If you are looking for a new Mercedes-AMG GT, you are spoilt for choice. With the addition of the GT 43 and GT 55 4MATIC+ (say that quickly), there are now four variations to choose from, with another set to go on sale soon.

Starting with the 43, this is the entry into the GT range, powered by the 2.0-litre four-cylinder mild-hybrid engine, complete with an electric turbocharger — similar to what is found in the AMG ONE hypercar. The result is 415 bhp and 369 lb-ft (500 Nm) of torque, impressive numbers from a 2.0-litre engine. What is also impressive is the way it delivers its performance, with peak power reached at 6,750 rpm and torque at 5,000 rpm. While the electric turbo provides an instantaneous boost at low revs, the high-rpm performance peaks will encourage you to exploit the rev range, extracting every last drop of power.

The result is a 0-62 mph sprint completed in 4.6 seconds, with a top speed of 174 mph. Not bad for a four-cylinder, right? Unlike its bigger-engined brothers in the GT range, the 43 sends its power only to the rear wheels. The benefit of the smaller engine and two less-driven wheels is a lighter car, with the GT 43 weighing in at 1,974 kg — or, for lack of a better term, two tonnes.

While the engineering of the GT 43 is impressive, the technology on board helps with the less exciting elements, such as efficiency. As well as adding an extra 14 bhp when overtaking, the mild-hybrid system allows for engine-off coasting, boosting efficiency around town or on longer drives.

Just because the GT 43 is the entry point of the range, that doesn’t mean AMG has gone short on tech to aid the driving dynamics. They’ve kept the AIRPANEL active aerodynamics, which opens and closes slats to help send air in the right direction around the car. Under most conditions, the panels are closed, only opening when extra cooling is needed. It also works in tandem with the extendable rear spoiler, which adjusts into five different positions from 50 mph.

While the GT 43 comes with adjustable dampers and steel spring suspension, AMG makes use of aluminium in the suspension arms, steering knuckles, wheel carriers, and shock absorbers to reduce the unsprung mass across the front and rear axles. To help shave 200 grams from each coil spring on the GT, the spring pad is glued directly to the spring, reducing weight and expanding its lifetime.

If you’re worried people will accuse you of ‘badging’ your 43 to appear like a V8 variant, don’t worry — AMG has you covered. They’ve given the 43 its own front end as well as the signature round tailpipes found on the entry-level AMGs. After careful consideration, I think the front end of the 43 looks sharper than its big V8 brothers. 

However, the GT 43 isn’t the only offering arriving in the GT range. The GT 55 has also arrived fresh from Affalterbach. Unlike the 43, the GT 55 shares the same 4.0-litre biturbo V8 found in the flagship GT 63 range.

As the 55 name suggests, it is designed to sit in the middle of the GT range, offering plenty of performance — 469 bhp to be exact, along with 516 lb-ft (700 Nm) of torque. That’s more than enough for a spot of rapid grand touring. Helping send this power to the ground is a four-wheel-drive system, which also includes rear-axle steering and a limited-slip differential for extra cornering agility.

Despite weighing in at 2.1 tonnes, AMG has tried to reduce weight where possible with a combination of aluminium, steel, magnesium, and composites. However, with a thumping V8, four-wheel drive, and four-wheel steering, it’s hard to tip the scales into the ‘Superleggera’ zone. When looking for a GT, are you more concerned about kerb weight or the leather being soft enough to make a trip to Le Mans comfortable?

There is shared technology across the GT range, primarily the wet-clutch nine-speed gearbox found in both the GT 43 and GT 55. A refreshing feature, as at times, manufacturers drop a gear in the lower-powered variant of the same platform. The suspension on both the front and rear axles of the GT 55 is made from the same forged aluminium parts as found in the 43.

Spec-wise, the entry-level 43 comes in two trim levels: Premium and Premium Plus. Adaptive headlights, electric front seats, a foldable two-seat rear bench, 20-inch wheels, 64-way adjustable interior lighting, AMG night package, and 360-degree cameras. Opting for the Premium Plus equipment adds a head-up display, climatised front seats, the Burmester sound system, carbon-fibre interior trim, and darkened exterior badges.

The GT 55 is coming to the UK in Premium Plus specification only, so it shares the same cabin and tech features as the 43 and 63 in this trim level. However, the hardware is slightly different, with the 55 gaining all-wheel drive, rear-axle steering, a limited-slip differential on the rear axle, and active engine mounts.

For both the GT 43 and GT 55, there’s a choice of upholstery colours at no extra cost, with the only paid options being the paint and the Driving Assistance Package if you fancy radar-guided cruise control and automated lane-changing to help ease those long-distance tours.

While it’s an entry-level model, the GT 43 is not a cheap car, with an on-the-road price of £101,685 — or £25,421 per cylinder if you prefer. This rises to £109,185 in Premium Plus specification. The GT 55 is priced from £143,605, which equates to £17,905 per cylinder, so it’s better value for money in one way. The GT 43 is aimed squarely at the Porsche 911, which starts at £99,800 (£16,633 per cylinder owing to its flat-six engine), but options will soon make the Porsche equally expensive, if not more expensive than its latest rival.

The GT 43 and GT 55 sit below the higher-powered GT 63 and track-focussed GT 63 Pro which we expect to go on sale in the coming months, as well as the flagship plug-in hybrid GT 63 S E Performance. The introduction of these two new variants offers more choice and perhaps sees the much-criticised four-cylinder engine finally make sense. It was praised in the A 45 hyper-hatch, criticised when it replaced the V6 in the C 43, and I still can’t get my head around the replacement of the V8 in the C 63 with the plug-in variant of this engine.

Here though, the GT 43 offers a different experience from the all-wheel-drive norm; with it being rear-wheel-drive only, you are guaranteed to have more fun and connection with the road. The GT 43 is the first grand tourer that makes a small engine seem acceptable to me.

However, I can’t ignore the desire to experience that AMG V8, and Deputy Editor Ken Pearson keeps telling me the AMG SL with the 55 engine is the sweet spot of the range. Order books are open now, with production beginning in January 2025 ahead of deliveries in the spring. If I were to put my name down for one, it would have to be the GT 55.

How the AMG GT 43 inline-four compares to the V8