How does the most powerful Mercedes-AMG GT drive? Our colleagues from the German magazine auto motor und sport drove the Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S E Performance, and here are their impressions of the 816 PS and 2.2 tons sports car.
Photo: Mercedes-AMG
The AMG GT’s predecessor, the Mercedes SLS AMG, used a transaxle construction, while the previous-generation Mercedes-AMG GT was based on the E-Class platform, which resulted in a 230 kg increase in weight. Things have moved on, and the new-generation AMG GT uses a dedicated sports platform, the Modular Sports Architecture (MSA), developed specifically by AMG.
The new Mercedes-AMG GT has more technology than the previous generation: all-wheel drive, active aerodynamics, and semi-active hydraulic suspension with roll stabilization.
Until recently, the top model was the AMG GT 63 S with its 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 with 585 PS. Now, for an extra 29,000 euros, there’s the Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S E Performance with 816 PS, which has 231 PS more and is 225 kg heavier.
At the heart of the car is a PHEV system tested on the AMG GT GT 4-door coupe and S-Class 63 E Performance: the 4-liter twin-turbo V8 engine is up front, and the battery and electric motor are in the rear. The 150 kW (204 PS) and 320 Nm permanently excited synchronous electric motor sends the power directly to the rear axle to a mechanically lockable differential via a two-speed gearbox – or in the event of a slip – to the front axle via a cardan shaft.
When there’s enough power in the battery, the system delivers outstanding performance: 816 PS and 1,420 Nm. Horsepower is calculated by adding the output of the 612 PS internal combustion engine and the 204 PS electric motor, giving 816 PS. Torque is calculated by a more complicated formula, but the 1,420 Nm is more estimated than real.
Despite the huge 2.2 tons of weight, this is irrelevant because of the enormous power. The two engines push with such force that acceleration from 0 to 100 kph is achieved in just 2.8 seconds, 0.1 seconds faster than the Mercedes-AMG One.
The Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S E Performance accelerates with lightning acceleration and impresses with the ease with which it can be steered in the desired direction. All-wheel steering, all-wheel drive, and roll stabilization contribute to excellent lateral dynamics and manage to cancel out the effect of the large 2.2-tonne weight. Therefore, steering response and traction are unrivaled even by top sports car standards.
Compared to the AMG GT 63 S, there are a few differences:
– a nonlinear brake pedal feel when transitioning from regenerative to hydraulic braking.
– slightly higher inertia when cornering
– higher torque regardless of the gear used
– 140 liters less luggage space because of the 6.1 kWh battery
Also, the AMG GT 63 S E Performance has three energy recovery modes. It uses a few percent of the engine’s power to charge the battery in sports programs, so the E-Boost function is always active except when the car is repeatedly abused by lightning acceleration.
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