- AMG GT Black Series prototype ignited during development testing.
- The side exhausts appear to have ignited the surrounding panels.
- Test driver escaped unharmed as AMG staff extinguished the fire.
Development prototypes are often pushed to their absolute limits, helping engineers pinpoint potential flaws and perfect the tuning of production models. This obviously carries significant risks, as revealed by a fire incident involving an AMG GT Black Series prototype just outside the Nürburgring Nordschleife in Germany.
The latest camouflaged prototype of the upcoming track-focused supercar was spotted on public roads with flames next to its side-mounted exhaust pipes. What likely started as a heat-induced fire, quickly spread to the underbody and across the passenger side of the AMG. Thankfully, the driver walked away unharmed after team members extinguished the blaze, though none of this took place at the track
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According to our spy photographers, the incident unfolded shortly after the AMG GT Black Series completed its first hot lap. While we can’t be sure about the cause of the fire, extreme thermal load generated by the side-exit exhaust pipes could have ignited the surrounding components.
Instead of stopping right after the lap, the test driver navigated some 1.6 miles (2.5 km) away toward the entrance of the local AMG test center, possibly unaware of the fire. By the time the vehicle arrived at the gate, flames were shooting out from the right side, which is where the fuel tank is positioned.
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After seeing the smoke, quick-thinking team members from Mercedes-AMG and nearby personnel from Manthey Racing deployed a total of five fire extinguishers to tackle the blaze before it could spread further.
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In an attempt to prevent onlookers and photographers from documenting the incident, AMG staff tried to shield the prototype using an array of other production and test vehicles, including the AMG variant of the GLA Electric and the high-performance AMG SUV. The damaged supercar was subsequently towed inside the facility with the help of a Mercedes-Benz G-Class.
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With the model being shipped back to Affalterbach to undergo repairs, testing of the AMG GT Black Series in its latest form has been paused. Hopefully, the incident won’t affect the launch date, which is expected in early 2027.
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The performance flagship of the AMG GT lineup is being developed alongside a GT3-spec racing version. The model is rumored to get a flat-plane crank twin-turbo V8 engine, likely shared with the limited edition CLE 646 Spezialanfertigung coupe. Special tuning is expected to boost power above the 637 hp (475 kW / 646 PS) of the wild CLE, surpassing the 720 hp (537 kW / 730 PS) of the previous GT Black Series.
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The upgraded V8 is combined with motorsport-inspired active aero and chassis tuning, making the model an absolute weapon on the track. Rumor has it that Mercedes-AMG is gunning for a new lap record at the Nürburgring, besting the 6:48.04 lap recorded in 2020 by its predecessor. Besides future track-focused derivatives of the Porsche 911, the main rival of the upcoming AMG at the Green Hell is the Ford Mustang GTD Competition, and it’s 6:40.835 lap time.
