If you need a fast Mercedes in your life, you turn to AMG. Once an independent tuner, and now Mercedes-Benz’s performance division, it has an extensive history of tweaking the automaker’s products, starting with the 300SEL 6.3 sedan. But there’s another level beyond ‘just’ the AMG badge: the Black Series. And there’s a new model christened with that nameplate: the 2021 Mercedes-AMG GT Black Series.

The 2021 Mercedes-AMG GT Black Series is the heir to a long line of high-performance Benzes

The 2021 Mercedes-AMG GT sports car isn’t the first to receive a Black Series model, Car and Driver reports. The nameplate dates back to 2006, and signifies AMG models that are lighter, powerful, and even sharper than their ‘regular’ versions, Road & Track explains. The Mercedes-AMG GT Black Series is the 6^th car to wear the badge. And based on specs alone, it lives up to that heritage.

Under its hood is a 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V8. The standard Mercedes-AMG GT uses that engine, as does the sporty GT R. However, the version powering the 2021 Mercedes-AMG GT Black Series is the most powerful AMG engine ever, Motor1 reports.

It has larger turbochargers and intercoolers, more boost, upgraded camshafts, and new exhaust manifolds, R&T reports. And, like a few high-end supercars (and the Shelby GT350 Mustang), it has a flat-plane crankshaft.

With all that, output jumps to 720 hp and 590 lb-ft from the GT R’s 577 hp and 516 lb-ft, Motor Trend reports. That goes to the rear wheels via a strengthened 7-speed dual-clutch transmission. And to keep the engine cool, the Mercedes-AMG GT Black Series has a larger front grille and side vents, along with supplemental coolers.

The 2021 Mercedes-AMG GT Black Series is also 77 pounds lighter than the GT R, Car and Driver reports. That’s thanks to a carbon-fiber hood, fenders, tailgate, roof, and bumpers. Unfortunately, US customers won’t get the carbon-fiber bucket seats with six-point racing harnesses.

The other performance features

The 2021 Mercedes-AMG GT Black Series’ performance features go beyond the carbon-fiber parts and engine, though.

It has carbon-ceramic brakes as well as manually-adjustable coil-over suspension, front splitter, anti-roll bars, and rear wing. Said rear wing also has an active element to further improve downforce. Even the Mercedes-AMG GT Black Series’ underside is designed to improve airflow.

The Black Series doesn’t have the GT R’s rear-wheel steering, Motor1 reports. And, much like the seats, US customers likely won’t be able to get the optional titanium roll-cage. However, it does have adjustable traction control and drive modes, Nappa-leather-upholstered sport seats, and Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires.

The 2021 Mercedes-AMG GT Black Series “is a race car for the road,” says Motor Trend

AMG describes its Black Series cars as “’street-legal race cars,’” MT reports. And in the Mercedes-AMG GT’s case, that’s not hyperbole. With that extra power, it goes 0-60 in 3.1 seconds and hits 124 mph in less than 9 seconds.

But it’s not just the sheer straight-line speed that’s impressive. Thanks to the aero aides, large tires, and sportier suspension, it corners flat and grips hard. The steering is sharp and very direct, and while the brakes squeal when they’re cold, they’re fairly easy to modulate. And then there’s the sound of that flat-plane V8.

Yet for all its hard-core features, MT reports the Mercedes-AMG GT Black Series is more relaxed than you’d think. And the ride quality is good enough that you could genuinely drive the car on the road, Top Gear reports. It’s fast, but it’ll help you around a track, not bite you.

Unfortunately, that race-car-like behavior comes with a race-car-like price. As of this writing, official US pricing for the 2021 Mercedes-AMG GT Black Series hasn’t been announced. But in Europe, it starts at the rough equivalent of $393,500. In comparison, the US-spec GT R starts at $162,900.

Then again, as Game of Thrones showed us, taking the black was never easy.

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