2017 Mercedes-Benz AMG GT

2017 is the second US model year of the first-generation car and the first with the base AMG GT. It sits below the GT S and became the volume trim at a much lower price. The facelift that raised output (469 hp) and added the GT C and GT R coupes arrived for the 2018 model year.

The base tune makes 443 lb-ft, a very high figure for a two-seat sports car, though 22 lb-ft short of the 2018 facelift tune.

Mercedes quotes 0–60 mph in 3.9 s for the 2017 base coupe and 3.7 s for the GT S. That is very quick, though behind a Corvette Z51 or a 911 Carrera S.

The hot-V M178 biturbo V8 delivers strong, linear thrust with little turbo lag and an evocative soundtrack. It is loud and rough-edged rather than silky, which keeps it out of the top band.

The rear-mounted 7-speed AMG Speedshift dual-clutch transaxle shifts quickly and decisively when driven hard. It is jerky and hesitant at low speeds and in stop-and-go traffic, and no manual is offered.

Both 2017 AMG GT coupe variants are rear-wheel drive through a transaxle, and no all-wheel-drive version was offered.

There is one 4.0L biturbo V8 in two tunes (456 and 503 hp), paired only with a 7-speed DCT. There is no six-cylinder, hybrid or electric option, and the lineup is narrower than 2018's four tunes.

The EPA rates the 2017 base AMG GT at 18 MPG combined, the same as the GT S. That is low even among V8 sports cars.

The EPA city rating is 16 MPG.

The EPA highway rating is 22 MPG.

The EPA publishes no range figure for gas cars, so range is calculated as the standard 65 L (17.2 gal) tank times 18 MPG combined, about 310 miles.

The EPA's annual fuel-cost estimate for the 2017 AMG GT on premium fuel is $4,500, near the top of the fleet.

Both 2017 AMG GT variants require premium unleaded, and the biturbo V8's thirst makes that requirement costly.

NHTSA lists the 2017 AMG GT S coupe but never crash-tested it, so every NCAP rating reads 'Not Rated'. The framework records a car NHTSA never rated as 0 stars.

IIHS never tested the first-generation (C190) AMG GT, so it has no TSP/TSP+ award and no crashworthiness results. The aluminum spaceframe is credible, but nothing independent confirms it, so this scores below the mid-band.

For 2017 the US line-up is the GT and GT S coupes; the GT C, which made the Lane Tracking package standard, didn't arrive until the 2018 facelift. So no 2017 trim has forward collision warning, lane departure warning or blind-spot monitoring as standard. Standard aids are ATTENTION ASSIST, PRE-SAFE, PARKTRONIC and a rearview camera, which is thin for the price.

Forward collision warning and the fuller PRE-SAFE Brake AEB function come only with the optional DISTRONIC PLUS package, and IIHS never ran a front-crash-prevention test on the AMG GT. Many 2017 coupes on the road therefore lack full AEB.

Blind Spot Assist is an alert-only system in the optional $875 Lane Tracking Package, which no 2017 US trim had as standard. No rear cross-traffic alert was offered.

Lane departure warning and Lane Keeping Assist, which brakes individual wheels to correct course, are optional through the Lane Tracking Package. Lane centering (Steer Assist) is not listed in US 2017 equipment, so at best this is basic lane keeping.

DISTRONIC PLUS radar cruise with stop-and-go is a proven system, but it is a $2,250 option rather than standard, and there is no integrated highway steering assist.

No hands-free highway system is available. Mercedes DRIVE PILOT was never offered on the AMG GT, and the 2017 car offers no steering assist at all.

LED High Performance headlamps are standard, with adaptive LED headlamps and Adaptive Highbeam Assist available. IIHS never rated the AMG GT's headlights, so the score leans on Mercedes LED hardware of that era, which usually rates Acceptable to Good on tested models.

The very long hood, low seating position, thick C-pillars and small, shallow rear glass leave large rear three-quarter blind zones. A rearview camera and parking sensors help when parking, but no surround-view camera makes up for the sightlines on the road.

Both 2017 US coupes, the AMG GT and GT S, are strict two-seaters. A 2+2 layout arrived only with the C192 generation for 2024.

The low cabin still gives a generous 39.5 in of front headroom for a two-seat sports coupe.

Mercedes never published front legroom for the C190 coupe, so a typical sports-car figure is assumed. Seat travel is long and the footwell is deep.

The rear hatch opens onto a shallow 10.1 cu ft area above the transaxle, with no folding seats to extend it.

The wide transmission tunnel is lined with switch banks and the COMAND controller. That leaves only a small armrest bin, cupholders and a parcel shelf behind the seats.

The heated, power AMG sport seats with memory give good support on long drives. Getting in and out over the wide sills into the low seat is awkward, and there is no rear seat.

The new 2017 base GT uses passive sport dampers rather than the GT S's adaptive AMG Ride Control. With a stiff short-wheelbase transaxle chassis and staggered low-profile tires, it is firm and busy on broken pavement, though some reviewers found the base car's ride acceptable.

Wide tires roar on coarse surfaces and the V8 drones at highway speed, so the cabin is louder than a 911's or a Supra's.

Dual-zone automatic climate control and heated power memory seats are standard. Ventilated seats and a heated wheel are not confirmed as standard, which is thin for a car of about $112k.

MY2017 added a new 456 hp base GT Coupe below the 503 hp GT S. It undercut the previous S-only entry price by about $20K but still sits far above the top of the coupe band.

The new base GT Coupe is treated as the volume 2-door trim, consistent with the 2018–2020 scorecards. Typical options (Burmester audio, leather upgrade over standard leatherette, AMG packages, driver assists) add roughly $8–10K.

AMG service intervals, large brakes, staggered performance tires and dealer labor rates make each visit costly. Early-life repairs fall under the 4-year/50,000-mile warranty.

iSeeCars puts the AMG GT coupe's five-year resale ratio at about 56%, nameplate-wide. The pre-facelift 2017 cars, especially the leatherette base GT, trade somewhat below the facelifted 2018+ cars, so about 53% is assumed.

This is Mercedes-Benz USA's standard New Vehicle Limited Warranty, which covers AMG models on the same terms.

Mercedes-Benz offers no extended powertrain warranty on gas models, so the biturbo V8 is covered only by the 4/50 basic term. That is the bottom of the band.

Roadside assistance runs for the length of the warranty, and mbrace comes with trial services. Scheduled maintenance is not included; it is sold separately as a prepaid plan.

$121,000 volume-trim price minus its estimated resale value after 5 years (53% retained, or about $64,130) leaves about $56,870 in depreciation. Add the projected $5,600 in 5-year maintenance and repairs, and owning this vehicle for 5 years costs about $62,470 in total.

Neither Consumer Reports nor J.D. Power publishes a model-level rating for the low-volume two-door AMG GT. 2017 is the second US model year of the first generation (2016–2023) and comes before the facelift, so it carries the early-build driveshaft problems. That puts it at the low end of the average band.

Over 2016–2021, Mercedes-Benz usually scored near or below the industry average in J.D. Power's Vehicle Dependability Study and sat in the lower half of Consumer Reports' brand rankings. That is mid-to-low pack, not consistently bottom-third.

The 2017 coupe was recalled twice for the same driveline defect: weak bonding between the carbon-fiber driveshaft and its flange, which could let the shaft separate while driving. The first fix in 2019 was followed by a second campaign in 2021. The only other recalls are two fleet-wide eCall software campaigns. A safety-relevant defect that needed a repeat recall puts this year at the bottom of the typical band.

The hand-built M178 4.0 L biturbo V8 (456 hp in the 2017 US base GT, 503 hp in the GT S) belongs to AMG's M177/M178 family. That family has been widely used since 2014 with no systemic engine-failure pattern. The 7-speed dual-clutch rear transaxle is robust but expensive to repair. The repeat carbon-fiber driveshaft recalls are a real driveline mark against early cars.

The cabin uses rich leather and a console lined with metal, V8-style switchgear, with nappa leather optional. It also has an analog cluster and the dated COMAND interface, and reviewers say it trails a 911 cabin for perceived quality at the price.

AMG assembly is generally to a high standard. Owners report scattered interior creaks and trim rattles over the stiff ride, which is typical for the class. No initial-quality data is published for this low-volume model.

Mercedes-Benz USA has roughly 380 dealers nationwide, far more than sports-car rivals such as Porsche. Not every dealer is equipped for AMG GT-specific work, and service satisfaction sits near the premium-brand average.

Many parts are model-specific, including body panels, the carbon-fiber driveshaft, transaxle components and, where fitted, carbon-ceramic brakes. Parts come from dealers and are expensive, and independent shops cover the car far less than Mercedes' mainstream models.

The pre-facelift interior uses a freestanding 8.4-in COMAND display, worked through the console controller and touchpad. The 10.25-in screen arrived with the 2020 update.

The COMAND system has a small non-touch screen, deep menus and a fiddly touchpad. It trails Porsche's PCM and the Corvette's MyLink.

No 2017 AMG GT equipment list retrieved shows factory CarPlay or Android Auto. Mercedes' paid wired Smartphone Integration package came to other COMAND-era models around 2017–2018, and wireless projection was never offered.

COMAND navigation with traffic and command-style voice control is standard, but there is no natural-language assistant. Most owners will use phone maps instead.

A 10-speaker Burmester surround system is available, with Burmester High-End 3D as an upgrade. Exhaust and road noise blunt it.

Analog dials flank a small color multifunction display. The 12.3-in fully digital cluster arrived only with the 2020 interior update.

The COMAND-era car has no meaningful over-the-air vehicle software updates. Map and software updates go through the dealer.

The mbrace / Mercedes me app covers remote lock and unlock, vehicle locate and status. There is no digital key, and the services require a subscription after the trial.

There are front USB ports and a 12V socket. Wireless charging, USB-C and AC outlets were not offered.

The base GT has push-button start, with Keyless-Go proximity entry standard only on the GT S and optional otherwise. There is no phone-as-key and no factory remote start.

A rearview camera and PARKTRONIC sensors are standard. No surround view or automated parking was offered.

No head-up display was offered on the first-generation two-door AMG GT.

It is a strict two-seater with no rear seat or rear LATCH position, so daily family logistics are impractical.

NHTSA and IIHS never crash-tested it. Collision warning, AEB, blind-spot and lane assists are all options on a car of about $112k.

It cannot carry four people at all. With two aboard, the 10.1 cu ft hatch takes only soft weekend bags.

The passive-damper base car rides firmly, the DCT is jerky at crawling speeds, and the low seat and wide sills make getting in and out a chore. Comfort mode and a tractable V8 keep it livable.

The biturbo V8 needs premium fuel and returns high-teens MPG combined, and staggered performance tires are costly to replace.

The very long hood, wide body and poor rear three-quarter visibility make city parking stressful. The 37.7 ft turning circle is reasonable, and a rear camera and PARKTRONIC are standard, but there is no surround view.

It has no tow rating, two seats and a shallow 10.1 cu ft hatch, so it is not work-capable.

It is a luxury sports car with a leather cabin and low-profile tires, unsuited to hard use.

It has no onboard power, tie-downs, hitch or rack provisions.

Supportive seats and effortless V8 thrust make it a capable GT for two. Highway drone, the firm ride, heavy fuel use and optional-only adaptive cruise limit its endurance.

It is rear-drive only, with low ground clearance, performance tires and no roof or hitch provisions, so it is pavement-bound.

The shallow 10.1 cu ft hatch has no folding seats, roof rails or hitch to extend it.

The front-mid-engine, rear-transaxle layout gives near-ideal weight distribution and huge grip. The base car lacks the GT S's adaptive Ride Control and electronic diff, and its tail can be snappy at the limit.

The steering is quick and well weighted but darty just off center, with less feedback than a 911's.

AMG high-performance composite brakes stop hard and resist fade, with a firm pedal. Carbon-ceramics are optional.

The 456-hp biturbo V8 responds immediately with little lag, but the transaxle DCT is jerky and hesitant at parking and crawling speeds.

The hot-V V8 sounds glorious under load, but it drones at highway speed and is loud on a cold start.

A mid-pack 37.7 ft curb-to-curb turning circle for a long-wheelbase coupe with wide front tires.

The low, rear-set seat behind the long hood adjusts well. Wide sills, a crowded switch-bank console, a fiddly touchpad and poor rear three-quarter visibility count against it.

A front-mid V8, a theatrical exhaust and a rear-drive chassis make it an enthusiast favorite and a 'long way home' car.

The new base GT came with the 456 hp biturbo V8 and COMAND navigation, but used leatherette upholstery and dropped the GT S's adaptive dampers, adaptive exhaust, electronic LSD and Burmester audio. That is a thin specification for about $112K.

The new base car cut about $20K from the AMG GT's entry price, but at about $112K it still costs nearly twice as much as a 2017 Corvette Grand Sport or Z06 with comparable or greater pace. It also sits close to a Porsche 911 Carrera S, which reviewers rated as more complete.

For 2017 the US range was just two coupes, the GT and GT S, both rear-drive with the 7-speed dual-clutch transmission. The GT C, GT R and roadsters did not arrive until MY2018, so this was a narrow but well-separated pair.

The AMG GT was a low-volume halo car, selling an estimated low thousands of units a year in the US, and the Porsche 911 dominated the segment.

AMG is one of the most aspirational performance sub-brands, and the GT followed the SLS as AMG's in-house halo sports car.

In 2017, before the chip shortage, slow-moving luxury halo cars like the AMG GT routinely carried dealer discounts and Mercedes lease support.

MY2017 was the second US model year of a generation launched in 2016, so the platform was still young. The facelift with more power and the Panamericana grille arrived the next year, so 2017 buyers got the pre-facelift car.

Reviewers praised the V8 soundtrack, the styling and the chassis. The car usually trailed the Porsche 911 on refinement, ride and practicality, and was rarely a comparison-test winner or award pick.