BEHOLD, THE FASTEST-ACCELERATING MERCEDES-AMG EVER: THE NEW AMG GT HYBRID
Been doing your breathing exercises? Good. Deep breath now, because this is officially known as the Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S E Performance. Yes, we agree.
However, the AMG GT LongName is also officially the fastest accelerating AMG model - any AMG model – of all time. That’s because it’s able to shoot from 0-62mph in just 2.8s, an entire tenth quicker than the equally long-winded four-door Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S E Performance. Yes, we agree on that too.
Revealed at the Chinese GP – no doubt where Merc-AMG’s F1 team might have been considering running it instead of the troubled W15 – the new range-topping GT gets AMG’s very complicated hybrid V8 powertrain setup we’ve seen deployed on the four-door car.
So that blends the familiar 4.0-litre biturbo V8 with an electric motor and battery for totals of 805bhp (down versus the 4dr's 831bhp) and a gargantuan 1,047lb ft of torque. The two latter e-units are mounted on the rear axle for better weight distribution, and the battery itself is a little ‘un: a wee 6.1kWh, though it features cells that are cooled individually, if that gets you excited.
Speaking of which, the really very excited e-motor comes with its own two-speed gearbox and limited slip diff. It’s able to provide 200 horses silently to the rear axle when starting off, or to the front-axle via Merc’s AWD setup when slip increases at the back, or as a boost when accelerating. Which it can do very quickly.
Do it slowly, and AMG reckons you’ll be able to eke out up to eight miles in EV harmony. Which you probably won’t do. Principally because the car’s been set up using strategies gleaned from Merc’s F1 team. No, not being inconsistent through the same corners, but giving the driver max power at all times.
There are eight modes, all self-explanatory: electric, battery hold, comfort, slippery, sport, sport+, race and individual. All of them adjust the powertrain and gearbox, steering, damping and even the noise. And in each one, the battery can be recharged right from coasting (because of that cooling setup) through to slamming on the large, AMG performance brakes.
There’s a tonne of AMG tech thrown into the new GT LongName, like semi-active roll stabilisation on the active dampers, and active rear-steering. There’s active aero of course, hidden in the underbody and not-so-hidden on the rear as an extendable rear spoiler.
While we’re outside the new GT, we can tell you there’s a new plug-in loading flap, new grooved twin trapezoidal tailpipes, lots of ‘E Performance’ badges, 20in alloys and the option of a variety of trim packages to choose from.
“From zero to 100 in 2.8 seconds – no AMG series model has ever sprinted that fast before,” said AMG boss Michael Schiebe. “The GT 63 S E Performance combines enormous performance with a very dynamic driving experience and thus creates pure goosebumps”.
It also combines an enormous name with headaches for anyone trying to write it out repeatedly. Stunning thing though, right?