Mercedes-Benz AMG GT C190
Weaknesses, engine ratings and buying advice
The AMG GT C190 was the first car developed entirely in-house by AMG — not a tuned Mercedes, but a purpose-built sports car with front-mid engine, transaxle gearbox, and aluminum spaceframe. A Porsche 911 competitor, technically more independent than any AMG before.
The M178 V8 BiTurbo 4.0L is the sole engine — but in six power levels from 340 to 537 kW. The base AMG GT at 350 kW is already brutal. The AMG GT S at 384 kW has the electronic rear differential as standard — the smartest buy for daily use. The AMG GT R at 430 kW is the track weapon, and the AMG GT Black Series at 537 kW is a street-legal hypercar.
The M178 is fundamentally solid, but oil consumption rises under heavy use. The dry-sump lubrication requires more maintenance than a standard system. The 7-speed DCT (AMG SPEEDSHIFT) sits at the rear axle (transaxle) and can show wear with aggressive use — clutch and mechatronics are the expensive items. The optional ceramic brakes are durable; steel brakes suffice for street use.
Front tires are wide and vulnerable to curb contact — bent wheels are a common used-car defect.
Test-drive checklist: Cold-start — V8 sound must be symmetrical. Test DCT in city traffic for launch judder. On a safe area, test the rear end with ESP off — RWD with 400+ kW demands respect. Check wheels for curb damage.
2026 market: AMG GT from $71,500, GT S from $88,000, GT C from $104,500, GT R from $143,000, Black Series from $385,000.
Insider pick: AMG GT S (M178, 384 kW) with e-diff — the best balance of performance, dynamics, and daily usability.
730 PS
AMG GT Black Series · Benzin
Black Series: flat-plane crank, 730 hp, zero compromise
Legendary!525–585 PS
5.5L V8 BiTurbo Benzin
11 weaknesses
Stay Away!Generations
Engine Overview
The Mercedes-Benz AMG GT C190 is available with 6 engine variants — from 367 to 630 hp.
The M178 is AMG's sports car answer to Porsche — dry sump, hand-built, 4.0 litres with the turbos in the hot inner-V. The dry-sump system with a separate 12-litre oil reservoir is not just for show: under high lateral g-forces on the track the oil supply remains stable where a conventional engine would already suffer oil starvation. One Man, One Engine is not a marketing slogan — every engine has a plaque with the assembler's name, and that shows in build quality. Maintenance requirements are above average: intake valves carbon up through pure direct injection every 40,000–60,000 km; the hot-V turbo needs a few minutes of idle cool-down after track use. Shorten oil change intervals to 7,500 km — the manufacturer's recommendation is too long for spiritedly driven examples. Early production gearboxes up to 2017 were the weakest link: DCT replacement under 20,000 km occurred. Revised units run without issues. Replace ignition coils from 2018–2019 build years prophylactically if not already done.
- !! DCT Gearbox Early Failure — First Generation from 15,000 km
Early C190 models had DCT gearboxes that failed under 20,000 km — too much torque for the first gearbox generation. Mercedes replaced under warranty and revised the calibration.
Symptoms: Sudden neutral while driving, gearbox drops out, judder in the lower rev range. - !! Turbocharger Wear Under Intensive Track Use from 100,000 km
Hot-V turbochargers suffer from high heat on frequent track use. Improper shutdown after full load without cool-down accelerates bearing wear. Expensive to replace due to tight installation.
Symptoms: Whistling under load, smoke, power loss, elevated oil consumption. - !! Ignition Coil Failure — Service Campaign 2018–2019 from 40,000 km
Known problem 2018–2019: ignition coils fail from moisture ingress. Mercedes responded with a service campaign and revised coils with rubber sealing.
Symptoms: Misfires on individual cylinders, rough running, check engine light, power loss.
+ 5 more engine weaknesses + vehicle weaknesses
The M178 is AMG's sports car answer to Porsche — dry sump, hand-built, 4.0 litres with the turbos in the hot inner-V. The dry-sump system with a separate 12-litre oil reservoir is not just for show: under high lateral g-forces on the track the oil supply remains stable where a conventional engine would already suffer oil starvation. One Man, One Engine is not a marketing slogan — every engine has a plaque with the assembler's name, and that shows in build quality. Maintenance requirements are above average: intake valves carbon up through pure direct injection every 40,000–60,000 km; the hot-V turbo needs a few minutes of idle cool-down after track use. Shorten oil change intervals to 7,500 km — the manufacturer's recommendation is too long for spiritedly driven examples. Early production gearboxes up to 2017 were the weakest link: DCT replacement under 20,000 km occurred. Revised units run without issues. Replace ignition coils from 2018–2019 build years prophylactically if not already done.
- !! DCT Gearbox Early Failure — First Generation from 15,000 km
Early C190 models had DCT gearboxes that failed under 20,000 km — too much torque for the first gearbox generation. Mercedes replaced under warranty and revised the calibration.
Symptoms: Sudden neutral while driving, gearbox drops out, judder in the lower rev range. - !! Turbocharger Wear Under Intensive Track Use from 100,000 km
Hot-V turbochargers suffer from high heat on frequent track use. Improper shutdown after full load without cool-down accelerates bearing wear. Expensive to replace due to tight installation.
Symptoms: Whistling under load, smoke, power loss, elevated oil consumption. - !! Ignition Coil Failure — Service Campaign 2018–2019 from 40,000 km
Known problem 2018–2019: ignition coils fail from moisture ingress. Mercedes responded with a service campaign and revised coils with rubber sealing.
Symptoms: Misfires on individual cylinders, rough running, check engine light, power loss.
+ 5 more engine weaknesses + vehicle weaknesses
The M178 is AMG's sports car answer to Porsche — dry sump, hand-built, 4.0 litres with the turbos in the hot inner-V. The dry-sump system with a separate 12-litre oil reservoir is not just for show: under high lateral g-forces on the track the oil supply remains stable where a conventional engine would already suffer oil starvation. One Man, One Engine is not a marketing slogan — every engine has a plaque with the assembler's name, and that shows in build quality. Maintenance requirements are above average: intake valves carbon up through pure direct injection every 40,000–60,000 km; the hot-V turbo needs a few minutes of idle cool-down after track use. Shorten oil change intervals to 7,500 km — the manufacturer's recommendation is too long for spiritedly driven examples. Early production gearboxes up to 2017 were the weakest link: DCT replacement under 20,000 km occurred. Revised units run without issues. Replace ignition coils from 2018–2019 build years prophylactically if not already done.
- !! DCT Gearbox Early Failure — First Generation from 15,000 km
Early C190 models had DCT gearboxes that failed under 20,000 km — too much torque for the first gearbox generation. Mercedes replaced under warranty and revised the calibration.
Symptoms: Sudden neutral while driving, gearbox drops out, judder in the lower rev range. - !! Turbocharger Wear Under Intensive Track Use from 100,000 km
Hot-V turbochargers suffer from high heat on frequent track use. Improper shutdown after full load without cool-down accelerates bearing wear. Expensive to replace due to tight installation.
Symptoms: Whistling under load, smoke, power loss, elevated oil consumption. - !! Ignition Coil Failure — Service Campaign 2018–2019 from 40,000 km
Known problem 2018–2019: ignition coils fail from moisture ingress. Mercedes responded with a service campaign and revised coils with rubber sealing.
Symptoms: Misfires on individual cylinders, rough running, check engine light, power loss.
+ 5 more engine weaknesses + vehicle weaknesses
The M178 is AMG's sports car answer to Porsche — dry sump, hand-built, 4.0 litres with the turbos in the hot inner-V. The dry-sump system with a separate 12-litre oil reservoir is not just for show: under high lateral g-forces on the track the oil supply remains stable where a conventional engine would already suffer oil starvation. One Man, One Engine is not a marketing slogan — every engine has a plaque with the assembler's name, and that shows in build quality. Maintenance requirements are above average: intake valves carbon up through pure direct injection every 40,000–60,000 km; the hot-V turbo needs a few minutes of idle cool-down after track use. Shorten oil change intervals to 7,500 km — the manufacturer's recommendation is too long for spiritedly driven examples. Early production gearboxes up to 2017 were the weakest link: DCT replacement under 20,000 km occurred. Revised units run without issues. Replace ignition coils from 2018–2019 build years prophylactically if not already done.
- !! DCT Gearbox Early Failure — First Generation from 15,000 km
Early C190 models had DCT gearboxes that failed under 20,000 km — too much torque for the first gearbox generation. Mercedes replaced under warranty and revised the calibration.
Symptoms: Sudden neutral while driving, gearbox drops out, judder in the lower rev range. - !! Turbocharger Wear Under Intensive Track Use from 100,000 km
Hot-V turbochargers suffer from high heat on frequent track use. Improper shutdown after full load without cool-down accelerates bearing wear. Expensive to replace due to tight installation.
Symptoms: Whistling under load, smoke, power loss, elevated oil consumption. - !! Ignition Coil Failure — Service Campaign 2018–2019 from 40,000 km
Known problem 2018–2019: ignition coils fail from moisture ingress. Mercedes responded with a service campaign and revised coils with rubber sealing.
Symptoms: Misfires on individual cylinders, rough running, check engine light, power loss.
+ 5 more engine weaknesses + vehicle weaknesses
The M178 is AMG's sports car answer to Porsche — dry sump, hand-built, 4.0 litres with the turbos in the hot inner-V. The dry-sump system with a separate 12-litre oil reservoir is not just for show: under high lateral g-forces on the track the oil supply remains stable where a conventional engine would already suffer oil starvation. One Man, One Engine is not a marketing slogan — every engine has a plaque with the assembler's name, and that shows in build quality. Maintenance requirements are above average: intake valves carbon up through pure direct injection every 40,000–60,000 km; the hot-V turbo needs a few minutes of idle cool-down after track use. Shorten oil change intervals to 7,500 km — the manufacturer's recommendation is too long for spiritedly driven examples. Early production gearboxes up to 2017 were the weakest link: DCT replacement under 20,000 km occurred. Revised units run without issues. Replace ignition coils from 2018–2019 build years prophylactically if not already done.
- !! DCT Gearbox Early Failure — First Generation from 15,000 km
Early C190 models had DCT gearboxes that failed under 20,000 km — too much torque for the first gearbox generation. Mercedes replaced under warranty and revised the calibration.
Symptoms: Sudden neutral while driving, gearbox drops out, judder in the lower rev range. - !! Turbocharger Wear Under Intensive Track Use from 100,000 km
Hot-V turbochargers suffer from high heat on frequent track use. Improper shutdown after full load without cool-down accelerates bearing wear. Expensive to replace due to tight installation.
Symptoms: Whistling under load, smoke, power loss, elevated oil consumption. - !! Ignition Coil Failure — Service Campaign 2018–2019 from 40,000 km
Known problem 2018–2019: ignition coils fail from moisture ingress. Mercedes responded with a service campaign and revised coils with rubber sealing.
Symptoms: Misfires on individual cylinders, rough running, check engine light, power loss.
+ 5 more engine weaknesses + vehicle weaknesses
The M178 is AMG's sports car answer to Porsche — dry sump, hand-built, 4.0 litres with the turbos in the hot inner-V. The dry-sump system with a separate 12-litre oil reservoir is not just for show: under high lateral g-forces on the track the oil supply remains stable where a conventional engine would already suffer oil starvation. One Man, One Engine is not a marketing slogan — every engine has a plaque with the assembler's name, and that shows in build quality. Maintenance requirements are above average: intake valves carbon up through pure direct injection every 40,000–60,000 km; the hot-V turbo needs a few minutes of idle cool-down after track use. Shorten oil change intervals to 7,500 km — the manufacturer's recommendation is too long for spiritedly driven examples. Early production gearboxes up to 2017 were the weakest link: DCT replacement under 20,000 km occurred. Revised units run without issues. Replace ignition coils from 2018–2019 build years prophylactically if not already done.
- !! DCT Gearbox Early Failure — First Generation from 15,000 km
Early C190 models had DCT gearboxes that failed under 20,000 km — too much torque for the first gearbox generation. Mercedes replaced under warranty and revised the calibration.
Symptoms: Sudden neutral while driving, gearbox drops out, judder in the lower rev range. - !! Turbocharger Wear Under Intensive Track Use from 100,000 km
Hot-V turbochargers suffer from high heat on frequent track use. Improper shutdown after full load without cool-down accelerates bearing wear. Expensive to replace due to tight installation.
Symptoms: Whistling under load, smoke, power loss, elevated oil consumption. - !! Ignition Coil Failure — Service Campaign 2018–2019 from 40,000 km
Known problem 2018–2019: ignition coils fail from moisture ingress. Mercedes responded with a service campaign and revised coils with rubber sealing.
Symptoms: Misfires on individual cylinders, rough running, check engine light, power loss.
+ 5 more engine weaknesses + vehicle weaknesses
Vehicle Weaknesses
| Weakness | Cost | |
|---|---|---|
| DCT gearbox early failure The dual-clutch gearboxes on early C190 models (2015–2017) could not cope with the enormous torque and sometimes had to be replaced in under 20,000 km. Symptoms: Jerking when pulling away, abrupt neutral engagement, uncontrolled revving from 18,000 km | High | |
| Premature Dual Clutch Gearbox Failure Early C190 production vehicles showed gearbox failures sometimes before 20,000 km due to excessive torque. Synchroniser rings wear quickly; clunking when shifting from D to R is a typical symptom. Repair only possible at AMG. Symptoms: Metallic bang when shifting from D to R, especially cold; gear judder; abrupt neutral engagement while driving from 25,000 km | High |
Test Reports
TÜV Report 2024
The high-performance coupé delivers good MOT results, typical for well-maintained sports cars.
2023-11Top Reported Issues
Alternatives
BMW M8 G15
Sports Car (2019–2026)
BMW M8 G16
Sports Car (2019–2026)
Porsche 911 992
Sports Car (2019–2024)
Toyota GR Supra A90
Sports Car (2019–2025)
Kia ProCeed CD
Sports Car (2018–2024)
Acura NSX NC1
Sports Car (2017–2022)
Explore more
Known Problems and Issues +
A total of 57 weaknesses have been documented for the Mercedes-Benz AMG GT C190 (2015–2021) — 49 engine-related and 8 vehicle-related. One problem engine: M157 (5.5L V8 BiTurbo). Typical issues affect Gearbox, Steering, Interior, Electronics.
AMG GT (M178, 2015–2017) — Be Careful: DCT Gearbox Early Failure — First Generation, Turbocharger Wear Under Intensive Track Use, Ignition Coil Failure — Service Campaign 2018–2019. Power: 462 PS.
AMG GT (M178, 2015–2017) — Be Careful: DCT Gearbox Early Failure — First Generation, Turbocharger Wear Under Intensive Track Use, Ignition Coil Failure — Service Campaign 2018–2019. Power: 510 PS.
AMG GT (M178, 2017–2021) — Be Careful: DCT Gearbox Early Failure — First Generation, Turbocharger Wear Under Intensive Track Use, Ignition Coil Failure — Service Campaign 2018–2019. Power: 476 PS.
AMG GT (M178, 2017–2021) — Be Careful: DCT Gearbox Early Failure — First Generation, Turbocharger Wear Under Intensive Track Use, Ignition Coil Failure — Service Campaign 2018–2019. Power: 522 PS.
AMG GT (M178, 2017–2021) — Be Careful: DCT Gearbox Early Failure — First Generation, Turbocharger Wear Under Intensive Track Use, Ignition Coil Failure — Service Campaign 2018–2019. Power: 557 PS.
AMG GT (M178, 2017–2021) — Be Careful: DCT Gearbox Early Failure — First Generation, Turbocharger Wear Under Intensive Track Use, Ignition Coil Failure — Service Campaign 2018–2019. Power: 585 PS.
AMG GT (M177, 2018–2025) — Be Careful: MCT Gearbox — Clutch Wears in City Traffic, Camshaft Adjuster Solenoid Draws Oil into Wiring Harness, Timing chain guide failure. Power: 585 PS.
AMG GT (M177, 2018–2025) — Be Careful: MCT Gearbox — Clutch Wears in City Traffic, Camshaft Adjuster Solenoid Draws Oil into Wiring Harness, Timing chain guide failure. Power: 639 PS.
AMG GT (M177, 2018–2026) — Be Careful: MCT Gearbox — Clutch Wears in City Traffic, Camshaft Adjuster Solenoid Draws Oil into Wiring Harness, Timing chain guide failure. Power: 530 PS.
AMG GT (M178, 2020–2021) — Be Careful: DCT Gearbox Early Failure — First Generation, Turbocharger Wear Under Intensive Track Use, Ignition Coil Failure — Service Campaign 2018–2019. Power: 730 PS.
AMG GT (M256, 2018–2025) — Be Careful: 48V ISG Battery Failure, Camshaft Adjuster Solenoid Leaking — Oil in Wiring Harness, Elevated Oil Consumption at Higher Mileage. Power: 367 PS.
AMG GT (M256, 2018–2025) — Be Careful: 48V ISG Battery Failure, Camshaft Adjuster Solenoid Leaking — Oil in Wiring Harness, Elevated Oil Consumption at Higher Mileage. Power: 435 PS.
What to watch out for with the Mercedes-Benz AMG GT? See the detailed listing of all engine and vehicle weaknesses in the sections above.
Frequently Asked Questions
What problems and weaknesses does the Mercedes-Benz AMG GT C190 have? +
What should I look for when buying a used Mercedes-Benz AMG GT C190? +
Which engine is recommended? +
Which Mercedes-Benz AMG GT C190 engine is the most fun? +
Is the Mercedes-Benz AMG GT C190 worth buying used? +
What horsepower variants are available for the Mercedes-Benz AMG GT C190? +
Last updated: February 2026 · All information without guarantee