New Mercedes-AMG GT 4-Door Coupe ride review: crazily fast and packed with tech

Verdict

Given its backlog of wonderfully exciting engines, bringing Mercedes-AMG into the electric age is a tall order, but one that’s being executed in typical AMG style, with big power and performance, and cutting-edge technology in an imposing super-saloon. After our first experience we’re very much looking forward to driving the electric Mercedes-AMG GT 4-door Coupe, which is a good sign. 

“Crazy” – definitely in the best sense of the word. That’s how Mercedes CEO Ola Källenius describes the new electric Mercedes-AMG GT 4-Door, clearly having a blast with this car. He laughs at his own choice of words, but then immediately becomes serious again – because that’s precisely his point. This car isn’t just meant to be fast, it’s meant to usher in a new AMG era. “The AMG GT 4-Door is essentially what happens when you give the AMG engineers a blank sheet of paper and tell them: translate driving performance from Affalterbach into the electric age with as few restrictions as possible.”

The car is still wrapped in camouflage. Nevertheless, it quickly becomes obvious: this isn't just another electric sports car. It's a project that AMG clearly sees as a new beginning, both technically and emotionally. "Many electric cars can accelerate brutally. But they have a problem: sustained power. This technology addresses exactly that. It not only delivers enormous power and torque, but can also maintain it continuously, while keeping the weight low”, says Källenius.

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The four-door sedan will be equipped with three axial flux motors: two on the rear axle and one on the front. The ‘axial flux’ part was originally developed by the Oxford-based startup Yasa, later further refined and industrialised by Mercedes. According to Källenius, the major advantages are high power density, low weight, and, above all, sustained power output that is significantly more stable than in many current electric cars. Or, to put it another way: not just brutally powerful for a short burst, but still brutally powerful when others have long since faded. The specifications are expected to be similar to those of the AMG GT XX concept car, which came with 1,341bhp and a top speed of 223mph. 

But performance involves more than just an extreme drive system. The battery has also been optimised for resilience. Källenius speaks of a liquid-cooled, high-performance battery, developed specifically for use on the racetrack, where the efficiency of EV batteries typically struggle. 

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Battery cooling isn't just helpful on the road, but also during charging. The AMG GT XX concept car was capable of charging up to 1000kW (or one megawatt). The aim was to demonstrate the technical possibilities. The production version will likely offer more than 500kW, significantly exceeding the current capabilities of fast-charging stations. This could translate to nearly 310 miles of range in 10 minutes, although AMG has yet to officially release figures.

And this four-door model we’re experiencing is just the beginning. The model range will be completed with coupé and SUV models. All in good time, of course.

The enthusiasm for this car becomes truly understandable the moment you jump inside, although we’re not at the wheel just yet. When Mercedes’ Formula One development driver Doriane Pin floors the accelerator on the company's test track, the sheer force of the engine presses the occupants deep into their seats. Ola Källenius describes this feeling wonderfully vividly in conversation: as if you were being "kicked from behind by a horse." Pin gives a short conclusion: "A truly magnificent car."

And the new AMG isn't just about brutal acceleration; it's also about feeling and, above all, sounding like an AMG should. That's why, at the touch of a button, you get the typical AMG V8 sound. Inside and out, it's tuned so that the sound and simulated shift pulses are reminiscent of an AMG eight-cylinder engine. And however much you might resist artificial sounds in electric cars, your brain is suddenly completely convinced you're sitting in a V8 – only with even more torque and even more power.

But perhaps the best part is when Källenius suddenly starts talking about the practicality of this electric AMG. Despite its low-slung profile, the GT 4-Door offers plenty of space. Even tall adults should be able to sit comfortably in the back, thanks to the clever battery layout with its "foot garage." Källenius therefore jokingly calls the car almost a "utility vehicle." A wonderfully quirky term for a car in this performance class, and that's precisely why it sticks in your mind. Because that's the whole point of this AMG in particular: it's not just about being spectacular, but also about being practical for everyday use.

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