Can Mercedes Take on the Porsche 911 and Win?

Photos courtesy of Daimler.

It's no secret in the automotive industry that a lively competition is always thriving among the German luxury brands. One of those rivalries is heating up in an interesting way as Mercedes sets its sights on the mighty Porsche 911.

Many other automakers in the past have sought to knock the 911 from its perch as one of the most popular and celebrated sports cars in the world. While the car is far from perfect, the 911 has a following that you could easily describe as cult-like in its devotion. For full disclosure, I fell in love with the 911 as a child and probably have never fully recovered, although I have reached the point where I can see the flaws in the car that also make it so incredible.

The car that Mercedes is unleashing onto the market is the AMG GT. It looks like it should have gullwing doors, but it does not, which is a strange slight to the legendary SLS. What the car does have is a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V-8 and a seven-speed automatic transmission. Peak output measures 456 horsepower. There is a higher-performance AMG GT S in the works as well, which boasts 503 horsepower and helps the car rocket from 0 to 60 mph in just 3.7 seconds. In addition, the top speed comes in at 193 mph.

How long do you have to wait to see the car at dealerships? The Merecedes AMG GT S launches in spring of 2015, so you only have to make it through the winter. The AMG GT will hit showroom floors in 2016.

The real question is, what will Porsche do to ensure the 911 weathers the coming storm?