NEWCARS Mercedes-AMG GT 4-Door Alexander Bernt
THIS, to give its full, lengthy title, is the Mercedes-AMG GT 4-Door 63 S E-Performance. In short, it’s AMG’s first plug-in hybrid model. It takes just 2.9 seconds to hit 62mph, thanks to a powertrain that delivers 831bhp and 1,400Nm of torque. It’s based on the familiar 4.0-litre biturbo V8 engine, which is supplemented by an electric motor on the rear axle. Like the non-hybrid version of the car, it places that power down with the assistance of a nine-speed automatic transmission and an all-wheel-drive system. The electric motor is supplied by a fairly compact 6.1kWh battery, with just 3.4kWh used to travel in e-mode. The rest is saved to augment performance; the motor’s output is rated at 201bhp and 320Nm for up to 10 seconds, with a total continuous output of 94bhp. It drives through its own two-speed transmission, with an electronically controlled limited-slip rear differential. Its low energy content compared with some plug-in models means the battery only weighs 89kg, but thanks to the other PHEV components, this new model tips the scales at 2,380kg. At least that mass is distributed evenly across both axles, with a perfect 50:50 balance. It also serves to make its acceleration even more astonishing. Even in regular V8-powered AMGs there isn’t much turbo lag, but there’s no pause before this 4-Door romps forwards when you apply full throttle thanks to that instant and prodigious shove. As the V8 really gets into its stride and the 1,400Nm wave arrives, it feels rampant. With numbers like these you’d expect impressive performance. But what’s also remarkable is that the car’s handling is surprisingly nimble. It feels agile, defying logic when you think about that kerbweight. There’s supercar tech to help here, with rear-axle steering fitted to improve agility, plus all of the usual adaptive chassis systems you’d expect from a model like this, including AMG Ride Control+ adaptive air suspension and carbon-ceramic brakes. The systems control that mass and power to a point, but as the tyres start to overheat, the AMG’s inner character emerges. For the
most part, grip is good, but the immense performance means you’re never too far away from a little slide on the exit of a corner. On track, with the ESC turned off, you can indulge in plenty of fun. In reality, this is not a track car, but nor has its plug-in system been designed to deliver maximum efficiency, either. In fact, the car can only travel a claimed 7.5 miles in electric mode. Instead, AMG says, the battery system is designed for fast power delivery and not extended range. Yet it does help efficiency, with claimed fuel economy of 35.8mpg and CO2 emissions of 180g/km. That still doesn’t mean it will be cheap to run, especially with petrol prices at the moment, while the Porsche Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid, with its larger battery, arguably has a more impressive and flexible electrified side to its running during everyday driving. There are still four braking modes to harvest as much energy as possible when slowing down, though, topping up the battery in the process. These range from no brake regeneration to a one-pedal driving mode. The Electric drive mode is new; it limits the top speed to 87mph, and sits alongside AMG’s conventional Comfort, Sport, Sport+, Race, Slippery and Individual settings. Apart from the extra flap that hides the charging port (a 3.7kW on-board charger is fitted for a recharge time of just over one and a half hours) the E-Performance has new ‘externally fluted’ exhausts, which still emit the same great baritone soundtrack. Inside, the car gets Merc’s upgraded steering wheel and a cabin packed with tech, including a pair of 12.3-inch screens loaded with connectivity and a centre console with buttons arranged in pairs of four, mimicking the layout of the V8 engine.
Essentials Mercedes-AMG GT 4-Door 63 S E-Performance
SETTINGS Driver can flick through the various drive modes – including a new Electric option – using a simple control mounted on the steering wheel, which features the latest tech from Mercedes
Price: £173,655 Engine: 4.0-litre V8 turbo petrol, 1x e-Motor Power/torque: 831bhp/1,400Nm Transmission: Nine-speed automatic, four-wheel drive 0-62/max: 2.9 seconds/196mph Economy/CO2: 35.8mpg/180g/km EV range: 7.5 miles
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MATCHING PAIRS The buttons on
the centre console are arranged in two banks of four, which imitates the layout of the cylinders in the car’s V8 petrol engine, and it’s all built to a very high standard
Mercedes-AMG GT FIRST DRIVE We try performance brand’s first plug-in hybrid
Hybrid system has been designed to improve performance rather than boost economy
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