Aston Martin Vantage vs Mercedes-Benz AMG GT

What's the difference?

It’s either a comfortable race car or a bonkers grand tourer, but it’s that best-of-both worlds positioning that makes this new Vantage so appealing. Think of it as like a supercar for proper grown-ups, and one you don’t need to grunt and groan to extract yourself from.

Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with travel, accommodation and meals provided.

The GT63 4Matic+ is a breathtaking example of everything that Mercedes-Benz and AMG are.

Ferociously fast, incredibly agile and superbly sophisticated, it should be on anybody’s shortlist, if that also includes a Porsche, Aston Martin, Maserati or even a Lamborghini. And it’s definitely much more than yesterday’s SLC ever was – for similar money in today’s terms, as it turns out.

But, around Tasmania’s glorious roads at least, the Mercedes-AMG lacks the ride comfort and road noise isolation to be a fully-rounded-out GT, and that’s a disappointment for a brand with such formidable history in making such cars.

Ok, so the first thing you notice is this massive grille, which I now know is exactly 38 per cent bigger than before. That’s mostly for cooling, sucking in great lung-fulls of air – and any stray pets unlucky enough to wander into its path, I’d imagine — to keep that engine humming.

That air has to go somewhere, and the new bonnet vents complete the engine-cooling.picture.

Then there are 21-inch alloys are wrapped in performance rubber, and I love the swollen haunches at the rear tyres, giving the Vantage a mean and menacing vibe. At the rear, a very new and very loud quad-exhaust completes the picture.

In the cabin you'll find nothing in the way of hand-me-down Mercedes switchgear, which makes for change. This is all Aston Martin, and actually it all feels really nice.

The twin-screen setup looks tech-savvy and premium, the materials are all nicer than you'd find in something more track-obsessed, and even the optional race seats managed to be both snug-fitting and comfortable.

This is still clearly a Mercedes AMG GT coupe, like the 2014 C190 original, but a ground-up redesign sees it subtly yet significantly altered.

Some 270kg heavier than before, the larger-in-every-dimension body combines aluminium, steel, magnesium and fibre composite materials for improved rigidity and a lower centre of gravity. Length (4729mm) and wheelbase (2700mm) have been stretched by 177mm and 70mm respectively. Width (1984mm) and height (1352mm) are also up.

The nose treatment is similar to before, especially with the bulgy bonnet and signature vertical slatted grille fitted. These, combined with the LED digital headlight shape effect, is reminiscent of, but far-better executed than, the goofy-looking MG5’s face.

Underneath, it's an all-new platform shared with the SL, with the rear transaxle of the old car replaced by a permanent AWD system, leading from 46:54 front/rear weight distribution to 50:50 as a result.

That aggressive, exaggerated cab-backward/ultra-long bonnet silhouette that visually connected it with the SLS gives way to more-conventional and practical coupe proportions that is striking if not especially original, since they do look quite 911-esque. Along with the longer wheelbase and wider tracks, the result allows for two small rear seats to be fitted, while liftback cargo access remains.

Similarly, in the name of way-more usable interior packaging, Mercedes-AMG says it pushed the driving position nearly 180mm forward compared to the previous GT. Let’s see what that all looks like inside.

You’ll be shocked to hear that Aston Martin didn’t dedicate too much of its limited track time to extolling the practicality perks of its new Vantage, mostly because there simply aren’t that many of them.

But the most obvious one, I think, is that most of the people in the market for a $400k-plus vehicle in this category are likely to be, well, of a certain vintage, and it’s for these people that the more traditional layout of the Vantage will no doubt appeal.

See, the engine is up front, and the doors open in the usual fashion, making getting in and out of the cabin easy, and free of the human-origami antics sometimes required to climb in and out of a scissor-door supercar.

But there have been practical improvements made to performance here, too. There’s 30 per cent more power, 15 per cent more torque, new cooling, better aerodynamics, retuned suspension and anti-roll tech, new brake booster tuning, improvements to the ESP system, more body stiffness. And it goes on.

The first impression inside is that of space, despite the falling roofline and coupe-like upsweep of the side windows and you look back. While, again, similar to a 911s, a kink at the door gives the GT a unique character.

Even larger people will appreciate the generous amounts of room up front, with space to stretch, sat in sumptuously comfy bucket seats. Note that the standard ones are better than the racier but firmer Sports versions.

The driving position is perfect, ahead of a dashboard that is very typical modern Mercedes in appearance and layout.

To that end, the tablet-style integrated touchscreen (11.9 inches) is clear, fast and intuitive once time is taken to learn it. And points are also won for the multi-configurable electronic instrumentation, that allows for a variety of screens, including track, classic and minimalist views.

The trademark turbine air vents, the quite beautiful material and trim finishes and just the general solid feel are further typical contemporary Mercedes cabin treatments, as are the excellent ventilation and ample storage options.

And while rear vision isn't great, that's what cameras are for. It's all pretty much on brand.

It is a shame, given how elevated the Mercedes-AMG engineering is underneath, that the GT’s interior look and ambience is so similar to those of a (albeit higher-spec) C-Class or GLE. It's simply not as special as some of the company’s previous sports cars.

More annoyingly, the ride is too firm and bumpy for a GT, and this has the unhappy effect of provoking random rattly trim sounds within the cabin. It’s a bit like scrunched-up cellophane. In a $420K (as tested) Merc, that’s very disappointing, especially as it can be heard over the copious amount of road and tyre noise droning through, particularly on coarser bitumen surfaces.

Further back, the rear seat is strictly two-plus-two, and nobody over 150cm tall is recommended to travel there by Mercedes itself. That sloping roofline is the culprit. That said, brief trips with a bowed head are possible, as the fixed cushions and split-folding backrests are actually surprisingly comfy. But only for short journeys. Kids should love it though, and the second row does open up the GT’s usefulness enormously.

As does a near-doubling of the AMG’s cargo capacity, jumping 146 litres to 321L with backrests erect, to a whopping 675L (+325L) in two-seater mode. The flat floor is accessed via a large electrically-operated liftback door, offering quite a large aperture for easy loading/unloading.

Having no spare wheel helps here, with a tyre inflation kit included in lieu of that.

Meanwhile, at the front, under the bonnet, things have definitely changed for the better as well.

Starting from $370,400 (all prices are before on-road costs), the Mercedes-AMG GT63 4Matic+ is priced and positioned as something of an eagle amongst some pretty delectable doves, given its combination of four seats, 430kW of power, 800Nm of torque and four-wheel drive.

No rival equivalents can match the Mercedes on paper. The 398kW/610Nm 911 Carrera 4 GTS T-Hybrid offers less power but starts from $400,000-plus. The 410kW/650Nm GranTurismo Trofeo begins at $450K, the 500kW/800Nm DB12 from $455K and the 404kW/470Nm Continental GT from $460K.

Only the 460kW/750Nm BMW M8 Competition comes closest to the Mercedes-AMG, from $380K.

Side note, today’s GT is only slightly more expensive than what the 450SLC was nearly half a century ago when adjusted for inflation.

And, just like with that classic old Benz, it shares much with the brand’s legendary SL convertible stablemate – including, in this case, standard all-wheel drive and active rear-axle steering… aka 4WS to select third and fourth-generation Honda Prelude owners out there.

What else does $400K-plus buy you? As you’d expect, the GT63 4Matic+ comes choc-full of standard equipment, much of it typical of the luxury coupe breed, with leather-covered and electrically operated everything.

How about a front-axle lift system with GPS-enabled memory that automatically raises the GT’s nose to help clear bumps and then remembers to do so next time?

There are climate-controlled AMG sports seats with inflatable bolstering and massaging functionality, a fixed glass roof, a head-up display, augmented-reality satellite navigation, 360-degree surround views, performance telemetry data as part of an extensive multimedia system, an 11.9-inch portrait touchscreen, 11-speaker Burmester audio, a handsfree-powered tailgate, 21-inch alloys and cutting-edge driver-assist safety tech. More on that in the Safety section below.

Then there are the myriad option packs, bumping the GT63’s price up towards $500,000. These include a $2.7K seat trim package; a $10K AMG Night Package that adds darker trim treatments (often where chrome was); an aerodynamics package with fixed spoiler replacing the standard active spoiler; a $2.6K AMG Performance Seat package; a $13K Carbon Fibre package and $13.2K Ceramic Brakes.

Now, while the new GT does ditch the previous model’s unique rear transaxle spaceframe pioneered by the gull-winged SLS of the early 2010s, the resulting longer wheelbase and shorter overhangs do provide less outlandish and more practical design.

Let’s check that out in more detail. 

The 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 is still borrowed from Mercedes-AMG, but this is the new-generation unit, making 489kW and 800Nm. It gets modified cylinder heads and bigger turbos, helping generate the extra grunt.

That’s fed through an eight-speed ZF automatic and channeled through to the rear tyres. The race to 100km/h? That 3.5 seconds. Meanwhile, the flying top speed is around 325km/h.

There’s a plaque signifying which engineer “handcrafted” the GT’s engine – in this case, the famous M177 in 3982cc, 4.0-litre twin-turbo intercooled V8 petrol guise.

Delivering 430kW of power at 6500rpm and 800Nm of torque from 2500-4500rpm, it sends drive to all four wheels via a nine-speed multi-clutch transmission (dubbed MCT in AMG-speak), catapulting the GT63 4Matic+ from 0-100km/h in just 3.2 seconds, on the way to a top speed of 315km/h.

How does it do that?

With AWD, the GT is now nearly 15 per cent heavier than before, but it still manages a punchy 218kW/tonne. Active aerodynamics over, inside and under a more-rigid body structure also helps.

The AMG 4Matic+ AWD system goes from 50/50 front/rear, to 100 per cent rear, variable torque distribution according to conditions and settings, and backed up by an electronic limited-slip differential. Among the many driving settings are Race Start, Drift Mode and good-old Comfort, if it all becomes too much.

Also keeping all that performance in check is a high-performance composite brake setup with improved cooling for faster responses.

Interlinked active roll bars improve body control, the five-link independent suspension features adaptive dampers for a softer ride.

And, as for that 4WS tech, the rear wheels steer opposite to the fronts at up to 100km/h (by some 2.5 degrees) for tighter and tidier handling, or 0.7 degrees in the same direction above 100, for greater stability and road-holding.

Its effect on the way this near-two-tonne coupe zigs and zags around corners is something you need to experience to really appreciate.

There’s the official figure, which is 12.1L/100km on the combined cycle, and then there’s the real-world figure. It’s not really fare to judge fuel use when you’ve just stepped off a racetrack, but rest assured it was a large number, which is to be expected really.

The Aston’s 73-litre fuel tank prefers 98RON fuel, too.

Actually, the GT’s economy isn’t horrendous considering how fast it can go.

Even blasting a few times around beckoning country roads, we managed an indicated 13.0L/100km, which is an improvement on what Mercedes-AMG says the GT averages the 14.6L/100km average that Mercedes-AMG officially states.

That translates to a carbon dioxide emissions rating of 334g/km.

Using 98 RON premium unleaded petrol, an average of just under 480km between refills of the 70L tank is possible. The urban run sees consumption rocket to 21.8L/100km (for just 321km of range), or 10.4 out on the highway run, meaning that over 670km is possible should you decide to drive in a docile manner.

It's funny, I never felt like the old Vantage wanted for power, but now I suddenly wonder how we ever made do with it. This feels like the engine and the outputs that should have always been, such is the way it suits the nature of Aston’s most performance-focused model.

Everything is about the driver here. From the suspension tune to the gearbox mapping and the increase in stiffness everywhere. You’re supposed to feel like the main character, and you do.

Aston Martin have come under fire in the past for delivering cars that are a treat to look at, but didn't quite deliver the drive experience to match the appearance, and it's something the brand says it is actively rectifying with with the Vantage, and the Astons that will follow it.

The mission, it says, is to be spoken of in the same sentence as the Italian supercar makers when it comes to delivering driver engagement, and this 2024 Vantage is a considerable leap in that direction.

It is, above all else, fun. From the multi-stage ESP settings that you can pair to your bravery, to the retuned and raucous exhaust and the blistering acceleration.

More than that, it feels light and lithe on a racetrack, and super communicative, the front wheels talking through your wrists, and the back tyres through, well, the bit of you that hits the bottom half of the racing seat...

It is plenty fun, right across the park. The power is immense, but somehow it doesn't feel terrifying, partly because you're so dialled-in to the drive experience, and partly because the carbon brakes fitted to our test car were able to slow the Vantage so savagely it's as though we'd dropped anchor out the back window.

The Vantage does have a split personality, though, and it's one that really shows itself once you venture out onto the road. It's quiet, comfortable even, at suburban speeds, leaning more into grand tourer than bonkers track-day special.

The only downside being that, should you sit behind the wheel long enough, it becomes easy to forget you're driving something "super" at all. Well, until your right foot finds its way back to the accelerator, that is...

Nobody will drive the GT63 4Matic+ and think, ‘Oh, this is OK’, because its breadth of performance is phenomenal.

No matter which mode you're in, from Comfort through to track-tuned Race, the Mercedes-AMG blends forceful pace and commanding control without ever breaking a sweat.

Flex your right foot and the two-tonne coupe bounds into action like a giant on a mission, striding past posted speed limit signs in nanoseconds and way, way faster than the law will stand if diligence isn’t exercised.

And there’s no point relying on seat-of-your-pants sensations, either, because the chassis below embraces the road with an almost zealous devotion. Which is astounding, given how agile the four-wheel steering-enhanced handling is.

The 63’s super power is exactly that – it dulls your sense of speed. One tester admitted to exceeding 150km/h before noticing. An odd confession considering the sonic boombox that is the bi-turbo V8’s howl.

But jailbait performance is not even the 63’s most lingering joy. That would be its steering perfection, that delivers that rare trifecta of keenness, crispness and communication. The wheel feels eager and alive in your hands, even when powering between tight turns, backed up by sensational grip and control. How can a two-tonne GT handle so sharply?

Warm, dry roads were the order of the day, so we can’t tell you how the 4Matic+ permanent AWD system deals with wet or slippery surfaces, but the slick multi-clutch transmission, seamless torque-vectoring tech and sticky tyres more than cope with the 63’s formidable outputs.

So, that's the gushing part out the way, then.

Despite the adaptive dampers, rigid architecture and exquisitely sophisticated suspension, the ride is simply too stiff in Comfort mode, and downright jittery on some of the Tasmanian roads we tested on, for the 63 to be considered a true luxury grand tourer. It just isn't comfortable, luxurious or supple enough.

Plus, grippy as they are, the 21-inch wheels transmit too much road and tyre noise through to the cabin, meaning that the GT isn't as quiet as you'd hope. Add the aforementioned trim squeaks, and the expected cocooned silence isn’t always there.

The upshot is that the 63 possesses more of a sports car character than a luxury GT character. Great news if you're a 911 type buyer and are seeking a high-performance 2+2 alternative, but a disappointment if comfort and refinement are priorities.

Still, it is impossible not to be deeply moved by this Mercedes-AMG.

While the GT doesn’t score an ANCAP rating – probably because it’s too expensive to crash test – we’d wager that it would be above-average, given Benz’s track record as a pioneer in this field.

That’d due to the scores of active, passive and driver-assist safety features fitted, from multi-faceted autonomous emergency braking (AEB) and lane-support systems to Mercedes’ PRE-SAFE tech that anticipates a crash and then prepares the car for impact.

More specifically, the GT includes Active Lane Change/Keep Assist, adaptive high beam as part of its megapixel LED set-up, adaptive cruise control, Cross-Traffic Assist, Evasive manoeuvre support, an emergency services call-out system, 360-degree camera views, pedestrian protection bonnet and eight airbags.

In other Mercedes products of today, AEB operating parameters are 7-80km/h for vulnerable road users like pedestrians and cyclists, and from 7-250km/h for vehicle-to-vehicle, while the lane-keep support systems operate between 60-200km/h.

Finally, there are ISOFIX child-seat anchorages in the front passenger seat and two in the rear seats.

Aston Martins in Australia are covered by a three-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty, but you can extend that for one or two years, at a price.  You’ll be visiting the service centre annually, too.

What’s the GT like to own?

Mercedes-Benz offers a five-year/unlimited km warranty, with five years of roadside assistance. This is average for most mainstream and luxury brands, but superior to most sports-car makers like Porsche and Lamborghini.

Intervals are every 12 months or 20,000km, and while no capped-priced servicing is offered on the GT, pre-paid three-, four- or five-year service plans are available, ranging from $5165, $7700 and $8665 respectively.

Big performance demands big maintenance bills, it seems.