Mercedes sets out to take on the Porsche 911 Turbo with its new AMG GT S sports car.

Five months after delivering word it would unleash an all-new high-performance sports car, Mercedes-Benz has lifted the covers on its new AMG GT S.

The new model comes shortly after the Teutonic maker ended production of its SLS supercar. But the 2016 Mercedes AMG GT S isn’t a direct replacement. At around $120,000 or less than half the price of the SLS, the new 2-seater will be targeting such German competitors as the Porsche 911 and Audi R8.

“We are venturing out into a challenging sports car segment with its top-class competitive field,” proclaimed Mercedes’ R&D chief Thomas Weber. “This is an incentive and motivation for us at the same time to prove to sports car enthusiasts around the world the kind of performance that AMG is capable of.”

Interest in the GT has been strong since Mercedes revealed a teaser image of its interior and a rough exterior silhouette at the New York Auto Show last April. A formal public debut is scheduled for the Paris Motor Show barely a month from now.

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Despite the lack of gullwing doors, the new AMG GT S retains some cues from the old Mercedes SLS.

The GT S should be able to develop a broader audience than the old SLS – with which it shares its basic shape. There’s a much wider market for cars in the $120,000 segment, though Mercedes isn’t saying what its sales targets are.

The new model will forego the gull-wing doors that were a signature of the coupe version of the SLS – the convertible going with more conventional portals. That should also save some weight, a definite plus for performance and fuel economy. In keeping with general industry trends, the 2016 Mercedes AMG GT S will adopt an “aluminum-intensive” design, the lightweight metal used for 90% of the frame and all of the body panels except for the steel trunk lid.

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The Euro-spec version will weigh in at 3,461 pounds, 55 pounds less than the Porsche 911 Turbo.

Under the long aluminum hood, meanwhile, engineers will pack an all-new twin-turbo 4.0-liter V-8 that is expected to make 456-horsepower and 443 pound-feet of torque. That is however, 64 less than the Porsche Turbo.

The new 4.0-liter twin-turbo V-8 is expected to see widespread use in other Mercedes AMG models.

But the performance numbers Mercedes promises suggest its AMG engineering team has found ways to overcome that gap. The GT S is expected to launch from 0-to-60 in a mere 3.7 seconds, with a rated top speed of 193 mph.

The maker may disappoint some purists with its decision to forego a manual gearbox, though a growing number of high-performance brands have been taking that step. In this case, Mercedes will opt for a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission with paddle-shifters. The car will feature five drive modes that will allow the motorist to switch not just transmission behavior but throttle response and the function of various body and brake control systems.

The 2016 Mercedes-Benz AMG GT S will be targeting a rarified but impressive segment of the market that has actually been expanding. Along with the Porsche 911 and Audi R8, it also will go up against the likes of the Nissan GT-R, soon to go through a major redesign, as well as the revived Acura NSX due out early next year. Jaguar also nudges into this niche with the coupe version of its popular F-Type.

A look inside the new Mercedes AMG GT S.

Mercedes has another entry in the segment, it’s long-lived SL roadster. But that vehicle isn’t expected to directly compete with the new GT.

For those looking to push the extremes, Mercedes will offer a wide range of options for the GT, including an adjustable sport suspension, electronic locking differential, carbon ceramic brakes, and a sport-tuned exhaust system.

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After its official Paris debut, Mercedes plans to give the new GT S a U.S. preview at November’s Los Angeles Auto Show.

One of the unanswered questions is whether Mercedes will stick with a single powertrain package or follow the Porsche model and eventually offer a range of engines that could expand the sports car’s long-term appeal.