Tempting Test Drive – 2016 Mercedes AMG GT S

First, it’s important to get it out up front that I don’t test drive CarMax unicorns just for the hell of it and to get pix and video of me driving cool cars. It’s an abuse of the generous CarMax solo test drive opportunity and especially of the sales rep’s time. Those folks are just trying to make a living. And my favorite rep Si Sultan (now a manager) tells me people are taking these cars for 24 hours to record YouTube burnouts and even for prom dates. That ain’t right and hope they don’t ruin it for the rest of us. I will admit to driving cars that I have no intention of buying – that specific car – but I am trying to find out if that model is for me. If so, then I start looking for the specific car to purchase. I’ve done that with all four small SUV’s in the running and have settled on a Mercedes GLC43 AMG as the one for my wife and I, once we can find a properly equipped one. Anyway, I have always been intrigued by CarMax offering the Mercedes AMG GT S – as close as you’re going to get to a supercar from them. Was thinking it could be the successor to Etta, my 911, and although I just could not own a red-interior car, I needed to know if the AMG GT S was for me. So off we go.

So off we go. Nokes Blvd onto Route 28 North near Dulles, Virginia. Believe this was in “Sport” mode. Another disclaimer. When I drive and shoot videos with phone in hand they almost never turn out. I look at the road, not the phone, and hope I’m capturing something usable. These three are all that remain – the rest are all over the digital cutting room floor. I tried one in race mode, and quickly found out the car wasn’t going to shift gears without me and dropped the phone before I red lined the car and my ticker. Race mode is terrifying. Sport mode was fun, with rev-matching downshifts and burbling, gurgling noises at stop lights. But even Hyundai Velosters do that now. For the record I eased up considerably entering the main road – the end of this ramp is where the Virginia State Police hang out all the time.

Turned around and did the wonderful sweeper from Leesburg Pike onto Route 28 South. Yes I saw the CRV with the unending blinker and again backed off the throttle on the main drag. No videos here of me breaking the law…by much. Pretty sure this was in “Sport+” mode and yes it was more aggressive upshifts and cornering. But really I hardly pushed the envelope in this car. I’ve watched these race at the 24 Hours of Daytona for years now and they are really capable cars – beyond my talent level by far. Power comes from a twin-turbo 4.0 liter V-8 pumping 503 hp and if you’re good, a 3.5 second 0-60 mph run. The AMG GT S has been test driven at 195 mph – just not by me. My short bursts and twisties were still exhilarating.

And finally, just because, the AMG GT S in “Comfort” mode. A perfectly reasonable highway cruiser. Wish I had remembered to turn the radio on at some point but the howling motor was too intoxicating. Returned the car right on time.

The verdict? Yeah the car rocks and scratches almost every itch as a successor (for me) to my Porsche 911 Etta. The garish (to me) red leather is unpleasant but surprisingly, might not be a deal breaker. The deal breaker was the cramped (but awesome) interior. The leg room was acceptable for my 6’4″ 230 lb frame, and yet as with all two-seaters with not even a fake/unusable rear seat (think Boxster/Cayman and C7 Corvettes!), the seat back cannot be reclined at all, and the seat bottom can’t tilt back enough to give me a reasonably comfortable driving position. I sat ram-rod straight up and was uncomfortable after my short ride. I had been warned by an equally tall Mercedes AMG GT S owner that the car is not comfortable as a daily, and he was right. I’m out. The car sold new for maybe $150,000 five years ago and was selling for $77,998 and really with only 38,000 miles seemed “reasonable” to me given the level of performance. It’s currently unavailable but has been on and off the market, so track it here if you’re interested.