Mercedes-AMG GT 43 gets 416-hp four-cylinder and rear-wheel drive

The second-generation Mercedes-AMG GT costs about $16,000 more than its predecessor, but a more affordable version is around the corner. The brand detailed a new entry-level model called GT 43 that gets a turbocharged four-cylinder engine and rear-wheel-drive.

Downsizing isn't the most attractive word to hear when we're talking about a sports car, but the turbocharged, 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine delivers 416 horsepower and 369 pound-feet of torque. For context, the entry-level V8-powered model — called GT 55 — uses a 4.0-liter that's twin-turbocharged to 469 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque. Losing half of the displacement and ditching half of the cylinders doesn't mean giving up half of the output, luckily, and AMG quotes a zero-to-60-mph time of 4.5 seconds on to a 174-mph top speed.

Mercedes-AMG notes that a 48-volt-powered electric turbocharger ensures excellent throttle response across the full rev range. Derived from Formula 1, this technology adds a 1.6-inch-wide electric motor to the turbocharger's shaft, between the turbine wheel and the compressor wheel.

While the V8-powered GT is only offered with all-wheel-drive, the four-cylinder model gets rear-wheel-drive. These changes should make a significant difference in terms of handling: the 43 is slower than the V8s, granted, but it has considerably less weight over the front wheels. The engine is bolted to a nine-speed automatic transmission with a wet start-off clutch instead of a torque converter to reduce weight.

Several design changes set the 43 apart from the 55 and 63 models. Up front, there's a piece of black trim that stretches across the entire width of the bumper and a grille without a black frame. AMG also made the front and rear wheel arches narrower and fitted oval exhaust tips. Inside, it's pretty much standard GT fare: there's a 2+2 seating layout, a digital instrument cluster, and the MBUX infotainment system.

The 2025 Mercedes-AMG GT 43 will reach showrooms in the coming months. Pricing hasn't been announced yet.