AMG GT-S pushed to 650 Hp (471 kW) and 834 Nm

The impressive numbers for the AMG GT S from the headline come from a tuning project performed by our Perth dealer Racing Dynamics.

The stock Mercedes AMG GT S of this generation comes from the factory with 510 hp (375 kW) at the crank and 650 Nm. The torque curve is remarkably wide, giving all the twisting force from just 1,750 rpm all the way up to 4,750 rpm. Even stock AMG GT-S flies to 100km/h in just 3.5 seconds and the ever-ready torque makes it a joy to drive.

However, the lovely M178 twin-turbo 4 L V8 can give a lot more and the team at Racing Dynamics made it happen with remarkable results.

Mercedes AMG GT S Tuning

To start off we completed a baseline measurement on the dyno. The 510 hp (375 kW) at the crank translated to 419 hp (312 kW) and 554 Nm at the rear wheels on the Racing Dynamics Dyno Dynamics Dynometer.

It was then time to begin the Stage 2 Upgrade, comprised of an improved downpipe and air filter along with our Stage 2 tune to maximise the full potential of this AMG monster.

Hardware Upgrades

While there are several other options to choose from, this customer opted for a set of sports filters and catted downpipes.

Air Filter

The sports filters used on this vehicle are produced by BMC, one of the leading sports filters manufacturers in the world. The M178 being a V8 with two separate banks means it requires two of these filters. 

While just the filters on their own will add little power, they are important as a part of the upgrade process as they improve filtration and, at the same time, increase air flow into the engine setting the stage for the other upgrades to shine.

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Downpipes

There are several downpipe kits for this vehicle available on the market, including a selection of the ones made by Supersprint with either catless, primary or secondary cats. However, the customer opted for a pair of GESI Catted Brondex pipes.

Brondex offers catless and catted versions of downpipes for this vehicle and the customer went with the catted option. While they are noticeably more expensive than the catless ones, this is our recommended solution to maintain roadworthiness of the vehicle on Australian Roads. The catless variant is recommended for vehicle solely utilised for track activities. 

With high-flow 200CPSI cats, exhaust gas flow is significantly improved over the stock setup. This reduces back pressure, rids the engine of the exhaust gases more efficiently to keep the motor cooler and helps the turbos spool faster. The result is a noticeable improvement in power and throttle response.

However, the real star of this upgrade and the reason behind most of the added power is yet to come.

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Chiptuning

Chiptuning (AKA ECU Tuning) should be a part of almost any upgrade for several reasons. First of all, it is among the most affordable upgrades. Secondly, it brings more power than any of the other upgrades on its own, therefore making it the best Bang for Buck upgrade you can do to an aspirated vehicle. The ECU Tune is written to account for any aftermarket hardware parts installed to the vehicle (most commonly downpipes), this allows us to maximise the hardware potential and remove any potential unwarranted dashboard error codes that a hardware change in the system may produce.

The Stage 2 tune we wrote for this project increased the boost, adjusts the fuel delivery, raised various torque limitations and greatly improves throttle response as well as much much more. It is tailored to that particular car and based on the original readout of the OEM software and the ability of the aftermarket parts installed and the stock ones still used on the car.

The engine is now significantly more powerful and it also sends the power to the wheels with more eagerness. Another important aspect is the fact that the improvements are noticeable across the RPM range, so the customer can enjoy the improvement in everyday driving as well as on the track.

Most importantly, the tune is completely safe. At no point does it push any of the car’s components beyond their maximum tolerances or safe limits. Moreover, it takes into account our market peculiarities such as our specific differences in fuel quality and environmental conditions. 

So, what does the tune actually bring?

The Result

As you can see in the dyno chart below, our stage 2 upgrade with chiptuning, a set of BMC sports filters and a catted Brondex downpipe raised the power at the wheels from 419 hp (312 kW) and 554 Nm to 526 hp (392 kW) 713 Nm.

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These figures at the wheels translate to approximately 650 hp (471 kW) and mountain-moving 834 Nm of torque at the crank. We'd like to note that there are several other tuners in the market promoting higher figures than this, however our core focus is on maintaining drivability and reliability and to do this we must sacrifice some potential. 

The improvement is massive and more than noticeable on the road. The stunning AMG GT S was already one mean machine, but with our stage 2 upgrades, it is on a whole new level.

If you are interested in our services and you want to see what we can do for you, feel free to click here and browse through our tuning database. Find your vehicle and select the upgrades you want to see the estimated power gains and send an enquiry for the latest prices and information about our services specifically related to your enquiry.