Mercedes-AMG GT63 S E review: plug-in hybrid delivers brutal performance
It’s one of the fastest four-doors on the planet, but this beast has a laughable shortcoming that will have some buyers scratching their heads.
Luxury
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By plug-in hybrid standards the Mercedes-AMG GT63 S E Performance falls well short of the mark. It has just 12km of claimed all-electric range and is more timid than a Tesla when running in EV mode.
But that’s missing the point of this ’bahn-stormer that is now the sole GT four-door model offered by the brand in Australia.
Bring petrol into the mix and it’s the most powerful and potent AMG the three-pointed star brand has ever unleashed, teaming a twin-turbo V8 engine with Formula 1-inspired hybrid tech to create a 620kW monster that also happens to do a decent job of transporting four people in luxury.
Engineers turned to the Mercedes-AMG Formula 1 team to optimise a 6.1kWh externally rechargeable battery pack and rear-mounted electric motor for spirited driving.
The result is a complex cooling system designed to keep the battery in its temperature sweet spot and allow fast regenerative braking to keep the electric assistance flowing when the driver calls for maximum thrust.
That electric motor makes up to 150kW and 320Nm, adding to the 470kW and 900Nm on offer from the V8.
The combined 620kW is backed by a claimed 1400Nm of torque, although anyone handy at maths may realise the numbers don’t add up; that’s because the electric motor torque is cheekily measured after it’s gone through a two-speed gearbox.
Our AMG GT63 drive was limited to a racetrack – and one that started with an EV only lap.
Despite the big performance numbers things are a lot more leisurely when relying purely on electrons.
Press the throttle too hard and the V8 fires to life.
Treat it more gingerly and you’ll get passed by a Corolla.
Left to EV mode it’ll ease its way to 100km/h and beyond. It’s relaxed and strangely hushed. But on longer sections the power tapers to 75kW due to a 10-second limit on the maximum EV pull. At that point it’s very, very leisurely.
From there we went straight into Race mode and things got much livelier.
The V8 is front and centre and there’s a mighty whack when you floor the throttle, albeit one tempered by a portly 2380kg body.
The GT’s traction control is busy trying to contain wheel spin, most of it from the back wheels. But with additional drive sent to the front wheels the all-wheel drive traction ensures rapid forward progress.
Sticky 21-inch Michelin tyres work hard to keep the four-door on track, although ultimately the nose wants to run wide, albeit in a gentle and predictable way. Again, it’s the hefty weight that has its say on agility and outright pace.
Get too enthusiastic on the throttle and the tail wiggles as the electronics work to contain the punch.
It’s remarkably capable in a big, brutish way, although we suspect it would feel more at home devouring autobahn miles – at up to 316km/h – than thrashing around a racetrack.
It only takes 2.9 seconds to hit 100km/h after flooring the throttle, while the official fuel figure is a respectable 7.7 litres per 100km.
Explore the limits of the V8, though, and you’ll be using a lot more fuel.
The AMG GT also does luxury well with a beautifully appointed cabin rich in leather and wood.
A broad centre console brims with buttons to adjust everything from the exhaust sound and suspension to gear shifts and throttle response. Those touch buttons are arranged in the shape of a V8, too.
Mode selectors on the steering wheel allow for similar adjustments of drive modes and features, including how much regenerative braking you want to allow. It ranges from nothing to moderate, although the small capacity of the battery pack means it doesn’t take long to recharge.
In the back it’s strictly seating for two but there’s the same attention to detail. The sleek roofline means headroom isn’t as generous as up front and knee room depends on the positioning of the front seats.
The boot space is modest, limited by an additional hump housing the battery and associated electronics.
Mercedes-Benz GT63 S E Performance
PRICE From about $430,000 drive-away (NOTE: $422k in NSW, $438k in Vic)
WARRANTY/SERVICING Five yrs/unlimited km, $8325 for 5 yrs/100,000km
SAFETY Nine airbags, auto emergency braking, lane-keep and blind-spot assist, driver monitor
ENGINE 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8, 620kW/1400Nm
THIRST 7.7L/100km
SPARE Repair kit
BOOT 335 litres
VERDICT
Three and a half stars
Big, brawny four-door builds speed ludicrously easily but don’t expect it to sip fuel like a hybrid.
Originally published as Mercedes-AMG GT63 S E review: plug-in hybrid delivers brutal performance
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