by allowing for higher compression ratios . In

6700-513: The fastest lap time ever recorded for a road-legal production vehicle around the track at the time. In 2022, Mercedes-AMG launched the AMG GT Track Series, a track-only car based on the AMG GT Black Series. The car was created to celebrate the 55th anniversary of AMG, and thus only 55 models will be sold. A single one of these cars raced as an invitational entry at the Red Bull Ring in the 2022 GT2 European Series . Only 5 units of

6800-418: The first supercars . Other significant European models of the 1960s and 1970s which might be considered supercars today are the Ferrari 250 GTO (1962-1964), Ferrari 250 GT Lusso (1963-1964), Ferrari 275 GTB/4 (1966-1968), Maserati Ghibli (1967-1973), Ferrari Daytona (1968-1973), Dino 246 (1969-1974), De Tomaso Pantera (1971-1993), Ferrari 308 GTB (1975-1980) and BMW M1 (1978-1981). In 1966,

6900-528: The first World War by the R.A.C. , appealed to the public imagination and offered to the manufacturers of the more sporting cars an excellent opportunity for boosting sales of their products." The classic Italian road races— the Targa Florio , and the Mille Miglia (first held in 1927)— also captured the public's imagination. By 1925, the higher profits available for four-seater cars resulted in

7000-473: The front grille, an adjustable rear wing, new front air intakes and new front and rear diffusers. The styling of the GT R is more comparable to that of the AMG GT3 race car. However, the base GT variant gained several of these cosmetic changes as part of a mild facelift in the 2017 model year. The GT R went on sale in November 2016, with deliveries beginning in 2017. For the 2018 Formula One World Championship ,

7100-517: The front module base made up of magnesium. The exterior lead designer was Mark Fetherston, whose previous works include the W176 A-Class , the CLA-Class , and SLS AMG. The interior, designed by Jan Kaul, features a large centre console and decorative elements in a leather and carbon polymer design. The trunk offers room for a medium-sized suitcase. Two engine power output options were offered:

7200-419: The hood, manually adjustable front splitter, and upgraded rear wing as part of a major aerodynamic kit. The interior features standard AMG performance bucket seats , and uses microfiber for the steering wheel , door and instrument panels. On 4 November 2020, The Mercedes-AMG GT Black Series recorded a lap time of 6:43.616 with driver Maro Engel behind the wheel at the Nürburgring Nordschleife , making it

7300-531: The idea of an unsanctioned, informal race across the country, replicating the 53.5-hour transcontinental drive made by car and bike pilot Erwin George "Cannonball" Baker in 1933. The New York to Los Angeles Cannonball Baker Sea-to-Shining-Sea Memorial Trophy Dash , later shortened to the "Cannonball Run", was staged in 1971, 1972, 1975 and 1979, with the race entries including both amateur drivers and professional racers, such as Dan Gurney (who with Brock Yates "won"

7400-432: The inclusion of the 'Panamericana' grille from the GT3, GT4 and GT R variants as standard equipment for all variants. The GT uses a front mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout , with the engine positioned inside of the vehicle's wheelbase (behind the front axis). The spaceframe chassis and body are made out of aluminium alloys, while the trunk lid is made of steel and the hood is made of magnesium . The suspension system

7500-799: The inherent risk of performance driving. There is no fixed distinction between sports cars and other categories of performance cars, such as muscle cars and grand tourers , with some cars being members of several categories. Traditionally, the most common layout for sports cars was a roadster (a two-seat car without a fixed roof). However, there are also several examples of early sports cars with four seats. Sports cars are not usually intended to transport more than two adult occupants regularly, so most modern sports cars are generally two-seat or 2+2 layout (two smaller rear seats for children or occasional adult use). Larger cars with more spacious rear-seat accommodation are usually considered sports sedans rather than sports cars. The 1993-1998 McLaren F1

7600-573: The late 1920s were AC Cars , Alfa Romeo , Alvis , Amilcar , Bignan and Samson, Chenard-Walcker , Delage , Hispano-Suiza , Hotchkiss , Mercedes-Benz and Nazzaro . Two cars from the Vintage Era that would influence sports cars for many years were the Austin Seven and MG M-type "Midget". Successful sports cars from Bentley during this era were the Bentley 3 Litre (1921-1929) and

7700-502: The latter providing better protection for the radiator. The front splitter and rear wing were tweaked in order for faster adjustments. The car uses the same 6.2-litre V8 engine as the previous model rather than the 4.0-litre V8 engine of the road car, its engineers stating the user friendliness and reliability of the engine as the main factor of its retention. The Mercedes-AMG GT2 was unveiled in December 2022, created for participation in

7800-518: The mass-produced cars upon which they were based. The highest selling sports car company of the 1930s was Morris Garages , who produced 'MG Midget' models of the M-Type , J-Type , P-Type and T-Type . The K3 version of the K-Type Magnette was a successful racing car, achieving success in the Mille Miglia , Tourist Trophy and 24 Hours of Le Mans . The Bugatti Type 57 (1934-1940)

7900-537: The middle of the vehicle ( MR layout ). Examples of FR layout sports cars include the Caterham 7 , Mazda MX-5 , and the Dodge Viper . Examples of MR layout sports cars are the Ferrari 488 , Ford GT , and Toyota MR2 . To avoid a front-heavy weight distribution , many FR layout sports cars are designed so that the engine is located further back in the engine bay, as close to the firewall as possible. Since

8000-430: The new Mercedes-AMG R232 SL-Class as the direct successor for the roadster version. The coupe version will be redesigned on the same platform as the 2023 Mercedes AMG SL, but will retain the name AMG GT. The interior of the Mercedes-AMG GT was previewed on 16 April 2014. The car made its debut on 9 September 2014 and was officially unveiled to the public in October 2014 at the Paris Motor Show . The GT's exterior design

8100-700: The notable exception of the Porsche 911 . The front-wheel drive layout with the engine at the front ( FF layout ) is generally the most common for cars, but it is not as common among traditional sports cars. Nonetheless, the FF layout is used by sport compacts and hot hatches such as the Mazdaspeed3 . Sports cars with an FF layout include the Fiat Barchetta , Saab Sonett , or Opel Tigra . The ancestor of all high-performance cars had its origin in Germany. The 28-h.p. Cannstatt-Daimler racing car of 1899

8200-456: The philosophy of achieving performance through minimizing weight and has been rated as one of the top 10 sports cars of the 1960s. The Elan featured fibreglass bodies, a backbone chassis, and overhead camshaft engines. A different style of roadster was the AC Cobra , released in 1962, which was fitted with V8 engines up to 7.0 L (427 cu in) in size by Shelby . The Porsche 911

8300-423: The production of two-seat sports cars being limited to smaller manufacturers such as Aston-Martin (350 Astons built from 1921 to 1939) and Frazer-Nash (323 cars built from 1924 to 1939). Then by the late 1920s, the cost of producing racing cars (especially Grand Prix cars) escalated, causing more manufacturers to produce cars for the growing sports car market instead. Significant manufacturers of sports cars in

8400-558: The sporting events of the period, bringing renown to successful entrants. The Prince Henry Tours started the evolution of reasonably large and technically advanced production sports cars. In England, the development of sporting cars was inhibited by the Motor Car Act 1903 , which imposed a speed limit of 20 mph (32 km/h) on all public roads. This led to the 1907 opening of the Brooklands motor circuit , which inspired

8500-408: The sports car is traced to the early 20th century touring cars and roadsters , and the term 'sports car' would not be coined until after World War One. A car considered to be "a sports-car years ahead of its time" is the 1903 Mercedes Simplex 60 hp , described at the time as a fast touring car and designed by Wilhelm Maybach and Paul Daimler . The Mercedes included pioneering features such as

8600-476: The sports car, but also the most important and diverse technical developments [and] very rapid and genuine improvement in the qualities of every modern production car; assisted by new design and manufacturing techniques a consistently higher level of handling properties has been achieved." In Italy, a small but wealthy market segment allowed for the manufacture of a limited number of high-performance models directly allied to contemporary Grand Prix machines, such as

8700-471: The steering wheel. The GT R is a high-performance variant of the Mercedes-AMG GT and was introduced at the Goodwood Festival of Speed on 24 June 2016. The M178 engine in this variant is tuned to an output of 430 kW (585 PS; 577 hp) at 6,250 rpm and 700 N⋅m (516 lb⋅ft) of torque at 5,500 rpm. The GT R accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 3.6 seconds and has

8800-467: The time. A roadster version was introduced in March 2019 and would be limited to 750 units. It was discontinued in 2021 when the Black Edition was released which it replaced. Mercedes-AMG introduced the GT R Pro at the 2018 Los Angeles Auto Show . The GT R Pro is a more track focused variant of the AMG GT line up and based on the GT R. This variant would be limited for 750 units worldwide with

8900-421: The top speed of 319 km/h (198 mph). New upgrades includes, new manually adjustable coil-over suspension setup, lightweight anti-roll bars , electronically controlled dynamic engine and transmission mounts, GT R's optional carbon-fiber roof and carbon ceramic brakes became standard, new carbon-fibre bucket seats , lightweight forged wheels 19-inch on front and 20-inch on rear which were exclusive for

9000-406: The track, making it the 8th fastest lap time for a road-legal production vehicle around the track at the time. The GT and GT C roadsters are the roadster versions of the GT and GT C coupés, and were announced shortly after the introduction of the GT R variant. Both variants made their debut at the 2016 Paris Motor Show . The GT and GT C roadsters utilise the active air management system found on

9100-478: The war, but a small number of manufacturers returned it to prominence. In 1948, the Porsche 356 was released as the debut model from Porsche. The significance of the Porsche 356 and its successors was described in 1957 as "future historians must see them as among the most important of mid-century production cars". The 1954 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL is another significant car from this era. The 1961 Jaguar E-Type

9200-415: Was a pioneering all-wheel drive sports car. The 1995 Porsche 911 Turbo (993) saw the 911 Turbo model switch to all-wheel drive, a drivetrain layout that the model uses to this day. The BMW M3 was released in 1986 and has been produced for every generation since. The 1993-1996 Mercedes-Benz W124 E36 AMG was the mass-produced AMG model. Audi's equivalent division, called "RS", was launched in 1994 with

9300-684: Was an unusual arrangement for a car used to compete in rallying, nonetheless it was very successful and won the World Rally Championship in 1974 , 1975 , and 1976 . The Lancia Montecarlo was produced from 1975 to 1981 and is a mid-engine two-seater, available as a coupé or a targa-top. It was sold as Lancia Scorpion in the USA. Its racing variant, Montecarlo Turbo, won the 1979 World Championship for Makes in its division and overall for 1980 World Championship for Makes and 1981 World Endurance Championship for Makes . Montecarlo also won

9400-627: Was another significant sports car of the pre-war era and is now among the most valuable cars in the world. The T57 was successful in sports car races, including winning the 1937 24 Hours of Le Mans and 1939 24 Hours of Le Mans . Another successful Bugatti sports car was the Bugatti Type 55 (1932-1935), which was based on the Type 51 Grand Prix racing car. The decade following the Second World War saw an "immense growth of interest in

9500-529: Was called the AMG GT ;R. The Mercedes-AMG family was given a facelift in 2017, along with the introduction of the GT C roadster variant and the Edition 50 model, which is a limited-edition derivative of the GT C variant. The key improvements made as part of the facelift include increased power output from the M178 engine for the GT and GT S variants (10 kW and 9 kW respectively) and

9600-605: Was kept similar to that of the preceding SLS AMG , with wide wheel arches , lower bodywork, and fastback sloping roofline of the SLS AMG, but using conventional forward-opening doors instead of the iconic gullwing style pioneered by the 300 SL in the 1950s. It also employed an upgraded and shortened version of the Transaxle Spaceframe platform used by the SLS. The vehicle structure is made up of 93% aluminium, with

9700-694: Was produced until 1980. Other successful lightweight roadsters include the Triumph Spitfire (1962-1980) and the Alfa Romeo Spider (1966-1993). The Fiat X1/9 (1972-1989) was unusual for its use of a mid-engine design in an affordable roadster model. A late entrant to the affordable roadster market was the 1975 Triumph TR7 , however by the late 1970s the demand for this style of car was in decline, resulting in production ceasing in 1982. The original Lotus Elan (1962-1975) two-seat coupe and roadster models are an early commercial success for

9800-675: Was released in 1964 and has remained in production since. The 911 is notable for its use of the uncommon rear-engine design and the use of a flat-six engine . Another successful rear-engine sports car was the original Alpine A110 (1961-1977), which was a successful rally car during the Group 4 era. In 1965, the BMW New Class Coupes were released, leading to the BMW 6 Series which remains in production to this day. The Lamborghini Miura (1966) and Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale (1967) mid-engined high-performance cars are often cited as

9900-443: Was the television counterpart that formerly aired on TNN / SpikeTV 's Powerblock weekend lineup from 1999 to 2005. It was produced by RTM Productions and hosted by Jim Scoutten—who also hosted American Shooter , another RTM production—until 2003. Thereafter the usual host was Larry Webster, one of the magazine's editors, with Csaba Csere adding occasional commentary and news. In 1993, Car and Driver licensed its name for

10000-417: Was without a doubt the first attempt to give real performance to a road car. Many of its features, such as a honeycomb radiator and gate gear change, were continued on the much improved version which Paul Daimler designed in 1899-1900. This was of course the famous Mercedes. It also laid down standards of chassis design which were to be followed, almost unthinkingly, for the next thirty years. Several variants of

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