New Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S E Performance review: should be fun… but isn’t

Verdict

Mercedes-AMG has rarely held back in the pursuit of power, and in its hybrid age none are more potent than the AMG GT 63 S E Performance. This is a wickedly fast car, and knocks on the door of hypercar-levels of straight-line speed. But the means by which the flagship GT’s performance has been achieved results in a finished product that’s hard to engage with, even if it is still mightily impressive. 

Considering it would take half of the summary just to write out this car’s name, it might not shock you that the Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S E Performance Premium Plus is quite a lot to take in. Sitting at the top of the new AMG GT range, it integrates a range of Formula One-inspired technology with AMG’s well proven twin-turbocharged V8, to create an 803bhp flagship that has high-end performance cars such as the Porsche 911 Turbo and Aston Martin Vantage in its crosshairs. 

AMG’s GT sub-supercar has taken a few different forms over the generations, but the latest appears to be its most cunning, taking a direct line towards the Porsche 911 and its lucrative customer base. Yet while many might suggest AMG has been peeking inside the Porsche design studio with this latest generation’s exterior styling, the two models couldn’t be any further away from one another under the skin.

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Fundamentally, a modern AMG GT is a relatively simple thing: the front/mid-mounted engine now has a nine-speed gearbox bolted directly to it – in contrast to the previous generation’s transaxle arrangement – leaving enough space for a generous boot and two tiny, but still useful rear seats, just like a 911. 

The GT 63 S E Performance, however, adds in a few extra elements, including an electrified rear axle that adds a 197bhp e-motor, two-speed transmission, limited-slip differential and 6.1kWh battery pack. Power can also be sent from the rear-mounted e-motor up to the front wheels to be truly variable in its four-driven wheels, and if desired the front axle can be locked out entirely in ‘Drift’ mode. 

When the various powertrain elements are considered as one, the GT is capable of producing that 804bhp figure alongside a colossal 1,420Nm of torque. With tremendous traction and the Launch Mode, it’ll sprint from 0-62mph in 2.8 seconds and top out at 199mph. Impressive figures, yes, but especially so considering its 2,195kg kerbweight. 

To help keep that mass in check, Merc’s carbon-ceramic brakes are standard-fit, sat behind 21-inch wheels and high performance Michelin rubber. There’s also rear-wheel steering and a set of hydraulically cross-linked dampers that replace a normal car’s anti-roll bars. All this content isn’t cheap, at £186,290, but then it’s a lot of car.

With every trick in AMG’s playbook in use, however, there remains a question mark over how many of these technical elements actively improve the driving experience, or just provide mechanical recourse. This is, after all, a Porsche 911-rivalling supercar that weighs more than a few luxury seven-seater SUVs. Proof will be in the driving, and in this regard the GT 63 S E Performance is both astonishing and disconcerting at the same time. 

Unsurprisingly, the AMG’s performance is totally off the scale. With the hybrid system’s added power and torque, there is always considerably more performance available than any road-user could possibly need. The added torque of the e-motor is present almost all of the time, and feels every bit as fast as the on-paper figures would suggest. And you never need to worry about the battery running out of juice, because it’ll never drop below 25 per cent. 

The ride and handling is also very impressive, with the complex suspension giving the car incredible poise and stability in the corners, without feeling too firm or harsh. This applies to all the damper modes, too, with even the most track-focused ones staying compliant enough to keep the vehicle feeling controlled. 

But those hoping for an engaging driving experience, rather than just an impressive one, might be a little disappointed, because some of these chassis systems also isolate you from the process of driving. The steering, while well weighted and accurate, is short on feel and the rear axle steering feels less subtly integrated than the systems used by Porsche or Lamborghini. 

The brakes, although monstrously powerful, also have little feel and the hybrid’s input to the engine – for all its performance – isn’t always consistent. The soundtrack is also disappointing, with an overly-augmented drone coming from the speakers masking the surprisingly subdued V8 engine noise, such are the emission and sound regulations of 2025. 

The end result is the car never quite feels engaging. You prod it, push up to what you think are its limits but it gives nothing back. There’s no doubting AMG’s performance, grip or composure, but the inclination to want to explore this car’s full potential just doesn’t feel appropriate at road speeds, no matter how experienced you are as a driver. 

So what about the ‘GT’ bit, then? Well the GT 63 S E does serve this purpose well in many regards, referring back to the great ride quality, a nicely appointed cabin (although one we’re not sure quite lives up to the price point) and those semi-usable rear seats. But there are issues here, too, not least the relatively poor refinement on account of considerable road roar and the fact the boot space is reduced due to the hybrid-system’s battery pack sitting above the rear axle. The ability to creep out of the driveway on e-power is a boon, though, and we know this form of hybrid isn’t really about all-electric range, so we won’t mark it down on its tiny six-mile figure. 

As a technical exercise, the GT 63 S E Performance is quite an achievement, but we’re not entirely sure the benefits of this hybrid system can justify the compromises in a subjective measure. It might sound like a motoring journalist cliche, but we’re wanting for more feel, less weight and less complexity. But rival brands such as Porsche are finding more sophisticated and integrated ways of working in electrification on cars like its new 911 GTS, and with a new 911 Turbo just around the corner, we can’t help but wonder if AMG’s rival has picked a better pathway.

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