Wild Mercedes AMG-GT EV packs 1,169bhp and simulated V8 soundtrack
The new Mercedes AMG-GT 4-Door Coupé has arrived with an enormous 1,169bhp, making it the most powerful Stuttgart car built to-date.
When it goes on sale in the UK in September this September, the all-electric super saloon will be priced from £150,000, spearheaded by the flagship GT 63 model.
In this range-topping guise, the Mercedes AMG-GT EV can do the 0-62mph run in just 2.4 seconds courtesy of 1,169bhp and a 1,475lb ft of torque from its tri-motor setup. The Merc’s top speed is 186mph, placing it firmly within Lotus Emeya and Porsche Taycan territory.
Mercedes AMG-GT electric motors and performance
The AMG GT EV’s three axial-flux electric motors were developed by Yasa, the Mercedes-Benz-owned motor specialist based in Oxford, and the AMG High Performance Power division in Brixworth.
These new all-new motors are a major departure from the existing radial-flux motors currently used by Mercedes. Their electromagnetic flow runs parallel (as opposed to perpenducular) to the motor shaft, allowing for a more compact, disc-like construction.
As such, each rear motor measures around 80mm wide, while the front motor is approximately 90mm across. The motors ensure that the AMG GT comes with fully-variable four-wheel drive with torque vectoring across the rear axle.
Alongside the GT 63 model, the AMG-GT EV is available in entry level GT 55 guise, packing a similarly healthy 816bhp and 1,328lb ft of torque.
Battery, range, and charging
Irrespective of trim level, each AMG-GT EV comes with a 106kWh battery, returning a range of up to 432 miles in the most efficienct GT 55 guise.
The AMG-GT 4 Door Coupé is the first model to ride on Mercedes’s dedicated AMG.EA platform. Developed by AMG’s team in Affalterbach, Germany, the platform’s 800V electrical system supports charging speeds of over 600kW, translating into a 286-mile top up in around 10 minutes.
What about driver engagement?
Mercedes has placed driver engagement at the heart of its electric flagship, starting with the addition of a synthesised V8 engine note, paired with haptic feedback through the seats.
This is paired with a simulated gearbox designed to replicate the characteristics of an AMG engine. Control of the chassis and powertrain is managed by the AMG Race Engineer system, which brings rogether motor, braking, and suspension functions.
To underline the car’s luxury performance credentials, the cabin is trimmed in carbon fibre, metal, and leather. The driver gets a 10.2-inch digital display cluster, and the passenger has a 14-inch passenger touchscreen. Another 14-inch touchscreen sits in the centre of the dashboard.
Mercedes AMG-GT dimensions and weight
At 5.94 metres long, 1.96 metres wide, and 1.4m tall, the big Merc tips the scales at 2,460kg. However, the low mounting position of its compact electric motors give its much lower centre of gravity than its internal combustion-engined predecessor, the 2018 GT 4-Door Coupé.
Production will begin and Mercedes’s Sindelfingen plant in Germany this July.
