The current state of Mercedes-Benz and its fixation on drive-thru-menu-sized screens and more ambient lighting than a Twitch streamer’s bedroom feels sad for multiple reasons. Firstly, because Mercedes-Benz has built so many great cars throughout its history. Machines like the 300SEL 6.3, 500E, and R129 SL. Secondly, because it wasn’t that long ago when Mercedes-Benz seemed to be so back with cars like the original AMG GT.
If you walked into a Mercedes-Benz showroom today to look at an AMG GT, you’d essentially be looking at the coupe equivalent of the SL boulevard-cruising cabriolet. Same all-wheel-drive system, same engine well over the front axle, same sort of interior setup. Things were extremely different a decade ago, because the last AMG GT was a dose of supercar DNA aimed directly at the Porsche 911.
While the current second-generation AMG GT doesn’t capture the magic of the original, used examples of the first-generation car are now getting seriously, tantalizingly cheap. If you’re really willing to shop around and potentially fly to the one you want, you can now pick one up for the price of a decently-equipped new Ford Mustang GT.
What Are We Looking At?
If you were a performance car sub-brand during the Great Recession, what would you do? Instead of adopting a face of modesty, AMG rolled up its sleeves and started developing its own supercar. The resulting SLS AMG was bewitching, a gullwing-doored, transaxle-equipped silver arrow with a properly exotic price tag. Bewitching stuff, but the sort of creation that would always have limited sales volume. The next target? The Porsche 911, and AMG already had a platform to build on.
The resulting AMG GT was nothing short of captivating. Riding on an upgraded, shortened version of the SLS architecture, it featured the marque’s new four-liter biturbo V8 just behind the front wheels, a seven-speed dual-clutch transaxle in the back, compelling balance, and a dash-to-axle ratio that got the people going. In the first-out-of-the-gates AMG GT S variant, this was a 503-horsepower luxury sports car that put the sports car bit first. We’re talking a zero-to-60 mph time of three seconds flat in Car And Driver testing, a top speed of 193 MPH, and 1.05 g on the skidpad. Plus, the magazine reported that going over the limits of adhesion was met with utter playfulness.
You have to switch to the more permissive sport-handling mode if you want to rouse the chassis, thereby revealing a willingness to take instruction from the back end in a benign and predictable manner. Switch the stability off, and it becomes a tire-smoking Visigoth. It’s a hugely exciting car, viscerally thrilling.
Sure, the AMG GT wasn’t quite as polished as the Porsche 911, but it had enormous character. Best of all, because it didn’t cost supercar money, it sold in far greater numbers than the SLS AMG and you can now pick one up for new V8 Mustang money. I’m not the first one to notice this—Kennan Rosen and Doug DeMuro noted a dip in AMG GT prices nearly a year ago—but prices have fallen even further since then, so let’s take a deeper dive into this tempting second-hand proposition.
How Much Are We Talking?
So wait, what is new Mustang GT money? Well, if you want roughly comparable equipment to an AMG GT, like leather and an unlocked V8 soundtrack, you’re looking at a GT Premium with the High equipment group and the active valved exhaust for $57,570. You can certainly find an early AMG GT for less, such as this 2016 example that sold on Cars & Bids in April. It does have a damage entry from 2022 on its Carfax, but 75,600 miles on the clock seems fair for a decade-old car, and this one comes with a few tasteful modifications. An Apple CarPlay box is a great way of getting modern phone connectivity on the factory infotainment screen, and the Renntech exhaust valve controller is a proper bit of kit from a reputable brand. The hammer price? A reasonable $51,000.
Don’t need the full 503-horsepower punch of an AMG GT S? Here’s a 456-horsepower 2017 AMG GT that sold on Cars & Bids in March. It uses basically the same four-liter V8 as its bigger brother, just in a lower state of tune, so a remap can unlock serious power. This particular example has a clean Carfax, 64,600 miles on the clock, and is finished in the proper color of Designo Cardinal Red. Sure, it’s on aftermarket wheels, H&R lowering springs, and has some black-wrapped accents that can be removed, but it also sold for a mere $51,050.
Don’t want to wait for an auction? Here’s another Cardinal Red 2017 AMG GT, except this one’s up for sale in Arizona rather than on an auction platform. It has 68,098 miles on the clock and a clean history report, although I’m not so sure about the spoiler on the back. Still, it doesn’t seem to have any real modifications, and for $57,000, it’s a lot of car for the money.
What Can Go Wrong On A Mercedes-AMG GT?
For the most part, the AMG GT is one of the more reliable secondhand luxury sports cars out there. The four-liter biturbo V8 is a proven unit used in many other cars and the body electronics are generally fairly good, although these cars are generally getting older, so fluid leaks are starting to appear in some early examples. It’s especially important to keep an eye on the active engine mounts on GT S models with the Dynamic Plus Package, as a set of replacements runs a whopping $2,308.99 from ECS Tuning.
Part of what makes the old AMG GT so much more special than the current one is that seven-speed dual-clutch transaxle, but unfortunately, Getrag didn’t quite nail it right out of the gate. Some transmission failures have been reported on 2016 models, and the cost of replacement is simply monumental. We’re talking north of $20,000, depending on labor rates. In that case, the best option is to either buy a 2017 or newer model, or find a 2016 that’s already had its gearbox replaced with a revised unit. Still, for the most part, the vast majority of owners report that their AMG GTs are simply cars. Do the scheduled maintenance, and they generally hold up.
Should You Buy A Mercedes-AMG GT For The Price Of A New Mustang GT?
You know what? Maybe. If you find one that checks out during a pre-purchase inspection and avoids the early transaxle issues through either production date or prior replacement, a first-generation AMG GT can offer serious thrills with reasonable cost of ownership. It’s well low on its depreciation curve now, and while a new Mustang GT with a warranty is a more sensible choice, this AMG is a more involving proposition.
Top graphic image: Cars & Bids
For the record, his name is Kennan “Rolsen.” Not “Rosen.”
I’ve been eyeballing these AMGs. They really are very pretty cars, and they sound amazing. Glad to hear they aren’t terrible reliability-wise.
Why would you buy one over an LC500?
Looks like used LC500s are still trading well above the $70k range. I’ll take the AMG for a good bit less, even budgeting maintenance and repairs.
First one, then the other!
I feel like you’d be much better off if you wanted something roughly along these lines by getting an F-Type R for quite a bit less money. Not as hard edged or as special inside but also not as much of a pit to throw money into either.
Man, when your product is even more of money pit than a Jaguar, you know that you’ve done fucked up.
Hey, I was walking home, and had to cross the street right as one of these approached the crosswalk. Silver. I got the feeling everyone around had eyes on the car, so I pretended to ignore it. Nothing like the sound of a V8 idling.
They are beautiful cars, but I’d still prefer a Mustang, and not just because I can still get one with a manual.
Maaan why you got to go and write this? I have been lurking on these things for the last 9 months.. The “what can go wrong and cost more than my other car” part is scary and the can’t fit much of anything in the trunk could be an issue.. but damn it’s pretty and they sound awesome.. To be fair Doug D and Hoovie have both done stories about them. I think they are starting to see some love and the pricing may level off.
And Alex from legit street cars. I too have been lurking….
I’ll admit as my midlife crisis comes into view and my teenage dream jdm hero rises in price.
Its definitely a thought of why spend nearly 50k on some old japanese toy when these are about to be as cheap.
The only thing Ive seen to deter me is that they dont seem to like to sit and I actively kind of hate that center console. Its such a neck snap compared to the immediate previous generation of angles and functionality.
I agree on comparo to previous gen, but I don’t have anywhere near the $$ for one of those. That console though, particularly pre-face lift I find it gorgeous, matches the exterior classic lines. It’s a throw back to elegant interiors unlike all these screens it’s gonna age well.
I need everyday driver to do a comparison on this car, used m2, and whatever 997 $60k buys you. 3 different cars, around the same price.
You almost had me at “the AMG GT is one of the more reliable secondhand luxury sports cars out there.” Off to a good start…
But you started to lose me in the same paragraph with ” although these cars are generally getting older, so fluid leaks are starting to appear in some early examples”
My eye started wandering to David’s Jeep video ad immediately after the above with “It’s especially important to keep an eye on the active engine mounts on GT S models with the Dynamic Plus Package, as a set of replacements runs a whopping $2,308.99”
And yet, I persevered and kept the faith into the next paragraph and read “unfortunately, Getrag didn’t quite nail it right out of the gate. Some transmission failures have been reported on 2016 models, and the cost of replacement is simply monumental. We’re talking north of $20,000”
That’s the point I completely left the chat and decided to look at other, less expensive and more reliable ways to enlarge my penis.
Might I recommend a trip to your local library to check out a book written by one “Powers, Austin”?
The big surprise for me with this article is how much a Mustang GT costs… I had no idea it got that high.
That’s unfortunately what happens when there’s a lack of competition. A loaded GT fastback with the Performance Package is getting close to $70K at this point.
I had a well-equipped ’22 that stickered at $51K. Oof.
The pony car isn’t for the people anymore, it’s for the rich.
Considering maintenance cost…I am not sure. Just wear and tear items like brake pads, rotor, tires would be at least double of mustang parts cost. However, I do acknowledge there are cheaper aftermarket options.
Then now you must consider how to locate a euro specialist mechanic who can work on this car if something goes wrong, and they probably are going to be on the expensive side.
Depends on your location, but when I had my M3, I found several highly-reputable independent German car mechanics. His rates were reasonable and he always used OEM or aftermarket versions he found worked better than OEM parts. I never had an issue with him, but if I did, there were at least 3 others within a 20-mile radius I could have tried.
Still the most expensive car I’ve had for maintenance, but I was paying less than half what I would have at the dealer.
Just get the base GT not the premium and add the Whipple charger. You end up with 800 HP for like $58k or so. It’s faster and handles better than the AMG GT. More importantly you get a warranty instead of an old expensive to fix broken German car.
A base Mustang GT with a supercharger might be slightly faster if it can hook up (which it would struggle to do from a stop), but the handling would be much worse than the AMG GT. The AMG pulls 1.05g vs ~.92g for a base Mustang GT and that is before adding the extra weight of a supercharger and possibly intercooler to the front end. The AMG GT is a better drivers car with much better responsiveness and more neutral handing at the limit. Of course the Mustang would be a better financial decision but buying a sports car is not really about saving money lol (more performance usually means more pain to your wallet).
2026 Mustang GT is 1.07
Not sure where you are pulling your numbers from but they are false as can be. Even with the GT performance package and magneride damper package it only pulls 0.99G according to Car and Driver testing and those 2 add $8000 to the price of a base mustang. The base is in the low 0.9X range from any testing I have seen.
EDIT: I found where your numbers came from, Car and Driver tested a Mustang Dark Horse with an added handling package which pulled 1.07g but that car had an MSRP of over $73k and that is before you add your $8000 supercharger you mention that will actually make it handle worse by adding weight LOL Nowhere near a base GT or your $58k total price.
I’m reminded of the old Mercedes Benz truism: ‘If you can’t afford a new one, you definitely can’t afford a used one.’ I think that goes doubly so for the top tier AMG versions like this. The long term maintenance on one of these as it ages would likely send King Midas to the poor house. I’ll take the new ‘Stang with it’s warrantee and not spend every drive worrying that some obscure electronic do-dad buried deep in the active suspension or engine management system is about to fail and leave me with an unexpected $18000 repair bill.
My favorite flavor of used Mercedes is “bought for little more than scrap value so I don’t care if it lasts 4 months or 4 years”. At that point, maintenance becomes pretty cheap.
Translation: eff maintaining it, run it into the ground. Not a bad plan.
I work in software and believe that every software developer should own a vintage German luxury car so they can really understand the long-term cost of pointless over-engineering.
I’ve always had a soft-spot for these – to me these and the roadster variants were better SLs than the concurrent SL.
Wow, looks like a perfect villain car.
My first thought was, “these are going for $60k? Must’ve held their value” but then I saw the $130,825 base price in the C&D article and realized that I’m a bit out of touch on car prices.
Sometimes I’m watching old Top Gear episodes and they are reviewing a new Ferrari or similar and say something like “what else can you buy for 100,000 pounds?” and in my mind those $150k cars are just $200k cars now. But actually they are $350k cars now.
Didn’t these 4 liters have the same Porsche issue with cylinder liner material resulting in scoring by the time they hit 60k miles or so? Also the Hot-V setup seems to scare a lot of people. Is that just people being unsure about the setup or founded on multiple examples of premature Bearing and seal failures on the turbos because of the heat.
I do think my biggest concern would be the plastic cooling parts. seems like they are not long term items like BMW and Audi. Not sure if they are still using bio plastics that seems to degrade after the warranty is up or some thing else, but it always seems odd and inconvenient to fix in a lot of videos I have watched.
I would take one of these over a new Mustang GT any day. The better question would be “AMG GT or similarly-priced 911?” I’m not sure what 50-ish K will get you in Porscheland these days, but this has to be better.
I would probably save 10K and buy a manual Supercharged CTS-V. https://www.cars.com/vehicledetail/954df11c-4f71-45db-8398-80116c772c9f/
The part of me that wants to be snarky about ’10s GM quality is completely overwhelmed by the part of me that has always loved these, especially the coupe. So damn cool.
You can get a 911 with a manual. That’s why this isn’t necessarily better for the price
911’s are getting into pure stupidity territory on pricing. HEREs one for you, 50k for a 60k mile base PDK convertible. Can’t even find a 991 gen of any kind under 55k, the closest on Cars and Bids was a 131k mile C4S coupe manual for 57k. Even considering the 2017+ AMG GT transmission leaks I mentioned below, there’s no shot that maintenance on a GT is more than a 911 at either twice the age or mileage.
The other thing I’ve heard go wrong with these is not just transmission failures, but transmission leaks. As I understand it, Mercedes does not have a procedure for resealing a transmission, just a full replacement. A procedure has been apparently figured out, but it’s incredibly labor intensive and still several thousand dollars even at a good, affordable independent, and Mercedes sure won’t do it. I’m not certain, but I believe the revised transmission are prone to leaking too, and the underbody panels can hide drips.
Still, Maintenance on this will be cheaper than new Mustang depreciation, and I can’t imagine the floor on this can be too much lower, especially when 911 pricing is as absurd as it is these days.
Ugh. I love these and their big pig snouts. The lines, the intakes and gills and vents, all of it. I wish I had the budget to make this kind of ruinous, beautiful mistake.