The new Mercedes GT3 does not come from HWA: a successor from the KTM environment?

(Motorsport-Total.com) – Long-time partner HWA will not receive a production order for the new GT3 car from Mercedes-AMG! What Motorsport-Total.com reported more than two months ago, has now been officially submitted by HWA AG.

“After the last few months of negotiations with Mercedes-AMG GmbH, the company has come to the conclusion that HWA AG will not carry out the development of the successor to the Mercedes-AMG GT3 as before,” says the ad hoc report from HWA from Wednesday evening after the stock market closed.

A listed company such as HWA AG must send an ad hoc report to prevent insider trading when a new situation could affect the stock market price.

HWA expects “significant negative impact”

And that cannot be prevented: It is a big blow that the company from Affalterbach, founded in 1998 by Hans-Werner Aufrecht, which was also involved in the operations of the Mercedes-AMG factory for a long time and employs more than 300 people, does not agree. receives an order from his biggest customer.

Especially since, according to the report, “other development and production projects announced and planned for 2024” are also delayed. HWA isn’t revealing any details, but a new HWA EVO car might be on the schedule.

“As a result of these issues, the Management Board of HWA AG expects a negative impact on the business development in the current financial year 2024 and thus also on the main financial figures of the company. Special forecast of sales and income for the current financial year 2024 cannot now be done.”

HWA is trying to remove orders from Mercedes

HWA board member Martin Marx is now focused on cost savings. In addition, they are moving forward with the “implementation of projects with customers beyond Mercedes-AMG GmbH,” even if they “do not expect” that the failed GT3 development contract and delays in other projects “can be paid off in the short term.”

This means that HWA is also intensifying its efforts to find new partners and customers to fill the hole left by the decision of Mercedes-AMG. It takes responsibility to improve your own profile and no longer be considered as a Mercedes service provider, as it was before.

But where will Mercedes-AMG develop and build the successor to the Mercedes-AMG GT3? How about Motorsport-Total.com As we have learned from several independent sources, there are some indications that Reiter Engineering will be the successor to HWA.

Is Reiter Engineering building a new GT3 Mercedes?

That would be very surprising. The manufacturer from Kirchanschöring in Bavaria, founded in 2000 by former Schnitzer engineer Hans Reiter, developed a GT3 version of the Lamborghini Gallardo on its own in 2006, but such a major order from Mercedes-AMG would be new territory for the team. approximately 50 employees.

But there is a connection between Reiter Engineering and Mercedes: The Reiter company worked as a development partner of the Austrian manufacturer, whose boss is Stefan Pierer, of the KTM X-Bow car. The 67-year-old Austrian has also been on the Mercedes-Benz management board since 2023.

“People from our workplace have already been contacted to help with the project,” says a scene insider Motorsport-Total.com that Reiter is already preparing to build Mercedes-AMG’s GT3 successor.

AMG spokesperson: “Reiter is one of several partners”

A spokesperson for Mercedes-AMG denies the study Motorsport-Total.com not: “We are in contact with Reiter, but Reiter is one of several partners who support us. This is not only related to the successor of GT3. We are also doing many things in-house. But when do I have to do it. it comes to the full details ask for your understanding. We will communicate this if ready.”

A new GT3 series car such as DTM or long-distance racing should not be delivered to customers until 2026 at the earliest. Will HWA remain Mercedes-AMG’s partner in the customer racing sector until then? “The aftermarket business in Mercedes-AMG customer racing is not affected by HWA AG’s failure to order the successor to the Mercedes-AMG GT3,” says HWA’s ad hoc announcement.

This means that HWA will continue to maintain customer racing support for the current GT3 and GT4 cars on behalf of the star-studded brand. “Both companies are in discussions about reshaping the future model of cooperation between HWA AG and Mercedes-AMG GmbH regarding the customer sports program,” HWA does not rule out future cooperation.