The headline numbers for the Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S E Efficiency are genuinely scary, even for hardcore lovers – however while you think about a monitor just like the fast-paced circuit at Sydney Motorsport Park, effectively that’s after I don’t thoughts saying beads of sweat began to kind.
If this was a monitor check of the earlier AMG GT R, which was armed with a none-too-shabby 430kW and 700Nm, you’d be leaping for pleasure. In spite of everything, that was a respectable track-day weapon honed from the GT3 race automobile, however the all-new AMG GT 63 S E Efficiency 4-Door is a special sort of beast solely.
For starters, it’s the primary plug-in hybrid to come back out of AMG’s Affalterbach HQ, and it’s been correctly weaponised by combining the big-hitting 4.0-litre bi-turbo V8 with an electrical motor and light-weight battery.
It’s additionally an enormous unit, stretching greater than 5.0 metres lengthy and tipping the scales simply shy of two.4-tonnes, but someway produces system outputs of 620kW of energy and an astonishing 1400Nm of torque.
I’m additionally reliably informed it’s able to producing as much as 1800Nm given the best engine and gearbox mapping. Maybe there’s a Petronas Version within the making for these with a Tremendous Licence, or these minted sufficient to fund an F1 staff.
Furthermore, this definitive engineering masterpiece from Mercedes-AMG at present stands because the model’s strongest collection manufacturing mannequin ever made, apart from the AMG One hypercar which hasn’t had its outputs formally launched, we’re informed.
Thoughts, the earlier AMG GT 63 S with its singular combustion engine was no slouch both, boasting its personal set of equally ballistic numbers; 470kW and 900Nm, however with extra weight up the entrance than solely optimum. That’s the place this new PHEV model improves on issues, with higher weight steadiness.
Whereas different hybrids place the electrical motor between the engine and the transmission, the most recent Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S E Efficiency slots the e-motor instantly on the rear axle, together with a 6.1kWh battery for a noticeably extra dynamic 50:50 front-rear weight distribution.
The e-motor makes use of an electrically-shifted two-speed gearbox built-in with an electronically-controlled rear diff in addition to the GT’s 4MATIC+ AWD system for the total complement of energy from each energy models at any time when wanted.
The battery itself weighs simply 89kg, however claims excessive energy density for speedy quick charging – even on monitor, lap after lap at full tilt. Its all-electric vary is restricted to only 12 kilometres, however that’s hardly the purpose of this know-how I’d argue.
However, the GT 63 S E Efficiency additionally boasts mixed common gasoline consumption of simply 7.7L/100km – which I discover simply as extraordinary as its zero to 100km/h dash time of a mind-blowing 2.9 seconds. By no means thoughts the dealing with.
Regardless of its appreciable bragging rights, the large Benz four-door coupe continues to be fairly tame to take a look at. Few will ever guess what this monster is really able to, at the very least from the surface.
Other than extra aerodynamic entrance and rear bumpers and a few particular pink badging, it doesn’t give off the impression that it may well run toe-to-toe out of the blocks with the most recent Ferrari 296 GTB mid-engined supercar – so it’s correctly stealth, then.
How does the Mercedes-AMG GT fare vs its opponents?
View an in depth breakdown of the Mercedes-AMG GT towards equally sized automobiles.
Mercedes-AMG
GT
How a lot does the Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S E Efficiency value?
The newest AMG GT 63 S E Efficiency is the one GT 4-Door within the Australian vary now, and is priced from $399,990 earlier than on-road prices.
Direct rivals on this rarefied league are few and much between, and quantity to only one; the Porsche Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid, however it may well solely muster an insignificant 515kW and 870Nm of all-wheel twist.
Priced from $433,500 excluding on-road prices, it’s significantly dearer than the hybrid powerhouse Benz examined right here.
What’s the Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S E Efficiency like on the within?
Whereas the outside could be decidedly understated, inside the alternative is certainly true of the GT 63 S E Efficiency.
In pit lane I managed to nook the Excessive-Tech Silver automobile with swathes of quilted pink Nappa leather-based, lashings of open-pore timber and loads of polished metallic.
There’s nothing that doesn’t feel and appear costly, although not in the identical means you would possibly discover in a equally priced Bentley Flying Spur.
The Benz inside is a extra driver-focused house with superbly sculptured sports activities seats designed to maintain the driving force (and three passengers) correctly centred throughout warp-speed cornering – on or off the monitor.
There’s additionally an terrible lot occurring within the cabin, with an amazing sense of know-how all over the place you look. There’s little or no clean house given the variety of contact buttons, screens and one of many busiest steering wheels you’re ever more likely to see in a street automobile.
Oh, sure, this beautifully-crafted, leather-wrapped and perforated tiller successfully will get six spokes, two touchscreen dials and myriad of contact controls for every kind of configurability.
That mentioned, the driving force’s show readability and color is just excellent. It stands as one of many solely high-performance vehicles I’ve been capable of clearly see the indicated velocity of 245km/h into flip one right here at Sydney Motorsport Park – however I believe that’s extra about simply how settled the large Benz was on the straightaway in addition to the sheer measurement of the head-up show.
Drivers may set the GT’s regeneration ranges of the hybrid drive by way of the steering wheel buttons and whereas extra time might be wanted to completely gauge the degrees of configurability out there, this was a purely a monitor check with every part ramped-up for max assault.
Remembering this a four-seater however with highly-bolstered pews that do their finest to imitate the sports activities seats up entrance. There’s additionally an actual sense of the ‘bespoke’ again there with good separation between the 2 passengers and stacks of storage for odds and ends.
In commonplace guise, there’s no folding of the rear seats, however consumers can select the Manufactur Unique package deal which allows the 2 particular person consolation seats to be folded in 40:40 break up, although the centre console stays mounted.
Boot house is considerably hampered within the GT 63 S E Efficiency because of its hybrid format, shedding round 25 per cent of the 457L boot capability as a purely ICE model. The brand new GT PHEV maxes out baggage house at 335L, however keep in mind it’s a liftback design, really easy entry and loading is a given.
What’s below the bonnet?
The brand new Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S E Efficiency retains the bulletproof 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8 engine, which by itself makes 470kW of energy (5500-6500rpm) and 900Nm of torque (2500-4500rpm).
Energy is delivered to all 4 wheels by way of a nine-speed AMG Speedshift MCT automated transmission – successfully an auto with particular person clutches, however on a single shaft fairly the 2 utilized in a dual-clutch unit.
The combustion engine is augmented by an e-motor on the rear axle and a high-density 6.1kWh battery pack which provides 150kW and 320Nm utilizing a two-speed gearbox. In live performance, the twin energy sources produce a mixed system output of 620kW and 1400Nm.
Curiously, the GT 63 employs a classy liquid cooling system to maintain the lithium-ion battery pack at 45 levels Celsius in all method of climate circumstances – even when pushed onerous on monitor.
The GT 63 S E Efficiency additionally has a fully-electric vary of simply 12km, helpful sufficient, however hardly its USP. However, the light-weight battery (85kg) has an especially speedy cost charge – it remained nearly absolutely charged throughout lap after lap of the circuit at full noise. Fairly outstanding, actually.
Full-tilt acceleration from standstill to 100km/h is over in simply 2.9 seconds, whereas reaching 200km/h takes lower than 10 seconds on its option to a prime velocity of 316km/h. Equally spectacular is the monster-Benz’s fuel-consumption claims of a staggeringly frugal 7.7L/100km on the mixed cycle.
How does the Mercedes-AMG GT 63 E Efficiency drive?
For certain that is an especially complicated machine however given the check was confined to the race circuit alone, it meant we just about dialled up every part to the max and jetted off in a bid to see simply how 2.4 tonnes of refined Benz know-how feels when pushed effectively past most road-going limits.
The excellent news is there’s at all times knowledgeable race teacher driving shotgun at Benz’s monitor occasions – principally to supply a couple of key tricks to get probably the most out of the automobile but in addition in case all of it seems like going terribly improper – particularly on the large speeds this factor is able to.
Whereas drivers can select between a number of drive settings (Electrical, Consolation, Sport, Sport+, Race, Winter and Particular person), we dialled up Sport+, which nonetheless enabled a couple of nannies to maintain the automobile firmly on the black stuff – simply in case.
There are extra modes throughout the AMG Dynamics, which provide settings for the likes of rear-steer, 4WD, e-diff and the ESP, however these are additionally linked to the drive modes, so fortunately I didn’t have to fiddle about for this track-only check session.
And whereas there are completely good paddleshifters, we merely left the nine-speed transmission in Auto – although nonetheless pulling a paddle or two out of sheer behavior, although there’s actually no level given the velocity at which this factor can swap cogs.
Happily, it was my second time on the monitor in as many weeks, which meant we may just about get straight into it the second we left pit lane.
There’s no lag due to the GT’s twin energy sources, however when you’re conscious of the e-motor help at occasions, I’m nonetheless shocked at how linearly you’ll be able to squeeze on the ability.
And, whereas its clearly a severely giant automobile, on monitor, you actually don’t get that sensation. After a couple of laps while you’re comfy along with your monitor traces, you actually begin pushing the large GT at a livid tempo, however dare I say with full and utter confidence.
That’s should you hit your apexes spot on. Get it ever so barely improper, although, and also you’ll really feel the would possibly of these 2.4 tonnes pushing on as you scramble to appropriate the road by winding on extra steering lock – regardless of the advantage of rear-axle steer.
The 420mm carbon-ceramic brakes provide stupendous stopping energy at any and all speeds. On the principle straightaway we noticed 245km/h earlier than wiping off a bit into flip one – and that’s with a less-than-ideal entry onto the straight. It’s loopy quick, however someway totally confidence-inspiring on the similar time.
In Sport+ physique management stays appreciably tight and really constant, even below the toughest charging. If something, I might need thought the GT’s air springs would buckle below the G-forces, however not these, not one bit.
It’s all a part of automobile’s adaptive AMG Journey Management system. Truthfully, I’m actually gobsmacked by what this monster four-door coupe is succesful on monitor given its proportions and sheer heft.
Naturally, you’ll be able to dial up EV mode and are available and go from your house in full silence. However out right here on monitor there’s loads of these scrumptious force-fed V8 decibels to enjoy, although maybe not fairly as thunderous because the earlier straight-ICE model.
What do you get?
AMG GT 63 S E Efficiency highlights:
- 21-inch cast alloy wheels
- Unique Nappa leather-based upholstery, 4 mixtures
- Gray open-pore ash wooden trim
- 14-speaker Burmeister sound system
- Tri-zone local weather management
- Hearted, cooled entrance seats with therapeutic massage perform
- Heated armrests
- Heated rear seats
- 64-colour ambient lighting
- Head-up show
- Electrical glass sunroof
- Wi-fi smartphone mirroring and charging
- MBUX navigation incl. augmented actuality (AR)
- Energy-closing doorways
- AMG Efficiency steering wheel with AMG buttons
- Tirefit and tyre-pressure monitoring system
- AMG hybrid-specific shows
- 12.3-inch digital instrument show
- 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen
- Rear-axle steering
- AMG mild show
- AMG Journey Management
- AMG carbon-ceramic brakes
- Metallic paint
- Energetic LED headlights incl. lively shadowing, auto dipping
Choices
AMG Evening Package deal: $3490
- AMG Exterior mild Package deal
- 21-inch AMG cross-spoke cast wheels (matte black)
- Warmth-insulating dark-tinted glass on rear home windows
- AMG Evening Package deal 11 together with black badging
- Vertical louvres of the AMG-specific radiator grille in darkish chrome
AMG Carbon Fibre Package deal: $18,490
- AMG Exterior Carbon Package deal
- Carbon-fibre inserts in aspect skirts
- Trim factor in entrance wings in carbon-fibre
- Exterior mirror housing in carbon-fibre design
- Fastened rear aerofoil in carbon-fibre
- AMG matte carbon-fibre trim parts
Manufactur Unique Package deal: $8990
- Manufactur Nappa Leather-based Upholsteries (3 avaiable)
- Embossed AMG emblem above enterprise console
- Enterprise console with stowage compartment
- Temperature-controlled cup holders
- Touchscreen
- Mechanical curler sunblind for rear window
- Galvanised seat finishers with AMG lettering
AMG Efficiency Ergonomics Package deal: NCO
- AMG Efficiency seats
- Multi-contour seats
Colors
Normal exterior colors embody:
- Polar White
- Obsidian Black
- Spectral Blue
- Graphite Gray
- Excessive-tech Silver
There are additionally 14 completely different non-obligatory Manufactur paints to select from:
- Rubellite Crimson: $12,990
- Cote d’Azure Gentle Blue Metallic: $12,990
- Inexperienced Hell Mango: $15,990
- Traditional Gray Stable: $12,990
- Yellowstone Stable: $12,990
- Kalahari Gold Mango: $12,990
- Copper Orange Mango: $12,990
- Classic Blue Stable: $12,990
- Graphite Gray Mango: $9490
- Diamond White Vibrant: $2990
- Selenite Gray Mango: $9490
- Spectral Blue Mango: $9490
- Patagonia Crimson Metallic: $2990
- Cashmere White Mango: $9490
Is the Mercedes-AMG GT 63 E Efficiency secure?
The GT 63 S E Efficiency has not been crash examined, and as such doesn’t have a security score from both Euro NCAP or ANCAP.
However it will get 9 airbags, radar cruise management, Pre-Protected Impulse Aspect, Energetic Steering Help and Energetic Lane Change Help.
How a lot does the Mercedes-AMG GT 63 E Efficiency value to run?
Mercedes-Benz covers the GT 63 E Efficiency with a five-year, unlimited-kilometre guarantee.
Service intervals are 12 months/20,000km (whichever comes first), with scheduled service plans out there for 3, 4 and five-year phrases.
Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S E Efficiency servicing pricing:
- 3yr service plan: $5300
- 4yr service plan: $8000
- 5yr service plan: $8325
CarExpert’s Tackle the Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S E Efficiency
You may roll as much as your native garden bowls membership within the Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S E Efficiency and nobody would ever guess you’re driving probably the most highly effective series-production automobile ever constructed by the three-pointed star – such is its intrinsic stealth worth.
However the on the spot you ignite the dual-source powertrain on this refined four-door hybrid and dial up Sports activities+, all hell breaks free.
The truth that a full-size, four-door luxurious automobile will be peddled at full noise round a demanding fast-paced circuit like Sydney Motorsport Park is testomony to the technological sorcery of AMG’s most interesting engineering minds.
I got here to the monitor with a blasé angle about how pointless and costly the automobile is, however after greater than 5, four-lap stints on the trot, I’m totally hooked on AMG’s hybrid components.
Regrettably, although, at round $430,000 on the street, few will ever probably get to pattern the proper mix of AMG old-school enjoyable with cutting-edge 21st Century know-how in its most weaponised kind .
I’m glad I’m a kind of few.
Click on the photographs for the total gallery
