These days, it’s safe to say that Mercedes-AMG is one of the biggest names in electrified performance. After all, their F1 team has won seven consecutive Formula 1 championships (and counting) during the turbo-hybrid era — and most of the time, the competition hasn’t been close. Now, at least philosophically, Mercedes will channel that racing dominance into a mass-produced road car with the new Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S E Performance.
Mercedes-Benz AG – Global Communications Mercedes-Benz Cars & Vans
Mercedes-Benz AG – Global Communications Mercedes-Benz Cars & VansWhat exactly is the Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S E Performance? Like the AMG GT 63 S, it’s a four-door coupe with a sloping roofline. It’s a plug-in hybrid that pairs the twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 from the GT 63 S that puts out 630 horsepower and 644 lb-ft with a 201-hp electric motor on the rear axle. The total peak output for the AMG GT 63 S E Performance: a staggering 831 horsepower and 1,033 lb-ft of torque. Mercedes-AMG lists a 0-62 mph time of 2.9 seconds, and notes that the car will stop accelerating at 196 mph.
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Mercedes-AMG says the battery power will be “inspired by technology from F1.” It will have twice the power density of conventional drive batteries and, like the racing batteries, be optimized to deliver a lot of power quickly. The driver can keep the battery topped off with three levels of regenerative braking, with Level 3 providing one-pedal driving. And for when you need to inch around quietly, the AMG GT 63 S E Performance will offer seven miles of EV-only range (which may be less under EPA testing) at speeds up to 80 mph.
There’s nothing really like AMG GT 63 S E Performance out there — at least right now. Porsche has the Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid, which puts out 690 hp. Speculation has BMW attempting a similar V8 PHEV with the next-generation M5, though that’s projected to have around 750 hp. If you’re looking at non-electric cars currently in production, the only more powerful car is the Dodge Demon — and it can only top 831 hp on 100-octane fuel.
One caveat: Mercedes-AMG cautions that this is the Euro-spec version. Final details for the U.S. model will arrive closer to its launch date as a 2023 model year vehicle. Still, we don’t expect it to be any less powerful…or less awesome.