I drove this car on Circuit of the Americas for 3 days in December, 2015. The GT S is fast, it tracks well, has three suspension settings and produces a burble and grunt that put a smile on the face of this Porsche fanatic.
Sport Plus mode allowed for a pleasurable mix of safety and naughtiness. AMG would not all us to turn ESP off (probably for good reason).
The whole driving experience, which included most AMG models, really allowed us to see how the performance of the GT S is head and shoulders above the rest of the pack. For significantly less money you can buy the C63 which possesses the same 4.0 liter dual turbocharged motor, but overall performance of these cars has a significant gap, and the price difference is easy to explain.
Leaving ESP on made it easy to identify my only complaint for track driving: the accident avoidance system. Closely following other cars on the track with slightly later braking or a higher speed approaching a corner caused the accident avoidance system to engage far too often. While it might be a life saver on the street, it was truly annoying on the track.
The AMG lineup seems to have something for everyone, but the only AMG model that truly felt at home on the track was the GT S. But for daily driving on streets, they offer a good selection of performance cars with great sound, great power and a good feel.
But how do I feel overall about my track experience in the GT S. I'm still smiling...