If you’ve been a fan of current Mercedes-Benz design language, here’s hoping you like the latest, vertical-grilled look as seen on the Mercedes-AMG GT R and the GT C roadster; it’s set to literally become the face of the AMG sub-brand for its future cars.
The move is aimed at further distinguishing the full-fat, Affalterbach-engineered beasts from dressed up regular models and the AMG-Line variants of standard models, according to Mercedes-Benz chief design officer, Gorden Wagener as told to Car Advice.
The new grille treatment which harks back to the earlier years of the brand’s racing history will be a dominant aspect of the AMG range’s styling from this point forward, Wagener said. “If we’re talking differentiation, the big differentiation we’re doing is with AMG to really make that not an own brand, but an own sub-brand,” the design chief said.
The facelifted GT range is set to debut at the 2017 Detroit Motor Show, and with it arrives the aforementioned new face. “This is our traditional racing grille, and so the GT, and GT R and GT3 brought that back from the racing history, and that will be a new signature for AMG, and it will give this brand a very unique profile.”
Mercedes-AMG sold just under 100,000 vehicles in 2016, while in the Australian market the full-fledged AMG range accounted for 14% of a total 41,226 Mercedes-Benz units sold in Australia last year; the mainstream models also account for a strong showing of AMG-kitted variants.
“If you look at the remainder – exclude the actual AMG model sales – about 40 per cent of buyers opt for AMG styling when choosing a new Mercedes-Benz car,” said David McCarthy, senior manager of corporate communications for Mercedes-Benz Australia.
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A nice bold look. German engineering and a powerful turbo engine. No wonder Germans cars have the edge over a Toyota.
Maybe hyundai-kia shud consider ciplak this grille instead.
the grille looks hideous! the single horizontal line grille looks 10x better than this!
What a Mercerati Lendesign
yes, this is much better looking!