Mercedes-AMG has pulled out all the stops for its latest performance vehicle. The all-electric GT 4-Door sprints from 0-60 mph (0-100 km/h) in just 2 seconds, and it even emulates the sound of a thundering V8 while it's at it.
Rather than being a souped-up Mercedes EV, this is built from the ground up on the new AMG.EA architecture that's intended to burn serious rubber on track asphalt and hit an electronically limited top speed of 186-mph (300 km/h).
It'll take the fight to the Porsche Taycan and other performance-oriented electrics, and will be available in two variants: the GT55 4-Door with 805 hp and 1,328 lb.ft (1,800 Nm) of torque coming later this year, and the beefier GT63 with 1,153 hp and 1,475 lb.ft (2,000 Nm) of torque arriving early in 2027.
There's a lot going on under the hood to hit those numbers. Crucially, it features three compact and light axial flux motors from British engineering firm Yasa, which Mercedes acquired in 2021. They've previously featured in hybrids from Koenigsegg, Ferrari and Lamborghini; this is the first time they'll power an all-electric production car.
With two of these on the rear axle and one at the front, there's a lot of scope for precise torque vectoring across seven drive modes, and delivering nine different levels of traction control.
The AMG.EA platform features a novel battery developed with inputs from its Formula 1 program. It uses a nickel-cobalt-manganese-aluminum chemistry, along with an oil-based cooling system that cools the cells. That allows it to sustain high output over extended periods, rather than fizzling out when the batteries get too hot.
This 106-kWh battery can dish out 800 volts, promises a maximum range of 432 miles (696 km), and can charge from 10-to-80% in as little as 11 minutes if you can track down a 600-kW charger.
The 4-Door's sleek body styling makes for a remarkably low drag coefficient of 0.22, and you'll find a large active rear spoiler taking up a lot of the hatch lid. An optional rear diffuser and aerodynamic elements beneath the body help with downforce as the car picks up speed.
I'm really into the brash styling on this one. The three-pointed star daytime running lights feature prominently in the front fascia, along with illuminated vertical bars in the big frowny grille.
The inside is decidedly driver-focused, with an AMG Performance steering wheel, a 10.2-inch driver display and 14-inch central infotainment display taking up most of the dashboard. The center console features three rotary controls for quickly adjusting the car's throttle response, traction and handling characteristics.
Lastly, this is an EV you'll hear coming. It can deliver the sound of an AMG V8 as you shift through gears and put the pedal to the metal, along with haptic feedback that you'll feel rumbling in your seat.
We don't yet know exactly how much this will cost, but Car and Driver estimates it'll start at about US$150,000. I imagine the more powerful GT63 will command a higher price, at which point it could give the top-end Taycans a run for their money.
Check out the Mercedes-AMG GT 4-Door Coupe here.
Source: Mercedes-Benz
