Mercedes-Benz celebrates an incredible motorsport history.
Mercedes-Benz traces its roots to the very first production automobile, and it’s one of the original names in motorsport as well, beginning its racing pedigree to the first automotive competition, which took place in the 19th century. Specifically, the competition went from Paris to Rouen on July 22, 1894, and a Daimler-powered vehicle won. 130 years have passed by since then, and Mercedes-Benz has grown its motorsport legacy to include F1, touring cars, GT racers, and more. The new Mercedes-AMG GT3 Edition 130Y Motorsport celebrates that history of over a century.
It was revealed at the prestigious Monterey Car Week and is limited to just 13 units worldwide, each costing over $1.1 million. It’s a non-homologated special model and the most powerful GT3 to be built in Affalterbach, with 671 horsepower. It’s also the last Mercedes-AMG GT3 to have a naturally aspirated engine. It’s a tuned version of the handcrafted 6.3-liter V8 without an air restrictor and a special exhaust system to achieve its impressive power figure.
It has 15 percent more downforce than the standard GT3 with a wider rear wing to optimize aerodynamics. With a Drag Reduction System inspired by Formula 1 and DTM race cars, the new AMG GT3 130Y Edition Motorsport can achieve a top speed of over 196 mph. As a non-homologated version, it also features carbon brake discs in a system also inspired by Formula 1 cars.
The car has already shown incredible racing prowess, as a prototype version of the car, driven by Mercedes-AMG Performance Driver Jules Gounon to beat the track record for GT cars on the iconic and challenging Mount Panorama Circuit in Australia by 2.074 seconds, with its time of 1 minute and 56.605 seconds.
Its design is inspired by historic Mercedes-Benz race cars, like the 300 SL W 194 race car from 1952 and the Mercedes-Benz SLR 300 models from 1955. Each of the 13 examples will be delivered with a package of exclusive extras, including a custom car cover, exclusive Mercedes-AMG x PUMA racing gear, a custom racing helmet from BELL, and a personalized bag that matches the seat upholstery.
With an incredible 130 years of motorsport to celebrate, Mercedes-Benz is asserting its status as one of the first and most incredible names in the automotive industry and racing. This highly exclusive, track-only new Mercedes-AMG GT3 Edition 130Y Motorsport is a symbol of that incredible pedigree.
Image Source: Mercedes-Benz
