On a hot and humid night in May, RENNtech arrived at Palm
Beach International Raceway’s drag strip with a brand-new Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S 4-door Coupe. The menacing family “sedan” had
left the factory in Affalterbach, Germany, with the AMG developed 4.0L (M177)
twin-scroll BiTurbo V8 engine 630 HP and 664 lb-ft of torque, but since
arriving in the United States, the car had benefitted from RENNtech’s
engineering and know-how for developing some seriously fast Mercedes-Benzes in
Stuart, FL.
True to their go-fast(er)-philosophy, this GT 63 S had been upgraded with RENNtech’s R2 Performance Package. Including ECU, Turbo, Fuel System upgrades, Downpipes, Blow Off Valves, and BMC Air Filters, RENNtech had raised the power output to an incredible 875 HP and 873 lb-ft of torque!! Increasing the power output by 245 HP and 209 lb-ft of torque on an highly tuned AMG engine is a remarkable feat, and passing the 800 HP mark offered new challenges for the RENNtech engineers.
First, RENNtech had to develop a Fuel Delivery system capable
of raising the volume to match the increased power created by the upgraded turbos.
Second, to remain “street-spec” the car had to perform on readily available
pump gas, because that is how RENNtech sees their customers using the car. Testing
product upgrades with high octane racing fuel, volatile Nitrous Oxide or highly
flammable Methanol, does not fit RENNtech’s modus operandi of developing race technology
for daily street use.
A few weeks earlier RENNtech
had tested the GT 63 S with their plug-and-play HHT ECU upgrade (783 HP and 798
TQ), and set a record time of 10.652 seconds @ 127.38 mph with a
flip of a switch. Now, with an additional 92 HP and 55 lb-ft of torque breaking
the mid 10 second mark was the target but certainly not a given, and on this
muggy Florida night the dyno measured figures were about to turn into real
world results.
With Feyhl behind the wheel the GT 63 S R2 roared down
the lane and lit up the timing board at 10.479
sec at 130.87 mph. Seriously
fast, and a new record as the fastest AMG
GT 63 S 4-Door Coupe running on readily available pump gas (tested with 93 octanes
in FL).
When asked about the result, Feyhl answered in his German
matter-of-fact way. “The car performed
excellent, but it can go even faster. With a change in temperature, or DA
(Density Altitude), our customers will experience faster times. A hot and humid
Florida night like tonight is like driving through soup.”
For everyone at RENNtech, as well as their band of loyal customers,
the night was a success. Erasing their own record by creating a new one measured
both progress and performance, while proving that RENNtech is on top of their
game.
