Mercedes makes many different models for almost every target audience out there. From the regular sedan and SUV buying clientele, to the sportscars and soon even hypercar enthusiasts, Mercedes is keen on satisfying all car lovers.
Many Mercedes models have a sporty edge to them, especially the ones equipped with AMG packages. Some Mercedes models including the SLS, SLR, AMG GT, CLK GTR, SL, SLC are sports cars by nature, and most full-on AMG models are also fun sporty cars.
Specific models like the CLK GTR or the upcoming AMG Project 1 are the sportiest of them all. To an extent, these two are literally street-homologated (road approved) race cars. The newly released AMG GT Black Series also shares a lot of its parts with the AMG GT3 race car.
Mercedes two-seater sportscars
The two-seater sportscar formula is one of the oldest in the books when it comes to sports cars, and that’s because this set-up has a balanced weight distribution between the axels, which enables the car to corner fairly unsettled. The whole point of sports cars is bending the laws of physics, and a sporty two-seater excels in that regard.
If you want a more affordable two-seater compact sports car, the Mercedes SLK/SLC models are what Mercedes has to offer. The AMG versions of the SLK/SLC rivals the Mazda MX-5 Miata or the Porsche Cayman as a fun compact sports car without an astronomical price.
If you want a larger Mercedes two-seater sports car, the SL-Class has a few sports-car-like characteristics. Rear-wheel-drive, AMG V8/12 engines, and a decent weight distribution are fairly beneficial for an exciting performance car. The weight of the SL is bit of a drawback compared to the SLC/SLK, but the power outputs certainly negate that.
Mercedes Benz supercars
Even though Mercedes rarely goes down the mid-engine thoroughbred supercar route, models like the SLS, AMG GT, and the SLR McLaren are fairly capable supercar GTs. These three vehicles offer up to 631-720hp, automatic transmissions, rear-wheel drive, and specific supercar suspension setups.
The SLR is the oldest one of the bunch, and it was made with an AMG-McLaren collaboration. The SLR offers a 5.4L V8 with 650hp and the top-of-the-line multi-million-dollar limited-edition SLR Stirling Moss is capable of reaching 217mph, which is currently the Mercedes top speed record.
The SLS started production a few years after the SLR, and the SLS remains a really capable and desirable supersports GT. The top-of-the-line SLS AMG Black Series offers one of the most iconic Mercedes AMG engines, the 6.2L N/A V8 with 631hp and a fairly impressive 2.45kg/hp weight to power ratio.
The latest Mercedes super sports car is the AMG GT. The AMG GT is offered as a 2-door and a 4-door coupe, but the 2-door is the one to get if you are looking for a true super sports car experience.
The best AMG GT model is undoubtedly the AMG GT Black Series, the BS is the current Nurburgring record holder for the fastest production car around the famous track.
Mercedes Benz AMG models
Mercedes makes numerous different models, including SUVs, sedans, hatchbacks, coupes, roadsters, and so on. And pretty much every non-commercial model made by Mercedes eventually gets the AMG treatment.
The AMG treatment consists of making the car a lot more performance-oriented with an AMG-specific engine, performance-rated tires, racier suspension set-ups, more power, less weight, and specific AMG performance software and traction control systems.
Some models like the E63 AMG S sedan are as fast, or even faster, than some of the true Mercedes supercars. The latest E63 is capable of a sub-3-second 0-60mph time. Such times are jaw-droppingly insane because a few years ago, only the most expensive, most desirable supercars were capable of such feat.
Things to know about Mercedes sportscars
What are the Mercedes hypercars?
Mercedes has not made many hypercars throughout history, and the definition of a hypercar is rather undecided. However, some models like the CLK GTR, or the upcoming AMG Project 1 are most definitely leagues above anything else Mercedes has ever made when it comes to performance driving.
These cars offer racecar experiences for the road, which makes them fairly unusable as regular everyday cars. The Project 1 or the CLK GTR are purpose-built racecars that are made for the track, even though they are technically road-legal.
What are the limitations of a supercar/sportscar?
Sports and super sports cars offer an exciting performance-oriented driving experience. This means that sportscars are fairly limited when it comes to regular day-to-day usage. First of all, the two-seater sports car offers only two extremely space-limited seats.
The sports/supercars are also often loud, have very little sound deadening, are fairly fuel-inefficient, and have limited-visibility. Even the E63 S AMG is rather limited, as it offers stiff suspension set-ups that are not up to usual Mercedes sedan standards.
Should I consider buying an AMG variant of a regular Mercedes, or a full-on Mercedes sports/supercar?
The answer to this question relies solely on what you want out of a car. How serious are you when you say you want a performance car? These two are quite different at offering the same thing.
The regular AMG models are, as the name suggests, regular beefed-up Mercedes models. This means that many of the parts are still the same as in the regular Mercedes models, and they are not as sporty as full-on Mercedes sportscars like the AMG GT. Some people prefer cars like the E63 or the S63 for highway/autobahn high-speed driving.
But, if you plan on taking your car to the track, and actually experiencing the limits of what a car can offer, but still don’t want a non-road legal racecar, a full-on Mercedes sports/supercar is a worthy consideration.
