Learning from the success of its first in-house sports car, Mercedes-Benz’s AMG division began developing a new, high-performance coupe and roadster with the help of Formula 1 star Lewis Hamilton. The AMG GT that bowed at the 2014 Paris Motor Show looked forward rather than borrowing from Mercedes-Benz’s illustrious past as its SLS predecessor did.

A gaping grille emblazoned with twin chrome bars at a large three-pointed star gives way to a long, low hood. The relatively upright windshield culminates in a sloping roofline that arches gracefully into the truncated tail. Under the long hood, AMG has plenty of space for its 4.0-liter twin-turbo V-8 engine, known internally as M178. Like the rest of the AMG GT, the V-8 was developed not in Stuttgart, but in Affalterbach under the watchful eye of AMG chief Tobias Moers. The exhaust manifolds and turbochargers sit inside the engine’s V in a bid to eradicate turbo lag. Dry-sump lubrication ensures reliable track and road performance. The latest version of AMG’s seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox hustles power to the rear wheels via a limited-slip differential.

AMG aimed to make the GT a pure sports car. The lineup bowed in AMG GT guise and the AMG GT S arrived not long after with a 515-hp version of the V-8—nearly 50 more than the standard engine—an adaptive suspension, a revised rear differential with electronic control, additional Race and Race Start drive modes for the AMG Dynamic Select system, upsized 19-inch front and 20-inch rear wheels, and a sport exhaust system with a bypass that opens up a more aggressive rumble at higher engine speeds.

The AMG GT S ‘Edition 1’ introduced the car to the world with special matte finish Selenite Gray paint, leather and Alcantara-wrapped sports seats, red seat belts, a carbon fiber roof, and a special body kit with a fixed rear spoiler. The example offered here has covered less than 200 miles and presents in as-new condition.