C190 Mercedes-AMG GT facelift to get more power?

The venerable Mercedes-AMG GT is due for its mid-life update later this year, and part of the refresh entails a bump in performance to go with the new looks. However, don’t expect the facelift to carry a drastically redesigned look, because the automaker has already given it a nip and tuck in September 2016, when the GT C first broke cover.

In terms of power, the M178 4.0 litre twin-turbo V8 that’s found across the entire model range will be tuned to pack a bigger punch. As it is, the mill outputs 469 hp/630 Nm in the base GT, and goes up to 577 hp/700 Nm in the top GT R. According to Autocar, one can expect the standard GT to push close to 500 hp, while the S (514 hp and 670 Nm) and C (549 hp and 680 Nm) models above it should get a similar jump in performance.

The GT R’s output, on the other hand, may be limited by the fitment of a dry sump, said the report. The company may choose to integrate the wet sump system of the E 63 S – which produces 604 hp and 850 Nm from the same V8 – to enable a more substantial increase.

The facelifted GT may arrive at the tail end of a massive AMG range expansion and after the new GT four-door model debuts. It’s understood that, although the four-door shares the GT moniker in name, it will be more technically related to the AMG-based E-Class than the GT, explained the publication.

In the near future, AMG will also be launching a new hybrid line-up, beginning with the CLS 53 later this year as a kickstart to the company’s high-performance hybrid range. That said, there are no plans to electrify the current GT model.

In Malaysia, the GT is available in S and R flavours, priced from RM1.125 million and RM1.7 million respectively. Find out how it drives on the famous Laguna Seca raceway in our full review, here.

GALLERY: Mercedes-AMG GT R

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