Mercedes-AMG GT63 SE Performance Is Grand Touring, Perfect

The new Mercedes-AMG GT isn’t the sports car it once was. These days, the V-8-powered two-door from Affalterbach is more of a grand tourer, with a roomier interior and a wider range of capabilities thanks to standard all-wheel drive, which comes at the cost of added weight. While it’s not quite as driver-focused as the previous car, the new GT is a capable cross-country missile.

The AMG GT63 SE Performance, a new hybrid variant that uses a rear-mounted electric motor for added power and technology, doubles down on that ethos. With a combined 805 horsepower and 1,047 pound-feet of torque, it’s considerably quicker than the standard car and comes with a slew of fun hybrid tech, adding another layer of complexity to an already complicated car.

The E Performance is, in many ways, very similar to the standard GT63. It looks identical, with no changes to the sleek, long-nosed body and menacing front end. It has the same carbon-ceramic brakes, the same Michelin Pilot S5 tires, and the aerodynamics are largely untouched. The interior is lifted from the pure ICE car, with a giant touchscreen control center, a digital gauge cluster, and annoying touch-sensitive controls. If you want a full explanation of why I hate these controls, read my review of the GT63 . In short, these controls feel like a cost-saving measure that’s worse to use than physical buttons and switchgear.

All the real changes happen under the AMG skin. In place of a regular rear differential, there’s a 201-horsepower electric motor directly on the rear axle using two forward gears. Combined with AMG’s incredible 4.0-liter twin-turbo V-8—making 603 hp in this application—it turns a very fast vehicle into the quickest-accelerating gas car I’ve ever driven.

Mercedes claims a 0-60 mph time of 2.7 seconds, making it quicker than the AMG One hypercar. But the E Performance feels quicker than that. Where you’d expect a slight delay between the throttle and the forward thrust in a standard car, here you get instant gratification. Low-speed response is as quick as you’d expect in something purely electric, thanks to the electric motor. The biggest surprise, though, doesn’t come at 60 mph. It’s at 160 mph.

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Pros: Very Stable at High Speed, Equipped with Advanced Technology, The Fastest Accelerating ICE Car I've Ever Driven

With the freedom of the German Autobahn (where there are no speed limits), I was able to explore the E Performance’s explosive acceleration. The electric motor doesn’t just help the car accelerate at low speeds. It helps everywhere. That same punch of electric boost you feel at normal speeds? You feel it at triple-digit speeds, too. Having that kind of immediate forward momentum available at speeds in excess of 150 mph is a mind-boggling sensation. Maybe this is what driving a Bugatti is all about.

Top speed for the GT63 E Performance is electronically limited to 199 mph. That’s only slightly better than the regular GT63’s 196 mph top speed. But don’t let the numbers fool you. While I can see the regular car hitting its true V-max at its quoted top speed, this hybrid version feels like it could keep going past 215 if the limiter were removed. It didn’t take me long to hit the indicated 192 mph on an empty stretch of German motorway (the fastest I’ve ever driven a car, anywhere). It still pulled hard when I had to let go. You’re paying for the way this car reaches these speeds in such a nonchalant, unaffected, and timely manner.

While the drivetrain feels smooth from behind the wheel, it’s a complex one. The GT63 hybrid uses a similar setup to the larger S63 E Performance sedan, with some modifications to the rear diff housing to fit the GT’s undercarriage. A single permanent magnet synchronous motor is powered by a 6.1-kilowatt-hour battery pack that sits in the trunk area, taking up most of what used to be a cavernous trunk space. Thankfully, the optional rear seats still fold down, so you won’t be short of space when packing for two.

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Because the electric motor is directly connected to the differential, it can send torque back to the driveshaft and to the transfer case, which in turn sends torque to the front wheels. That means that even in Electric mode—one of eight(!) different drive modes in the E Performance—the car remains in all-wheel drive. Of course, the transfer case almost always sends all the power to the rear to improve vehicle dynamics. Up to 50 percent of the torque can reach the front axle, but that only happens in cases where traction is scarce, such as on a snowy hill or a slippery corner exit.

The performance of the rear-mounted motor depends largely on the driving mode you select. Leave the GT63 in a more sedate mode like Slippery or Comfort, and the system will run the car on battery power whenever possible, only firing up the V-8 when extra power is needed—or to recharge using the belt-driven alternator-generator. Fire it up in Sport or Race mode, and the engine will stay on permanently, continually charging the battery via the alternator. That way, you’ll never be short of instant thrust when you need it.

There’s also a Battery Hold mode that, as the name suggests, runs the E Performance on pure internal combustion power until the driver dictates otherwise. Engineers say the goal here is to provide a “first and last mile” EV solution that allows owners to leave and enter their neighborhood in total silence before firing up those noisy twin-turbo motors.

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Cons: Annoying Touch Controls, Ride Modes Can Be Overwhelming, Purists Won't Like the Weight

Alongside the driving modes are layers of driver adjustment tools, from suspension stiffness, traction control, aerodynamic adjustments, to additional sounds that come through the speakers. Some can be adjusted via the giant touchscreen or the half-moon display to the left of the steering wheel. Others, like the aggressiveness of brake regeneration, are hidden in another display on the steering wheel beyond the driving mode symbols. There’s even a drift mode that channels all the power to the rear, but it requires jumping over about 46 obstacles to activate.

I spent about eight hours in the car over two days, and I was still discovering new adjustments towards the end of my trip. You need weeks behind the wheel to really get used to all the technology this car has to offer. For those who like this kind of thing: You’ll be entertained for months trying out all the different combinations.

“[The GT63 S E Performance] “This is for people who love the technology and engineering expertise that we have at AMG,” chief product manager Matthias Schmidt told Motor1. “They want to have maximum power, that’s the most important thing. This is [car] very good for long distance but still gives very good results [cornering] show.”

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For those more interested in a pure driving experience, you might want to look elsewhere. All that hybrid stuff adds 496 pounds to the GT63’s already hefty weight, bringing the total to 4,839 pounds. That’s heavier than a Toyota Tacoma double cab.

Despite the extra weight, the E Performance isn’t lacking in cornering speed. The steering is quick and smooth, aided by the standard rear-steer and the superb Michelin tires. The Mercedes has plenty of composure through corners big and small, cruising at high speeds without much effort. That’s thanks in part to the standard AMG Active Ride, which ditches the traditional stabilizer bar in favor of a series of interconnected hydraulic lines that open and close depending on driving conditions, extending the damping range of the upper frame to deliver unprecedented performance for a car this heavy.

Weight distribution is also improved. Tobias Roll, head of product development for the SL and GT, told us that the E Performance produces a 51/49 front-to-rear ratio versus 54/46 for the standard car, thanks to all the rear-mounted hybrid equipment. It’s hard to feel the difference in balance without driving both cars back-to-back, especially when both are already so heavy. You can have fun with these cars, of course. But they’re never going to be as fun in the corners as something half the weight and a quarter the power. (Do the math and you won’t be surprised which cars fit those parameters.)

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Motor1.com

Angled carve-outs aren’t what GT63 E Performance buyers are looking for. Those customers will opt for the GT63 Pro, a track-specific trim with improved cooling and aerodynamics. People who buy the E Performance buy it because it’s loaded with the latest and greatest technological advancements you can find in a car. Because it has seemingly endless customization. And most importantly, because it has the biggest numbers on the spec sheet.

The sheet will also list the top price. While Mercedes hasn’t released pricing yet, we expect the E Performance to start at around $216,000—or about $30,000 more than the standard car. As an all-around sports car, the Porsche 911 Turbo S might be a better choice. But for high-speed highway domination and long-distance grand touring, there’s nothing better on the market right now.