Mercedes-Benz Performance’s new era has been inaugurated as the manufacturer reveals its latest flagship sedan. Dubbed the Mercedes-AMG GT 4-Door Coupe, this all-electric model is set to revolutionize consumer expectations when it comes to high-performance electric cars. While some auto manufacturers are backing off from their plans to electrify, AMG is forging ahead to create an all-electric alternative to its line of ICE-powered vehicles. This model represents a drastic shift from its predecessor, which featured two loud, twin-turbo V8 engines.
Beneath the striking body lies a new AMG.EA platform tailored exclusively for high-performance electric automobiles – it doesn’t make use of components used by regular Mercedes-Benz passenger EVs. The design takes a large chunk of influence from the recently revealed Concept AMG GT XX, but the production model has seen numerous aesthetic changes from the show model. The sleek and flowing silhouette has already sparked discussions among automotive aficionados concerning its unusual rear profile.
In order to compete against such rivals as the Porsche Taycan and Audi e-tron GT, the developers at Affalterbach gave priority to the raw power of mechanical units. Specifically, the GT 63 4Matic+ uses three axial flux electric motors that generate 1,153 horsepower. At the moment when the driver presses the launch control, the engine generates up to 2,000 Nm of torque. Additionally, there will be a GT 55 model that will be slightly less powerful but equally interesting for some consumers: its power is estimated at 805 horsepower.
The straight-line acceleration of this rather heavy car is close to the acceleration numbers that belong to modern supercars. For example, the GT 63 reaches the speed of 100 km/h from zero in 2.1 seconds with the help of one-foot rollout and in 2.4 seconds without such assistance. In case the driver continues to press the throttle button, the acceleration from 0 to 200 km/h takes 6.8 seconds. With the optional AMG Driver’s Package, the maximum speed is limited by 300 km/h because of electronic limitations. It seems incredible that both models are rather heavy: their weight equals 2,460 kg.
It is worth noting that the energy supply for three engines occurs due to the 106 kWh battery pack. In the presence of an original 800-volt electrical architecture, this battery provides the opportunity for fast charging at the level of 600 kW. Thus, one can recharge this battery from 10 to 80 percent within 11 minutes. Moreover, road tourists will be able to gain 460 km of driving range in 10 minutes. As per the official data, on a fully charged battery, GT 63 allows one to cover a distance of 696 km under the combined WLTP cycle, and GT 55 can achieve up to 700 km.
A special attention should be drawn to the fact that Mercedes-AMG engineers provided their car with advanced chassis technology, which allows the latter to perform as efficiently in curves as any other real sports car. To mention, the dashboard of the vehicle is equipped with the AMGFORCE Sport+ system with physical Response Control and Agility Control knobs. This system allows drivers to easily change the way how the engine operates and modify the behavior of the car while cornering.
The vehicle takes advantage of the sophisticated AMG Active Ride Control air suspension technology, which helps conceal the fact that it weighs 2,460 kg. Semi-active anti-roll technology is used alongside fully tunable compression and rebound dampers. Standard active rear-axle steering involves steering the rear wheels in the opposite direction to the front wheels below 80 km/h. When traveling at more than 80 km/h, the rear wheels will also turn in the same direction as the front wheels to boost stability. Brake power is also divided with large carbon-ceramic discs at the front end of the vehicle and regular steel brakes at the rear end.
To add some excitement to the silent ride offered by electric vehicles, the automaker developed a dedicated AMGFORCE S+ system to produce engine sounds. The software produces a deep and rich V8 soundtrack of the previous generation of the track-oriented AMG GT R coupe. It even adds artificial gear changes in the sound output for improved realism.
The interior offers a completely different design concept compared to the previous generations’ Mercedes-AMG interiors. The car features a 10.2-inch digital display behind the driver, along with a 14-inch touchscreen display located right in the center. Furthermore, the buyer may even add a third display of the same dimensions that is designed exclusively for the front passenger. The vehicle also features high-quality carbon-fiber elements around the center console and doors, as well as the Sky Control glass roof that changes its color and transparency.
At this time, the official price of the car has yet to be released, however, representatives from Mercedes-AMG stated that the final price tag for this new generation of electric vehicles will be comparable to the previous generation of gas cars. It means that we should expect an approximate price tag of about €170,000 and after including all additional options, the number will easily reach close to €260,000.
