Mercedes-AMG is using this weekend’s Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance – part of the annual Monterey Car Week auto extravaganza – to showcase its all-new GT coupe.
Although distinctly evolutionary in its styling, the second-gen GT is a totally revamped vehicle that shares most of its hardware with the latest SL roadster that recently went on sale in the UAE. The all-new GT is expected here in the first half of next year, with pricing likely to start north of Dh600,000.
Mercedes-AMG claims the latest GT is a much more practical and usable coupe than its predecessor, as a significant dimensional stretch has liberated sufficient space for optional 2+2 seating and greater luggage capacity.
Measuring 4,728mm long (+177m), 1,984mm wide (+44mm), 1,354mm tall (+66mm) and with a wheelbase of 2,700mm (+70mm), the latest GT is pitched as a genuine long-distance grand tourer, rather than an uncompromising sportster that carries only two occupants and some soft luggage.
In addition, the outgoing GT’s rear-wheel-drive format makes way for fully variable AMG Performance 4Matic+ all-wheel drive, which is supplemented as standard by active aerodynamics, active roll stabilisation and active rear-axle steering. The all-new coupe also has a larger glasshouse, which claims to provide better visibility in all directions.
The GT is built around an elaborate composite aluminium body structure that’s been designed with rigidity and light weight in mind, but it’s still no waif at 1,970kg with all fluids and a 75kg driver on board.
The optional rear seats are allegedly adequate for occupants up to 1.5 metres tall and, crucially, boot capacity now starts at a respectable 321 litres, expanding to a cavernous 675 litres with the optional rear seats folded down. Adding to practicality is an electrically operated tailgate with hands-free operability.
The AMG GT will initially be offered with two performance levels of AMG’s 4.0-litre V8 biturbo engine, both hand-built in Affalterbach according to the performance division’s “One Man, One Engine” principle.
The range-topping GT 63 4Matic+ is tuned to belt out 585hp and offers maximum torque of 800Nm over a wide range from 2,500 to 4,500rpm. This prodigious grunt translates to supercar-baiting performance as the GT 63 4Matic+ bolts from 0-100kph in only 3.2 seconds and the car maxes out at 315kph.
The lesser GT 55 4MATIC+ is no slouch either, as its 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 thrashes out 476hp and maximum torque of 700Nm. It, too, is decently rapid, sprinting from 0-100kph in 3.9 seconds and hitting 295kph flat out.
Drive is relayed to all four wheels via the AMG Speedshift MCT 9G nine-speed auto transmission, in which a wet start-up clutch replaces the torque converter. AMG claims this set-up reduces weight and, thanks to its lower mass inertia, delivers a fast and “emotional shift experience”.
Keeping the GT’s high-speed capability in check is a brand-new active aero package that’s been conceived to balance the conflicting parameters of low drag, downforce, optimal cooling efficiency and low wind noise. This package includes a retractable rear wing and a vaned "Airpanel" at the front that normally remains closed to optimise airflow, except when there’s a need for maximum cooling air to be channelled to the engine bay.
It’s not too hard to overwhelm traction (especially in wet conditions) in the existing AMG GT, but the second-gen car should unleash its prodigious torque far more efficiently, thanks to a fully variable AMG Performance 4Matic+ all-wheel drive set-up.
An electromechanically controlled clutch connects the front and rear axles, enabling the GT to be driven as a traction-oriented all-wheel drive – with 50:50 power distribution to the front and rear axles – or as a pure rear-wheel drive.
The new GT also gains active roll stabilisation as standard, but the system doesn’t use a conventional 48-volt electromechanical anti-roll-bar setup (as used in several other vehicles). Instead, the GT’s anti-roll system has all four adaptive dampers interconnected, with sophisticated chassis control software co-ordinating the compression and rebound of each damper to all but cancel out pitching and rolling.
The other key ingredients in the GT’s dynamic recipe are a rear axle locking differential and active rear-axle steering as standard. The rear wheels steer in either the opposite direction (up to 100kph) or in the same direction (faster than 100kph) as the front wheels, making for more manoeuvrability at low speeds and greater stability at high speeds.
Mercedes-AMG describes the new GT’s cockpit layout as “hyper analogue”, combining traditional design elements with the latest digitised interfaces, including a portrait-style 11.9-inch multimedia touchscreen incorporating Merc’s MBUX functionality.
Moon Music
Artist: Coldplay
Label: Parlophone/Atlantic
Number of tracks: 10
Rating: 3/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
French business
France has organised a delegation of leading businesses to travel to Syria. The group was led by French shipping giant CMA CGM, which struck a 30-year contract in May with the Syrian government to develop and run Latakia port. Also present were water and waste management company Suez, defence multinational Thales, and Ellipse Group, which is currently looking into rehabilitating Syrian hospitals.
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Xpanceo
Started: 2018
Founders: Roman Axelrod, Valentyn Volkov
Based: Dubai, UAE
Industry: Smart contact lenses, augmented/virtual reality
Funding: $40 million
Investor: Opportunity Venture (Asia)
CHATGPT%20ENTERPRISE%20FEATURES
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Apple%20Mac%20through%20the%20years
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Liverpool's all-time goalscorers
Ian Rush 339
Roger Hunt 280
Mohamed Salah 250
Gordon Hodgson 225
Billy Liddell 220
SPEC SHEET
Display: 6.8" edge quad-HD dynamic Amoled 2X, Infinity-O, 3088 x 1440, 500ppi, HDR10 , 120Hz
Processor: 4nm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1/Exynos 2200, 8-core
Memory: 8/12GB RAM
Storage: 128/256/512GB/1TB
Platform: Android 12
Main camera: quad 12MP ultra-wide f/2.2, 108MP wide f/1.8, 10MP telephoto f/4.9, 10MP telephoto 2.4; Space Zoom up to 100x, auto HDR, expert RAW
Video: 8K@24fps, 4K@60fps, full-HD@60fps, HD@30fps, super slo-mo@960fps
Front camera: 40MP f/2.2
Battery: 5000mAh, fast wireless charging 2.0 Wireless PowerShare
Connectivity: 5G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.2, NFC
I/O: USB-C
SIM: single nano, or nano and SIM, nano and nano, eSIM/nano and nano
Colours: burgundy, green, phantom black, phantom white, graphite, sky blue, red
Price: Dh4,699 for 128GB, Dh5,099 for 256GB, Dh5,499 for 512GB; 1TB unavailable in the UAE
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
Price, base / as tested: Dh182,178
Engine: 3.7-litre V6
Power: 350hp @ 7,400rpm
Torque: 374Nm @ 5,200rpm
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 10.5L / 100km
Tonight's Chat on The National
Tonight's Chat is a series of online conversations on The National. The series features a diverse range of celebrities, politicians and business leaders from around the Arab world.
Tonight’s Chat host Ricardo Karam is a renowned author and broadcaster with a decades-long career in TV. He has previously interviewed Bill Gates, Carlos Ghosn, Andre Agassi and the late Zaha Hadid, among others. Karam is also the founder of Takreem.
Intellectually curious and thought-provoking, Tonight’s Chat moves the conversation forward.
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Schedule:
Sept 15: Bangladesh v Sri Lanka (Dubai)
Sept 16: Pakistan v Qualifier (Dubai)
Sept 17: Sri Lanka v Afghanistan (Abu Dhabi)
Sept 18: India v Qualifier (Dubai)
Sept 19: India v Pakistan (Dubai)
Sept 20: Bangladesh v Afghanistan (Abu Dhabi) Super Four
Sept 21: Group A Winner v Group B Runner-up (Dubai)
Sept 21: Group B Winner v Group A Runner-up (Abu Dhabi)
Sept 23: Group A Winner v Group A Runner-up (Dubai)
Sept 23: Group B Winner v Group B Runner-up (Abu Dhabi)
Sept 25: Group A Winner v Group B Winner (Dubai)
Sept 26: Group A Runner-up v Group B Runner-up (Abu Dhabi)
Sept 28: Final (Dubai)
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
EA Sports FC 26
Publisher: EA Sports
Consoles: PC, PlayStation 4/5, Xbox Series X/S
Rating: 3/5
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh825,900
On sale: Now
Company%20profile
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The Perfect Couple
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Liev Schreiber, Jack Reynor
Creator: Jenna Lamia
Rating: 3/5
Results
6.30pm: Baniyas (PA) Group 2 Dh195,000 1,400m | Winner: ES Ajeeb, Sam Hitchcock (jockey), Ibrahim Aseel (trainer)
7.05pm: Maiden (TB) Dh165,000 1,400m | Winner: Al Shamkhah, Royston Ffrench, Sandeep Jadhav
7.40pm: Handicap (TB) Dh190,000 1,200m | Winner: Lavaspin, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar
8.15pm: Maiden (TB) Dh165,000 1,200m | Winner: Kawasir, Dane O’Neill, Musabah Al Muhairi
8.50pm: Rated Conditions (TB) Dh240,000 1,600m | Winner: Cosmo Charlie, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson
9.20pm: Handicap (TB) Dh165,000 1,400m | Winner: Bochart, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar
10pm: Handicap (TB) Dh175,000 2,000m | Winner: Quartier Francais, Fernando Jara, Ali Rashid Al Raihe
The full list of 2020 Brit Award nominees (winners in bold):
British group
Coldplay
Foals
Bring me the Horizon
D-Block Europe
Bastille
British Female
Mabel
Freya Ridings
FKA Twigs
Charli xcx
Mahalia
British male
Harry Styles
Lewis Capaldi
Dave
Michael Kiwanuka
Stormzy
Best new artist
Aitch
Lewis Capaldi
Dave
Mabel
Sam Fender
Best song
Ed Sheeran and Justin Bieber - I Don’t Care
Mabel - Don’t Call Me Up
Calvin Harrison and Rag’n’Bone Man - Giant
Dave - Location
Mark Ronson feat. Miley Cyrus - Nothing Breaks Like A Heart
AJ Tracey - Ladbroke Grove
Lewis Capaldi - Someone you Loved
Tom Walker - Just You and I
Sam Smith and Normani - Dancing with a Stranger
Stormzy - Vossi Bop
International female
Ariana Grande
Billie Eilish
Camila Cabello
Lana Del Rey
Lizzo
International male
Bruce Springsteen
Burna Boy
Tyler, The Creator
Dermot Kennedy
Post Malone
Best album
Stormzy - Heavy is the Head
Michael Kiwanuka - Kiwanuka
Lewis Capaldi - Divinely Uninspired to a Hellish Extent
Dave - Psychodrama
Harry Styles - Fine Line
Rising star
Celeste
Joy Crookes
beabadoobee
BANGLADESH SQUAD
Mashrafe Mortaza (captain), Tamim Iqbal, Liton Das, Soumya Sarkar, Mushfiqur Rahim (wicketkeeper), Mahmudullah, Shakib Al Hasan (vice captain), Mohammad Mithun, Sabbir Rahaman, Mosaddek Hossain, Mohammad Saifuddin, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Rubel Hossain, Mustafizur Rahman, Abu Jayed (Reporting by Rohith Nair in Bengaluru Editing by Amlan Chakraborty)
WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
WORLD'S%2010%20HIGHEST%20MOUNTAINS
%3Cp%3E1.%09Everest%0D%3Cbr%3E2.%09K2%0D%3Cbr%3E3.%09Kangchenjunga%0D%3Cbr%3E4.%09Lhotse%0D%3Cbr%3E5.%09Makalu%0D%3Cbr%3E6.%09Cho%20Oyu%0D%3Cbr%3E7.%09Dhaulagiri%0D%3Cbr%3E8.%09Manaslu%0D%3Cbr%3E9.%09Nanga%20Parbat%0D%3Cbr%3E10.%09Annapurna%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
THE SPECS
Engine: 6.75-litre twin-turbocharged V12 petrol engine
Power: 420kW
Torque: 780Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh1,350,000
On sale: Available for preorder now
Elvis
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Baz%20Luhrmann%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Austin%20Butler%2C%20Tom%20Hanks%2C%20Olivia%20DeJonge%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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MATCH INFO
Manchester United 1 (Greenwood 77')
Everton 1 (Lindelof 36' og)
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Omar Yabroudi's factfile
Born: October 20, 1989, Sharjah
Education: Bachelor of Science and Football, Liverpool John Moores University
2010: Accrington Stanley FC, internship
2010-2012: Crystal Palace, performance analyst with U-18 academy
2012-2015: Barnet FC, first-team performance analyst/head of recruitment
2015-2017: Nottingham Forest, head of recruitment
2018-present: Crystal Palace, player recruitment manager
Getting there
Flydubai flies direct from Dubai to Tbilisi from Dh1,025 return including taxes
