Battery size: 106 kWh
Max charge rate: 600kW
WLTP Range: 370 - 432 miles
Real-world range: 290 - 370 miles
Introduction
Say hello to Mercedes-AMG’s Porsche Taycan / Audi GT killer. It might be late to the market, but the AMG GT 4-Door is specced to the gills; a triplet of powerful axial flux motors, 1,184hp and nearly 2,000Nm of torque means it’s the fastest and most powerful AMG ever built. But it’s also going to get delicacy and fun via a dynamic setup that can be changed at the wiggle of the onboard ‘Race Engineer’ dials. Filled with some exceptional battery tech, there’s also terrific charging capability - 600kW DC on a big enough charger that would see 268-miles of range added in just 10 minutes; that’s fast in every direction. Late to the party it may be, but AMG isn’t being left behind. The only real question is whether it looks slinky enough to tempt buyers of large EV saloons.
Range, battery and charging
Ok, so 370-miles WLTP for the 106kWh ’63’ maximum horsepower version doesn’t seem like a game-changer, but there’s a ’55’ with the same battery and only 800-ish bhp if you need a bit more range and fewer visits to the osteopath. But that’s moot if you know where the chargers are; an innovative oil-cooled battery offers up to 600kW of DC charging on it’s 800-volt architecture if you can find a big enough charger, meaning 10-80-percent in a theoretical 11 minutes, or 268 miles added in 10. More practically, it’ll hoover up pretty much anything any public charger can offer, and that’s a fair bit of futureproofing as the charging network ups its game. Weirdly, it only gets 11kW AC, but you can’t have everything. As you might expect from a car that’s likely to cost in the region of 200k, it comes with a mega heatpump, heated everything and plenty of options.
Practicality and performance
The Mercedes-AMG GT 63 4-Door Coupé can be optioned as either a four or five seater and space is good in the front, adequate (for an EV) in the back. There’s a decent boot at 415-litres, and a useful 41-litre frunk. So it’s a practical enough daily. But that’s not really what you’re here for. This is a big-power saloon, and the raw numbers are faintly startling. The headlines are 1,184hp and nearly 2,000Nm when all the dials are set to max attack. That’s 0-62mph in 2.1 seconds and a 186mph top speed. Enough to bully even the fastest of Porsche Taycans. The GT63 is the big power version, the GT55 slightly more demure - but still 800hp+.
The interesting things here are buried in the tech; a triplet of axial flux motors - usually seen in hybrid supercars like the Lamborghini Temerario/Revuelto and Ferrari 296 GTB/SF90 Stradale - give all-wheel drive and the ability to torque vector and change the car’s handling characteristics. So there’s a ‘Race Engineer’ selection of rotary dials that can change sensitivities, traction control and virtual wheelbase; this is a car that you can set up however you want it. There’s also AMGFORCE mode, which gives fake gearshifts from the paddles behind the wheel, shifts which include a little stutter so that it feels like a mechanical gearbox, many buttons to push. There’s noise sampled from the bellicose AMG GT R, very active aerodynamics and a plethora of new tech to play with. And that’s all backed up by a battery that’s been designed to provide power with exceptional repeatability and consistency. No fading of performance if you decide to visit a racetrack.
Interior, styling and technology
The big question? How people will react to the GT 4-door’s styling. There’s a slightly weighty look to the car, even if the profile is lower than before. The front gets a big, illuminated, vertically slatted non-grille, LED lighting all-round and a large black mask around the rear with six star-shaped rear lights. In fact, there are a lot of star shapes on the car - which you’ll either love or hate. Plus there’s ‘aerokinetics’ - moveable underbody aero that increases the Venturi effect of air moving underneath, electric louvres in the front grille. But at the back you can have either more moveable underbody aero - that you can’t see - for track effect, or a rear Venturi that extends about 8 inches at 70mph to make the car more efficient.
Both get a moveable rear spoiler that stabilises the car at speed. Inside it’s a well-made, if slightly overwhelming place to be. A 10.2-inch driver’s screen that flows into a 14-inch screen angled towards the driver, with another 14-incher aimed at the passenger, silver and red accents all over. The Race Engineer knobs are on the centre console and angled towards the driver, and yes, you’ll be able to adjust them by feel rather than prodding at a touchscreen. Other than that, it’s the usual Mercedes slight-overload - albeit with lovely comfortable seating and interesting lighting. It’s a bit theatrical, but that’s ok. Options abound, including a photochromic pano-roof that can display various designs or an optional - and lighter - carbonfibre solid roof. But we’re not sure how much practical difference that would make on a near 2.5-tonne electric car.
Motors and performance
Both the GT55 and GT63 get three axial flux motors - two in the rear and one in the front. Axial Flux or ‘pancake’ motors are dinner plate-sized items about three inches thick which provide 60-odd percent more power and torque than a traditional motor - handy for a super saloon where you also want as much space free as possible. The AMG.EA architecture on which the GT 4-Door is based makes best use of them - they’re contained in remarkably small housings, and the EV GT 4-door is actually lower than the combustion-based previous version, even with the battery stuffed under the floor.
Interestingly, Mercedes was so impressed with the tech that they bought the UK company that makes the motors - YASA, from Oxford - in 2021, probably to give AMG a big-noise tech story to go with its first pure electric car. We’ll have to see how they stack up when we drive it, though the numbers and control options are already impressive.
Pricing and on sale date
Prices haven’t been officially announced as yet, but expect it to be largely in line with the previous version, plus a bit more. Seeing as the last 63 e-Performance hybrid listed at just under £179k, expect nearer 200. We should drive the car later in the year and see deliveries not long after, but if you’re buying on finance, be aware that this won’t be a cheap option.
Verdict
Electrifying is yet to drive the Mercedes-AMG GT 4-door, but the specs are epic. Huge horsepower, but the admission that an electric AMG needs to be emotional as well as just fast. So there’s plenty of tricks in there to try and make it feel more appropriate - from the on-board Race Engineer to some loud and proud sound generation. But it’s not just a horsepower hero - the innovative battery and cooling system means it’ll charge like a champion and be future-proofed in the process. Yes, it’s got polarising styling and isn’t the first car of this type that we’ve seen, but has AMG decided to be late to the party but make it a grand entrance? We’ll find out for sure later in the year.
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