New Mercedes-AMG GT 43 comes with a 415bhp four-pot, RWD and no back seats

A new entry-level Mercedes AMG GT 43 is revealed as a rear-wheel drive, two-seat AMG GT with a 415bhp four-pot engine.

When Mercedes first revealed the AMG GT, it reckoned it would make a big dent in the sales of the Porsche 911 with its thumping V8 and classic long-nose shape. But it didn’t.

Despite that, AMG arrived with a new AMG GT last year with the same underpinnings as the new Mercedes SL, longer wheelbase, 2+2 seating and 4Matic AWD, with the UK only being offered the range-topping Mercedes-AMG GT 63 4MATIC+ Coupe with its V8 producing 577bhp and hitting 62mph in 3.2 seconds.

Now, AMG has decided that the AMG GT range needs a less complicated GT with a four-pot instead of the thumping V8. Say hello to the new Mercedes-AMG GT 43.

Closely related to the new Mercedes SL 43, the GT 43 comes with AMG’s mild-hybrid M139 2.0-litre four-pot with F1-derived turbocharging, here delivering 415bhp and 369lb/ft of torque, good for 0-62mph in 4.6 seconds.

That’s helped by the shedding of weight by making the GT 43 rear-wheel drive and fitting an engine with half the cylinders, and by losing the back seats (although they can be optioned back).

We have no idea how much Mercedes wants for the AMG GT 43 – although we’d expect it to be a fair chunk less than the £164,765 GT 63 – but it’s irrelevant if you’re in the UK because it seems the only AMG GT option in the remains the GT 63 with no plans to offer the new GT 43.