Mercedes-AMG GT C Roadster rivals the performance of a Porsche 911 GTS

When the Mercedes-AMG GT emerged back in 2014 as the lighter, nimbler, and cheaper successor to the SLS AMG, not only were the 456-hp base and 503-hp S variants arguably among the company’s most focused and well-balanced performance cars since the original 300SL, the coupes finally gave Mercedes something it had always lacked: legitimate competition for Porsche’s iconic 911 Carrera.

Key to the 911 Carrera’s lasting popularity is the sheer variety of models offered, including the most basic stick-shift coupe; the opulent, 580-hp Turbo S cabriolet; and the hypervisceral, track-oriented GT3. With each Porsche feeling as special as—or more special than—the last, Mercedes knew it eventually would have to cook up more flavors of the GT to give the 911 a run for its money.

Three years on, as the AMG coupes undergo mid-cycle enhancements and slight horsepower bumps to 469 and 515 horsepower, reinforcements have finally arrived. Four additional models triple the GT lineup for 2018: the long-awaited roadster version of the GT; new GT C coupe and roadster models with 550 horses and comprehensive AMG performance enhancements; and the wicked, track-focused 577-hp GT R, a monster coupe that topped our 2017 Lightning Lap competition. The six-model lineup definitely will help the GT compete with the 911, but does each feel special in and of itself? We’re on a mission to find out, having just tested a new GT C roadster—which seems purpose-built to go head to head with Porsche’s sporting 911 GTS cabriolet. As it turns out, however close it may be to matching or surpassing its Porsche nemesis on paper, the AMG offers delights all its own.

Full story Car and Driver: https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/a15077224/2018-mercedes-amg-gt-c-roadster-full-test-review/