Mercedes-AMG GT3 Coming To America In Force

America's premier endurance racing series is about to get a new challenger on its hands in the form of the Mercedes-AMG GT3.

The German automaker has announced a partnership with Riley Motorsports that will see two of the GT racers fielded in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship: one to run under the name AMG-Team Riley Motorsports, and another by WeatherTech Racing – supported by the series' title sponsor. But those won't be the only examples of the Silver Star racer competing.

SunEnergy1 Racing is set to campaign a third AMG GT3, with the Mercedes-AMG Customer Sports Program set to add additional client teams before the start of the next season at Daytona in January. They'll be able to count on factory support not from across the ocean, but from a “specifically established technology and logistics center in Mooresville, North Carolina, which ensures a fast and reliable supply of parts and service for all teams in racing in North America.”

Though based on the road-going AMG GT, the GT3 racing version ditches the 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 in favor of the previous SLS AMG GT3's 6.3-liter atmospheric V8. Examples have already seen action in the Blancpain Endurance Series, ADAC GT Masters, and Japan's Super GT series. It'll have some stiff competition on its hands, however, in the GTD class of the IMSA series, including the Audi R8 LMS, Porsche 911 GT3 R, Lamborghini Huracan GT3, Ferrari 488 GT3, and Aston Martin Vantage GT3.