Electric performance meets the Mercedes-AMG GT.
This is the future — at least as it’s been under development within Mercedes-AMG over the past several months. We’ve known the automaker’s “E Performance” brand is coming, but now it’s time for the official reveal. As the most powerful production AMG model yet, the E Performance adds a huge amount of grunt and all-electric driving capability thanks to its rear-mounted electric motor.
How much, you ask? Paired with the familiar 4.0-liter biturbo V8 we’ve come to know and love, the AMG GT 63 S E Performance manages 831 horsepower and “more than” 1,033 lb-ft of torque, according to Mercedes. The electric motor, fed by a 6.1-kWh battery, works in tandem with the gas engine to achieve a 0-60 time in the 2.9 second range, as well as a top speed of 196 mph. Not too shabby for a four-door coupe.
On its own, that electric motor manages 150 kW, or 201 horsepower on pure electric drive. Instantaneous torque is also the name of the game, and there it brings in 236 lb-ft off the line. Mind you, it won’t go that far on EV power — just 7 miles (12 kilometers). But that’s not really the point, is it? Even Mercedes’ own brand campaign for the car calls the potent AMG GT 63 S E Performance “anything but quiet”. To make best use of that power at all speeds, the rear axle motor comes mated to a specifically calibrated two-speed automatic transmission that shifts into second gear at 87 mph.
The gas V8, for its part, still makes the same 630 horsepower and 664 lb-ft of torque as it does in the standard, non-hybrid AMG GT 63 S.
Other changes for the AMG GT E Performance
From the outside, you may not spot the 2023 Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S E Performance at first glance. You still get massive wheels up to 21 inches, as well as the AMG Night Package II or Carbon Package to make the exterior styling a bit louder to onlookers. There are still twin trapezoidal exhaust pipes, as well as large brakes both front and rear. On that subject, the hybrid AMG GT packs 6-piston fixed calipers at the front to clamp down on 17-inch front rotors. At the back, you get 15-inch rotors with single-pison floating calipers as standard equipment.
The E Performance badge is the one of the few “obvious” signs, as are the bespoke wheels. Beyond that, the plug-in charging flap is integrated into the rear bumper, and the “S” model designation is outlined in red, rather than black. With all that power and the 4Matic+ all-wheel drive system, though, the Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S E Performance could be quite a sleeper compared to its conventional siblings, at least on paper.
Inside, you still get a familiar AMG interior — electric power information notwithstanding. For instance, you can still choose either titanium gray pearl and black Nappa leather fittings with yellow contrast stitching for a sporty flavor. Or, if you want something more luxurious, you can also get diamond-stitched truffle brown and black Nappa leather instead. Mercedes-AMG offers five more single-tone”Exclusive Nappa STYLE” colors as well: sienna brown, classic red, yacht blue, deep white and neva gray.
More U.S. specs to come
The 2023 Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S E Performance will launch in the U.S. market for that model year. We still have sometime to wait for pricing, then, but we should hopefully know more by next summer.
What do you think of Mercedes-AMG’s hybrid performance flagship so far? In addition to this V8 setup, the “E Performance” brand will also host a version based on a turbo four-cylinder, which we’ll see in the next AMG C-Class.
