Mercedes Benz is celebrating the 55th anniversary of AMG with the Mercedes-AMG GT EDITION 55. The high-performance race car will be limited to a just five units, and each vehicle will be exclusively hand built at AMG’s factory in Affalterbach. To add to the party, the company have linked up with IWC Schaffhausen to create a limited-edition Pilots Watch Chronograph Edition AMG in Edition 55, which will be included in the purchase.
The GT3 vehicle will be crafted with unique technical characteristics, and highly specific equipment that puts the vehicle in an exclusive collector’s category. Mercedes-AMG have even gone a step further, if the watch wasn’t already – creating a specific range of numbers (“GT3.190-55”) that will serve as the chassis number for the vehicle. The Edition 55 has not been homologated, meaning the vehicle can deliver even more engine power. According to the company, the sport car’s AMG 6.3 litre V8 engine has been optimised and delivers 650 hp. That’s about 100 hp more than the FIA version of the vehicle. If you think power is impressive, wait until you hear the vehicle. Mercedes-AMG installed a performance exhaust system that doesn’t include a silencer, meaning the sound pattern is as powerful as the power beneath the hood.
The vehicle is fully fitted with a MANUFAKTUR alpine grey uni that features red accents, to compliment the matte finish of the carbon aero components. Exclusivity extends to the interior, where the centre console features plaques with the company’s anniversary symbol “EDITION 55 – 1 OF 5”. The vehicles cockpit comes fitted with a Data Display Unit, designed by Bosch. The latest generation DDU consists of a high-resolution graphic display that shows the speed, engine speed, operating temperatures, lap times, gear and shift indication, and other information.
“With the Mercedes-AMG GT3 EDITION 55, we acknowledge the 55-year history of our brand once again this year,” said Christop Sagemuller, head of Mercedes-AMG Motorsport. “It is a reverence to the many unforgettable motorsport moments we have been able to collect in over five decades at the racetracks of this world. We have strictly limited the production of this special edition: there are only five unites, all equipped with high-quality special features and added elements. That makes the Mercedes-AMG GT3 EDITION 55 to a collector’s piece that can hardly be exceeded in terms of exclusivity.”
The IWC Schaffhausen EDITION 55 box contains the manufactures Pilot’s Watch Chronograph Edition “AMG”. The watch is engraved with the chassis number of the corresponding vehicle on the case back. The watch is housed in grade 5 titanium and features a black textile strap. The watch will be handed to the buyer at the closest IWC Boutique to the buyer’s residence.
That’s a lot for its 55th anniversary, right? Not if you’re Mercedes-AMG. The company have also said it will release a portfolio of special series vehicles in line with its anniversary. The company will release a further set of Edition cars that will be based on the various AMG production models.
The Mercedes-AMG GT3 EDITION 55 will come in at a cool €625,000, which is admittedly a lot. But then, y’know, free watch and all that.
