Mercedes-AMG GT R Spied In Motion Testing Clubsport Package?

Spy shots have shown Mercedes is working on a mid-cycle refresh for its entire two-door GT range, which aside from the usual nip and tuck, it will also include a new member of the family in the shape of the GT R Roadster. Not only that, but AMG has already confirmed plans to offer an optional Clubsport Package for the range-topping R version and they've been testing it for quite a while.

It was the end of March when we shared the spy shots attached below of a partially camouflaged GT R working out at the Nürburgring gym and now the very same prototype has been spotted in the same location. The reason why Mercedes applied camouflage onto the test vehicle is to hide the lightly reworked front bumper with a revised central section and a pair of canards on each side. It's a sign the "Beast of the Green Hell" will focus on aero to shave off tenths of a second around a circuit.

AMG's boss has said the new GT R flavor will be "more of a track day version, for fun on circuits," but not a full-on competition car since it will still have road-legal status. The man in charge in Affalterbach has also promised to put the performance coupe on a diet, but it's too soon to say how much fat the engineers will be able to cut compared to the regular GT R's 1,655 kilograms (3,650 pounds) curb weight.

It is also widely believed the twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 will gain somewhere in the region of 23 horsepower for a grand total of 600 hp – still 30 hp less than the GT 4-Door Coupe fitted with the same engine.

The GT R Clubsport (name not confirmed) will not remain the top dog forever as Mercedes-AMG is already developing a Black Series slated to come out in 2020. Meanwhile, the GT facelift could arrive as early as October at the Paris Motor Show with or without the Clubsport Package.