I'm a bit of a Mercedes fan, and I won't try to hide it either. The AMG is an absolute masterpiece, just like its predecessor, the AMG SLS. From the get-go, I just clicked with the AMG GT GT3 on ACC. Judging by the large online presence, many people have as well. Here's why!
The feeling of the car is special even in-game. I've had the pleasure of driving a 'normal' AMG GT on the road, and the feeling you get in the game is very similar. The long bonnet, swooping arches, and small windshield are unique and strange at first. The way you sit in the car is special, and that translates into the general feeling you get when pushing it to the limit. The car is snappy, nervous, and excited. It's alive, unlike cars like the Audi or the BMW. The AMG GT feels like a car that can smoke up its tires in a single lap if it wanted to.
And that's a good way to start an introduction. Doing the first few laps, you'll notice the engine tone right away. The raw, deep V8 sound is enticing and motivates you to push her through her paces just to hear more of it. The AMG GT is a strange blend of stability and agility that means you'll find yourself swirling under braking but being planted mid-corner. It's the kind of car you can easily steer with the rear as the oversteering nature aids in corner exit. But it never feels loose or uncontrollable. Of all the cars in the game, the AMG GT is the one that you can feel the 'man and machine' connection with.
Performance 4/5
Overall, the car is forgiving and allows you to make small mistakes without immediately paying the cost. The powerful engine makes the car easily capable of keeping up with other fast cars in ACC, so straight-line speed shouldn't be an issue, provided you get a good exit out of corners.
The balanced package means you'll find the car capable of running good lap times at basically every track without having to adjust your setup too much. Luckily, the car is very sensitive to setup tweaks. That's a good thing! It means you can easily feel improvement or mistakes when trying to get more feel from your car.
Overall, you'll have no problem running fast lap times and engaging in overtake-heavy dogfights with other drivers. The car is fast in pretty much every area, allowing you to exploit your own personal skills.
Handling ⅘
The AMG GT GT3 is a very agile car. Because it is so agile, you can usually make up time if you make small mistakes, thanks to its high cornering speeds. That not only makes it a car that works well at many different tracks, but it also means the car is suitable for both novice and experienced drivers.
You'll find that out of the gate, the car is balanced, allowing you to push early on. The car is different from several of its Italian counterparts, though, with the engine being mounted at the front. And that does define its handling a bit.
Mostly, front-engined cars tend to understeer more. Simple physics come into play: more weight at the front than at the back. That means the front end of the car is quite dominant, which you can visually spot with the long bonnet.
An example is braking. Although very capable, braking was a tricky feat to get right at first. The car is certainly lively when you're pushing it hard into corners. The weight is definitely on the front end of the car, making the rear feel vague on corner entry. The fact that the car does understeer slightly also means you'll have to run a tighter line to begin with. You can feel the car moving under braking, which is fine when you like agility and need it at tracks like Hungaroring. But on more conventional tracks like Monza or Spa, the AMG GT feels like a handful at times. Running the default aggressive preset, I found myself spinning out of control on my way into Eau-Rouge and Blanchimont without making changes to the dampers and aero. Steady throttle control and good trailbraking surely help in giving the AMG GT stability and precision. A good habit with this car is having an early steering point.
Once you're past corner entry, the car will hold up on its own. It has a really good torque curve, allowing you to steer the car with the rear. Because it's so agile, the understeer you'll find on corner entry is countered mid-apex and allows you to really push. Nevertheless, if you're not careful, the AMG GT often spins its wheels on corner exits. It does struggle to get the power down out of a hairpin. It's important to make sure the TC (Traction Control) is set to the optimum level depending on the track and surface temperature. But it's easy to get it wrong and feel like you're dead in the water. Play around with tire pressures and TC levels to get the most grip.
Tip: This actually goes for racing in general, but a steady throttle position mid corner will help you turn the car. Any sudden movements, like releasing the slowly increasing acceleration can spin you out of control easily.
How to make the AMG GT GT3 EVO faster in ACC?
- Make sure to reduce the rear bump stop. Setting it very low will help the car steer.
- Opening the front anti-roll bar will also help counter the understeer. Be careful not to overdo it as the car might become unstable very quickly. It will also allow the car to run curbs better, which it inherently is already good at.
- TC levels tend to operate best between 3-4, depending on the track (surface). But if you struggle with a snappy rear out of corners, turn it up higher just to feel it out.
- Lower the rear ride height to get more stability from the rear.
- Increase your rear differential preload. Increasing the differential preload will force your rear to rotate better on corner entry.
- Keep a low ABS level and try to trailbrake. If necessary, play around with your brake bias in the high 59s.Conclusion
All things considered, the AMG GT GT3 is a great car in ACC. Whether you're just getting started with ACC or you've been getting your hands dirty for a while now, the car will offer a versatile and enjoyable ride. The understeer is a small downside on an otherwise great car. Nonetheless, you can work your way around it with some small setup changes. Once you feel comfortable enough, you'll feel a connection with the AMG.
Am I driving it right now? Well, not at the moment. There's a significant difference between the front and mid-engined cars in ACC. As I've been driving mid-engined cars lately, it's difficult to make the jump and not be annoyed by the understeer. But I'm sure sometime soon I'll be back with the 'star' of the show.
Image credit goes to: Kunos Simulazioni