Mercedes-Benz AMG GT vs McLaren 540C

What's the difference?

This is no Lotus, but damn if it ain't a hell of a good time, and proof positive that electrification can enhance the V8 experience, rather than ruin it.

The 540C is desirable on so many levels. Its dynamic ability, blistering performance, and stunning design make the cost of entry a value-for-money ticket. And the refreshing thing is, choosing a McLaren, with its focus on function and pure engineering, sidesteps the wankery that so often goes with ownership of an 'established' exotic brand. We absolutely love it.

It's a mean, but somehow still sleek, looking beast, this big AMG, but it's also immediately recognisable as a thing of intent.

Up front, there's the huge vertical-slat grille that looks like it drove straight out of a Stephen King novel, a massively domed bonnet, and these vacuum-like side intakes that look like they could suck in stray animals.

Then, at the back, there are twin dual-pipe exits (for four in total), and an automatic wing that pops out of the rear bodywork. And all of that's capped off with these massive 21-inch forged alloy wheels hiding golden ceramic-composite brakes.

Mean, yes, but not quite as aggressive as you might expect the most powerful AMG to date to come across, perhaps.

Inside, it's more subdued again, with the AMG presenting a pretty passenger-friendly space, with all the Benz tech you'd imagine, including the massive screens, and — thanks to its air suspension and drive modes — the ability to tailor the ride to your liking, meaning a comfortable and premium experience, despite the power under your right foot.

In 2010 the recent rise (and rise) of McLaren Automotive really began, when its design director, the hugely respected Frank Stephenson, started to send things in a compelling direction.

He says McLarens are 'designed by air' and that intricately sculpted, wind-tunnel-driven approach to supercar beauty is clear in the 540C's shape.

It's aimed at so-called everyday supercars like the Audi R8, and Porsche 911 Turbo, yet it incorporates all the subtle aero tricks that define the brand's dynamic personality.

A serious front spoiler and a mix of large intakes low in the nose create a delicate balance between downforce and corridors for cooling air.

The dihedral design doors swinging up to their fully open position is a camera phone attracting, jaw dropping, traffic-stopper.

Broad strakes down the side, standing proud of the main bodywork, are reminiscent of a formula one car's turbulence reducing barge boards, and giant intake ducts channel air through to the radiators in the cleanest, most efficient way possible.

And the look is suitably spectacular. You could hang the dramatically carved doors in a contemporary art museum.

Barely noticeable flying buttresses extending from the rear of the main roofline make a big contribution to downforce, cooling and stability with a minimal drag penalty.

There's a delicate lip spoiler on the trailing edge of the main deck, and a giant multi-channel diffuser proves air flow under the car is just as carefully managed as that going over it.

But the 540C doesn't lack traditional supercar drama. The dihedral design doors swinging up to their fully open position is a camera phone attracting, jaw dropping, traffic-stopper.

The interior is simple, striking and single-mindedly driver-focused. The chunky wheel is completely unadorned, the digital instruments are crystal clear, and the seats are the perfect combination of support and comfort.

The vertical 7.0-inch 'IRIS' touchscreen is cool to the point of minimalism, managing everything from audio and nav, to media streaming and air-con, with low-key efficiency.

It's not overly practical, given its size, with AMG locking in a four-seat configuration with a fixed rear pew that limits boot space. You can get folding seats, but only as part of an option package.

What you're left with is a vehicle that stretches 5054mm in length, 1953mm in width and 1447mm in height, but that serves up rear seating for only two – albeit very comfortably – and, because of the electric battery and motor being housed at the rear, boot space of just 335 litres.

There is triple-zone climate control, and the rear seating is lounge-like and luxurious, while the up-front space is ample for two full-size riders, too.

There's no spare, with AMG's 'Tirefit' puncture repair system on board.

There are some cursory concessions to practicality… like a glovebox, a single cupholder under the dash at the leading edge of the centre console, a small bin between the seats, housing multiple USB outlets, and other storage options here and there.

The latter includes a shelf at the top of the bulkhead behind the seats, marked with a specific label saying (words to the effect of) 'don't put stuff here', but that's more about objects flying forward in a high-G deceleration, which in this car is more likely to be the result of hitting the brakes, rather than a crash.

But the 'big' surprise is the 144-litre boot in the nose, complete with light and 12 volt power outlet. It easily swallowed the CarsGuide medium sized, 68-litre hard shell suitcase.

In terms of getting in and out, make sure you've done you warm-ups because frankly it's an athletic challenge to maintain composure and get the job done either way. Despite best efforts, I hit my head a couple of times, and aside from the pain it's worth pointing out that being a follicularly-challenged person I'm forced to display abrasions in full public view.

At $331,500, we reckon the McLaren 540C is a supercar bargain. For just on $140k less than a Ferrari 488 GTB it delivers equivalent visual drama, and isn't far behind on speed and dynamic ability.

Standard kit runs to climate control air con, an alarm system, cruise control, remote central locking, LED headlights, tail-lights and DRLs, keyless entry and drive, a limited-slip differential, leather steering wheel, power folding mirrors, four-speaker audio, and a multi-function trip computer.

'Our' car featured close to $30,000 worth of options; headline items being the 'Elite - McLaren Orange' paint finish ($3620), a 'Sport Exhaust' system ($8500), and the 'Security Pack' ($10,520) which includes front and rear parking sensors, a reversing camera, alarm upgrade and a vehicle lifter that raises the front of the car an extra 40mm at the push of a column stalk. Very handy.

And the signature orange shade follows through with orange brake calipers peeking out through the standard 'Club Cast' alloy rims, and similarly coloured seatbelts inside.

It's not just what's under the bonnet, but what's at the rear axle, too.

But let's start at the front, shall we? Here, a familiar twin-turbo V8 engine lurks, producing a potent 470kW and 900Nm, which is fed through a nine-speed automatic, complete with paddle shifters and several drive modes, including the traction-limiting 'Race'.

But that is then joined at the rear by an electric motor with its own two-speed transmission, and which produces 70kW and 320Nm – or up to 150kW for 10-second blasts under heavy acceleration.

Combine both, and you're tapping into around 620kW and in excess of 1000Nm, enabling a sprint to 100km/h in just 2.9 seconds, and a flying top speed of 316km/h.

Aside from you and a passenger, the most important thing sitting between the 540C's axles is the 3.8-litre (M838TE) twin-turbo V8.

Developed in collaboration with British high-tech engineering specialist, Ricardo, McLaren's used it in various states of tune across different models, including the P1, and even in this 'entry-level' spec it produces enough power to light up a small town.

In 540C trim, the all-alloy unit delivers 397kW (540 metric horsepower, hence the model designation) at 7500rpm, and 540Nm from 3500-6500rpm. It uses race-derived dry sump lubrication, and a compact flat plane crank design, favoured by Ferrari and others in high-performance engines.

While vibration damping can be an issue with this configuration, it allows a much higher rev ceiling relative to the more common cross plane arrangement, and this engine screams up to 8500rpm, a stratospheric number for a road-going turbo.

The seven-speed 'Seamless-Shift' dual-clutch transmission sends drive exclusively to the rear wheels and comes from Italian gearbox gurus Oerlikon Graziano. It's been progressively refined and upgraded since its first appearance in the MP4-12C in 2011.

Fuel efficiency is surprisingly impressive for a vehicle this big and powerful, with Mercedes claiming 7.7L/100km and 175g/km of CO2 on the combined cycle.

Helping that is a the 6.1kW battery, which delivers just 12km in all-electric driving range, but helps reduce overall fuel use.

This AMG is AC power only, meaning you can't recharge using fast chargers, but the brand says its secret trick is its ability to recharge itself using captured kinetic energy incredibly quickly – largely negating the need to plug in unless you want to unlock that EV range – with Merc suggesting that, on a race track for example, the battery will discharge and charge itself continuously as you're lapping.

McLaren claims 10.7L/100km for the combined (urban/extra urban) fuel economy cycle, emitting 249g/km of CO2 at the same time.

For the record, that's six per cent better than the Ferrari 488 GTB (11.4L/100km – 260g/km), and if you take it easy on a constant freeway cruise, you can lower it even further.

But most of the time, we, ahem, didn't do better than that, averaging 14.5L/100km via the trip computer in just over 300km of city, suburban and freeway running.

There's a lot of big numbers surrounding the Mercedes-AMG GT63S E Performance, but let me throw another one at you – 245km/h.

That was the high score I saw pop up on its digital speedo as the big and electrified Mercedes flew down the main straight at Sydney Motorsport Park (formerly Eastern Creek), before my courage ran out and my foot found the brake.

That kind of velocity is mind-bending in a vehicle this big, and so is the way that power is delivered, with the AMG's big brain deciding how and when to maximise power from the engine and electric motor to deliver a constant surge of torque that shoves you back, and the GT63S E Performance into the future.

But big acceleration is hardly surprising with that much power. What is a little more impressive is how easy this four-door supercar is to wrestle around a racetrack.

Sure, the feeling-out process is a little more involved, as you figure out how and when you'll feel the weight shifting, and as your brain struggles to compute how what's happening is even possible, but after a couple of laps the AMG settles into an easy, flowing rhythm that, while never feeling light on its feet, also doesn't feels like you're piloting a bus.

At least part of that is down to the wizardry on board, like the 'AMG Air Suspension', the rear-axle steering and the limited-slip diff, all of which combine to make the GT63S feel tighter and sharper than it would otherwise.

But it's also partly down to the prodigious power on offer – perfect corner entry and exits are less relevant when you have a cruise missile strapped to your right foot that doesn't just quickly make up for any driver errors, but shrinks the space between corners to the blink of an eye.

Yes, it's heavy, and there isn't much that's pure about the go-fast experience, but it left an ear-to-ear grin on my face, and isn't that priority one for any new AMG?

How does it drive on the road? That I don't know, as this was a track-only drive day. But we will get one on a proper test soon and let you know.

The best word to describe driving this McLaren is orchestration. The 540C's dynamic elements flow seamlessly together to transform its operator into a conductor guiding a well-honed mechanical orchestra through an energetic concerto.

And slipping (carefully) over the carpeted bulkhead into the driver's seat is like dropping into an ergonomic masterclass. It feels like you're putting the car on, rather than getting into it.

Like all other current McLarens, the 540C is constructed around a one-piece, carbon-fibre tub, which it calls MonoCell II. It's super stiff, and just as importantly, light.

McLaren quotes a dry weight (no fuel, lubricants, or coolant) for the 540C of 1311kg, with the kerb weight a stated 1525kg (including a 75kg passenger). Not featherweight, but with this kind of power sitting a few centimetres behind your head, it's not a lot.

The engine sounds brilliantly guttural, with lots of exhaust roar managing to find a way past the turbos.

A sophisticated launch control system means zero to licence loss is achieved in a flash (0-100km/h – 3.5sec), with jail time lurking if you ever decide to explore the 540C's 320km/h maximum velocity. And in case you're wondering, it'll blast from 0-200km/h, in just 10.5sec.

The engine sounds brilliantly guttural, with lots of exhaust roar managing to find a way past the turbos. Maximum torque is available across a flat plateau from 3500-6500rpm, and mid-range punch is strong. However, the 540C is anything but a one-trick pony, or is that 540 ponies?

The double wishbone suspension, complete with the adaptive 'Active Dynamics Control' system lets you channel all that forward thrust into huge cornering speed.

The switch from Normal, through Sport to Track progressively buttons everything down harder, and an ideal weight distribution (42f/58r) delivers fantastic agility.

Feel from the electro-hydraulic steering is amazing, the fat Pirelli P Zero rubber (225/35 x 19 front / 285/35 x 20 rear), developed specifically for this car, grips like a Mr T handshake, and the standard 'Brake Steer' torque vectoring system, which applies braking force to optimise drive and minimise understeer, is undetectable in the best possible way.

A console switchable 'Powertrain Control System' also offers three settings, and in the upper modes, shifts from the seven speed dual clutch 'box are eye-blink rapid.

The steering wheel paddles come in the form of a genuine rocker, so you're able to change up and down ratios on either side of the wheel, or one-handed.

You'll love catching a glimpse of the heat haze shimmering up off the engine in the rear-view mirror at the lights.

Hammer towards a quick corner and the reassuringly progressive steel rotor brakes bleed off speed with complete authority. Flick down a couple of gears, then turn in and the front end sweeps towards the apex without a hint of drama. Squeeze in the power and the fat rear rubber keeps the car planted, and perfectly neutral mid-corner. Then pin the throttle and the 540C rockets towards the next bend… which can't come quickly enough. Repeat, and enjoy.

But slotting everything into 'Normal' mode transforms this dramatic wedge into a compliant daily driver. Smooth throttle response, surprisingly good vision and excellent ride comfort make the McLaren a pleasure to steer around town.

You'll love catching a glimpse of the heat haze shimmering up off the engine in the rear-view mirror at the lights, and the (optional) nose-lift system makes traversing awkward driveways and speed bumps manageable.

In terms of active safety, the car's dynamic ability is one giant safeguard against a collision, and that's backed up by tech features including ABS and brake assist (no AEB, though), as well as stability and traction controls.

But if a crunching-type incident is unavoidable, the carbon-composite chassis offers exceptional crash protection with dual front airbags in support (no side or curtain airbags).

Not a huge surprise that ANCAP (or Euro NCAP, for that matter) hasn't assessed this particular vehicle.

The GT63S E Performance is covered by Mercedes' five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty, and you can pre-pay your service costs to keep the prices down.

Service pricing for the electrified model is yet to be confirmed.

McLaren offers a three year/unlimited km warranty on the 540C, and servicing is recommended every 15,000 km or two years, whichever comes first. No capped price servicing program is offered.

That's a lot of kays for a premium exotic like this, and some may not see 15,000km on the odometer… ever.