Welcome to the Future! Mercedes’ Electric GT with 1,360 HP and a V8 Sound is Coming PHOTO
Can an electric car be a "real" AMG? With 1,360 horsepower and a simulated V8 engine sound, the GT XX Concept is doing its best to prove it.
Mercedes’ performance division has already faced challenges when moving away from the proven V8 formula.
Their turbo-hybrid four-cylinder C63 was technically impressive but widely criticized for its weight and lack of emotion.
Sales have been poor, and even AMG’s CEO Michael Schiebe admitted that the company "could have explained" the drivetrain better to customers.
This time, AMG isn't holding back. On Wednesday, they unveiled the GT XX Concept – a super sedan with 1,360 HP and a top speed of 360 km/h, marking a prelude to the first fully electric AMG model, coming next year.
If it delivers on its promises, Mercedes aims to be a serious contender to models like the Lucid Air Sapphire and Porsche Taycan Turbo GT, with a dash of AMG spectacle.
Although it's not yet a street-legal production model – evidenced by GT3 racing seats with five-point harnesses – AMG claims the technology is ready for production and will be part of future models built on the AMG Electric Architecture (AMG.EA).
The design of the GT XX won’t be to everyone’s taste – but its front end, in the legendary orange color of the C111 supercar, has a powerful, unmistakably Mercedes look.
AMG states the drag coefficient is just 0.198 – an exceptional figure for a car with wide tires and traditional mirrors (by comparison, Lucid Air achieves 0.197).
Special aerodynamic wheels help achieve this – five carbon fiber panels electrically expand or retract as needed to cool the brakes or optimize airflow.
They don't draw power from the battery – they’re powered by electric motors driven by the wheel’s kinetic energy.
Mercedes says these wheels add only "one to two kilograms" compared to standard ones.
The interior features carbon racing bucket seats with personalized cushions made based on a scan of the customer's body.
The seat fabrics and interior linings are made from old GT3 tires – reportedly, one tire is enough for the entire car.
Orange accents and ambient lighting dominate, and in front of the driver is a large tablet-style screen and a "steering wheel" shaped like a race car’s.
Beneath the surface, the GT XX uses an 800-volt system with an advanced battery pack capable of charging at 850 kW. That’s enough for 400 kilometers of range in about five minutes.
Power is sent to all four wheels via two electric drive units (EDUs) with a total of three axial-flux motors – two in the rear and one in the front.
Total output: a massive 1,360 HP, which is 109 more than the Lucid Air Sapphire (1,251 HP) but less than the Xiaomi SU7 Ultra with 1,548 HP.
The rear EDU is the main power source, while the front disconnects during cruising or light load driving to increase efficiency.
Direct-cooled cylindrical battery cells – the supplier is not disclosed – offer better thermal management and durability during sporty driving sessions.
Of course, it wouldn't be a true AMG without sound drama. From the very first encounter, you hear a simulated V8 engine roar.
Mercedes confirms the car will feature an artificial sound system, and Schiebe says an unnamed executive remarked it was “the best V8 we’ve ever developed.”
Two speakers are built into the headlights and direct sound around the vehicle.
Will the AMG GT XX actually enter production? Some elements, like the rear LED light bar, might not meet regulatory standards.
But if the concept’s performance becomes the foundation for future AMG production models, the Affalterbach team could seriously shake up Lucid and Porsche.
If the AMG EV is built in Germany, it will face a 25% tariff in the U.S., along with added costs for battery components.
And the Xiaomi SU7 Ultra already offers similar performance – and is already on sale (in China).
Still, it’s refreshing to see a manufacturer fully commit to developing a high-performance EV, instead of juggling hybrids that weigh as much as a studio apartment.
We might just be heading toward an electric future full of V8 sounds.
