Can Mercedes-AMG GT R Beat Aston Martin DBS Superleggera In A Race

The British coupe is the consummate grand tourer with a comfy cabin, supple suspension, and a twin-turbo 5.2-liter V12 pumping out 715 horsepower and 663 pound-feet of torque. Meanwhile, the German model drops some of the comfort from the regular GT to transform into a more hardcore machine for track use. Its 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 makes 577 hp and 516 lb-ft. On paper, the numbers suggest the Aston should absolutely dominate the Mercedes in a drag race, but a new video from Top Gear shows that reality isn't so predictable.

The DBS Superleggera takes the lead in the first few feet, but the AMG GT R then claws back the difference. We don't want to spoil the ending, but watch until the end because the result is very close.

Top Gear explains the close result by saying the Aston Martin couldn't "hook up" in the drag race. There's no evidence of a lack of traction, though, and the DBS actually gets off the line first.

In real-world situations, there aren't many opportunities to accelerate with the pedal down for a quarter mile. It would be interesting to see this same race from a roll. When starting from around 50 miles per hour, the Aston's larger displacement and significant torque advantage might give the coupe an edge over the Mercedes.

Mercedes is currently developing an even more hardcore version of the GT R by creating an optional clubsport package for it. The upgrades will cater to owners who'll use the machine on the track by cutting weight and allegedly pushing the 4.0-liter twin-turbo engine's output to around 600 hp. The suspension will be even stiffer, too.