With the 2024 Mercedes-AMG GT55 and GT63 coupes set to arrive at dealerships in the next few months, the luxury brand’s performance arm has already prepared the next member of the GT family, one that is sure to stir up some controversy. The brand is pitching the GT43 as the GT coupe for purists, and while it’s hard to argue that the all-wheel-drive, 469-horsepower GT55 and 577-hp GT63 are joyfully unholy, it’ll be interesting to see how the rear-drive GT43 is received with its turbocharged four-cylinder engine.
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Powertrain Specs and 0-60 MPH
Displacing 2 liters, the GT43’s four is half the size of (and has half as many turbos as) the twin-turbo 4.0-liter V-8s in the GT55 and GT63. But not to worry, as its output is nowhere near proportional. With an electric motor mounted to the turbo, the four-cylinder cranks out 416 horsepower and 369 pounds-feet of torque. That’s down 147 pounds-feet from the GT55’s V-8, but only by 53 hp.
As in the V-8-powered cars, the only available transmission is a nine-speed automatic. In the GT43, however, that power goes only to the rear wheels, whereas the GT55 and GT63 are AWD. The brand’s specs for the GT43 list its curb weight as TBA; rarely do those letters inspire so much anticipation. Between the downsized engine and simplified drivetrain, the GT43 should be quite a bit lighter. Mercedes-AMG claims it will accelerate from 0-60 mph in 4.5 seconds and have a top speed of 174 mph, compared to 3.8 seconds and 183 mph for the GT55.
Spot the Differences
It’ll take a keen eye to tell the four-cylinder coupe from its V-8 siblings. The GT43 wears slimmer fenders that make it 2.2 inches narrower and are pierced with smaller vents. Whereas the face of the GT55 and GT63 is all gaping maw, the GT43 has a tidier grille atop a lower intake that stretches nearly from wheel to wheel. Around back, it exhales through four round tailpipes, while the V-8s have squared-off outlets. The GT43 is fitted with 19-inch wheels as standard equipment, and a selection of 19-, 20- and 21-inch rims is available.
Like its more powerful stablemates, the GT43 rides on an all-aluminum suspension fore and aft, but unlike them, it has traditional sway bars instead of a hydraulic anti-roll system. Mercedes-AMG Ride Control adaptive dampers, standard on the GT55 and GT63, are optional on the GT43. The brakes — 15.4-inch rotors and six piston calipers up front, 14.2-inch rotors and single-piston clamps in the rear — are shared among all three GTs, as are the active aerodynamic elements. Shutters behind the grille stay closed for improved aerodynamics, only opening when additional air is needed to cool the engine bay. The retractable spoiler deploys above 50 mph and can assume five different angles to optimize downforce or minimize drag, depending on the driver’s behavior.
Highly Customizable
Three exterior design packages are available for buyers to customize their look. The AMG Exterior Chrome Package fits shiny accent pieces to the front end and fenders, as well as the sill panels. The AMG Night Package finishes the splitter, sills, mirror housings and window trim in black, with dark-chrome tailpipe finishers and deep-tinted glass for the rear window. The AMG Night Package II builds on that with dark chrome for the grille and exterior badging.
Inside, the GT43 is indistinguishable from the other GTs — so long as the engine is off. Nappa leather AMG sport seats are standard, and performance seats are available. The driver faces a digital instrument cluster, with an 11.9-inch touchscreen in the center of the dash. While it’s unclear if the GT43 offers the same extensive interior palette as the V-8 cars, it does add two gray wood trim options: gray open-pore birch and brown open-pore ash ship-deck wood highlighted with aluminum strands.
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Availability and Pricing
Mercedes-AMG hasn’t said when the 2025 GT43 Coupe will go on sale. Expect to see the four-cylinder variant in the fall, with a price that is yet to be announced but will surely be many thousands less than the GT55’s $136,050.
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