Revealed: Mercedes-AMG GT goes EV with 1169bhp and V8 rumble

This is the first model to be based on the new electric AMG.EA platform, which will also be used for a super-SUV currently being developed at the firm's Affalterbach headquarters.

Measuring 5.09m in length, 1.96m in width, and 1.41m in height with a 3.0m wheelbase, the new GT 4-Door Coupé is slightly longer and taller but narrower than the Taycan.

The kerb weight is listed at 2460kg, but AMG states that the low mounting position and compact electric motors result in a significantly lower center of gravity compared to the original petrol-powered GT 4-Door Coupé from 2018.

Next-gen motors

The new car's powertrain includes three axial-flux motors developed in collaboration with Yasa, the Oxford-based motor specialist owned by Mercedes-Benz, along with the AMG High Performance Powertrain division in Brixworth. These motors are produced at a specialized facility in Berlin.

The adoption of these motors marks a significant shift from the radial-flux motors used in current Mercedes EVs. Instead of having electromagnetic flow perpendicular to the motor shaft, it runs parallel, enabling a flatter, disc-like design.

This design allows for more compact packaging. Each rear motor is approximately 80mm wide, while the front motor is slightly larger, measuring about 90mm wide.

Two motors are installed within the car's rear axle assembly and one at the front, offering fully variable four-wheel drive with torque vectoring across the rear axle.

The rear motors can reach 13,000rpm, while the front motor can extend to 15,000rpm.

The two rear motors are connected to a compact single-speed planetary gearbox, with silicon-carbide inverters controlling energy flow under high load.

The front motor functions as a boost unit, activating only when necessary and disconnecting under lighter loads to minimize drag.

In the entry-level GT 55, the three motors together produce 816bhp and 1328lb ft, whereas the GT 63 increases output to 1169bhp and 1475lb ft. This is significantly more than direct competitors like the Porsche Taycan Turbo GT (1093bhp and 988lb ft) and Lotus Emeya 900 Sport (905bhp and 726lb ft).

It also eclipses the punchiest version of the original GT 4-Door Coupé, the GT 63 S E Performance, which delivered 831bhp and 1084lb ft from a V8-engined plug-in hybrid powertrain.

Beyond peak figures, AMG has emphasised sustained output, claiming the GT 63 delivers maximum power for up to 63 seconds without thermal derating and never has less than 721bhp to use.

The energy comes from a newly developed 106kWh battery pack featuring directly cooled cylindrical cells, each individually encased in a dielectric coolant to maintain stable operating temperatures.

This allows for a range of up to 432 miles (in the car's most efficient GT 55 version) – 10 miles more than the Taycan with the Performance Battery Plus.

Its 800V electrical system supports peak DC rapid-charging rates exceeding 600kW, enabling approximately 286 miles of range to be added in just 10 minutes.

The production model is based on the GT XX concept, which covered nearly 25,000 miles at the Nardò test track in Italy, setting several EV endurance and speed records in the process.

Luxurious and futuristic interior of a high-performance Mercedes-Benz, featuring a sleek steering wheel, digital displays, and premium leather finishes with intricate stitching.

The center console features three rotary controllers that adjust the car's response, agility, and traction by modifying throttle behavior, yaw characteristics, and slip thresholds, offering a total of 729 settings.

Like other recent AMG models, the chassis includes an AMG Active Ride Control suspension system that combines three-chamber air springs with semi-active roll stabilization.

Hydraulically interconnected dampers replace traditional anti-roll bars, allowing continuous variation of roll stiffness according to parameters set by the five drive modes, including Race and Drift.

The four-link front and five-link rear suspension setups use forged aluminum components to reduce unsprung mass.

Additionally, rear-axle steering of up to six degrees is designed to balance low-speed agility with high-speed stability.

Braking is managed by carbon-ceramic discs at the front and steel discs at the rear, integrated with an energy recuperation system adjustable via steering wheel paddles.

The cabin features carbon fiber, metal, and leather, highlighted by a 10.2-inch digital instrument cluster, a 14.0-inch infotainment touchscreen, and a 14.0-inch passenger touchscreen.

Production of the new GT 4-Door Coupé will commence in Sindelfingen this July.