Mercedes-AMG GT Concept E Performance: 800bhp coupe set for 2024 launch
Tipped to offer four-wheel drive and more than 800bhp, the flagship AMG GT has the Porsche 911 Turbo S firmly in its sights
The second-generation Mercedes-AMG GT has adopted a new design approach, one that abandons some of the more specialised elements of the original in favour of a more cost-effective, usable sports car package. In another new development, Mercedes has confirmed that the GT will be available with hybrid power for the first time, through a range-topping E Performance model scheduled to arrive in 2024.
The E Performance made its first public appearance at the Munich motor show, and while it’s officially a concept for now, there’s nothing to suggest that this show car isn’t production-ready. Save for its tinted headlights, red alloy wheel accents and a charging port on the rear bumper, the E Performance looks identical to the current AMG GT 63, which will continue to head the lineup until the PHEV arrives.
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Mercedes-AMG’s ubiquitous 4-litre twin-turbo V8 will remain at the heart of the E Performance, but it’ll be augmented by hybrid technology derived from the four-door AMG GT63 S E Performance.
The firm’s supersaloon uses a rear-mounted drive unit comprising an electric motor, two-speed gearbox and an e-differential for an additional 201bhp, powered by 6.1kWh battery pack sitting above the rear axle. Combined, the hybrid system generates an astonishing 831bhp and 1084lb ft of torque, figures that should be within reach for AMG’s flagship sports car.
But while the E Performance will eclipse the 641bhp Porsche 911 Turbo S for sheer grunt, it’ll also be a significantly heavier car. The pure-petrol AMG GT already weighs 1970kg, and with the rear drive unit and battery pack on board – the latter of which weighs 89kg in the GT four-door – the E Performance will break past two tons.
The electrical system will draw from Mercedes’ F1 learnings to offer rapid charge and discharge rates, and if the four-door model is anything to go by, performance will be prioritised over electric range (the hybrid GT63 offers just eight miles from a full charge).
Pricing for the core AMG GT range hasn’t been announced yet, but given that E Performance will be positioned as the firm’s ultimate performance car, expect it to cost close to £200,000. Its chief rival, the £180,600 Porsche 911 Turbo S, is set to undergo a facelift which will also see it gain hybrid tech, bringing it closer to the Mercedes in terms of price, performance and philosophy.
