Mercedes-AMG GT designer says similarities with Porsche 911 unavoidable
In an exclusive interview with CarAdvice at the global launch of the all-new Mercedes-AMG GT, Mark Fetherston, exterior designer for Mercedes-Benz, said he makes no apologies for any similarities that some might see between the GT and Porsche 911.
“There are classic sports car proportions that you kind of want in your car and you end up having similarities with other brands – you can’t help that," said Fetherston.
“Cars like the [Jaguar] F-Type, [Porsche] 911 and our own AMG GT, all play to the strength in the shoulder at the rear of the car, which tips the car forward and gives it both a properly planted attitude and promises more attitude," he added.
Fetherston also rejected the notion that the Mercedes-Benz design team set out to sketch a car that resembled a particular competitor, but admitted that the 911 had been firmly in their sights from the very beginning.
“The design brief for the GT was to design a more compact sports car to compete directly with the 911, Aston Martin Vantage and the Jaguar F-Type, and make it something special," he said.
“If people see similarities between these cars, then that’s fine, but we’ve made sure that this new design has a Mercedes DNA, and falls in-line with our new design language, which emphasises purity and softer edges," stated Fetherston.
“The surfacing of the AMG GT highlights the new direction we’re taking with our coupe’s and sports cars, where we are saying the cars that have the stunning proportions don’t need as much entertainment, or as many features in the design."
Stay tuned for our first drive review of the new Mercedes-AMG GT, coming soon.
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