The Mercedes-AMG GT Concept has been revealed in Geneva as AMG’s take on the Porsche Panamera, promising sub-3 second 0-62mph from its hybrid powerplant.
The Mercedes-AMG GT Concept is to the AMG GT what Porsche’s Panamera is to the 911. Which means, beyond the styling, there’s not really a lot to link them.
But making a four-door saloon look like a high-performance sports car doesn’t do sales any harm, and if AMG is to do something other than the GT it’s probably best its the AMG take on the Panamera rather than an AMG take on the Cayenne.
The design is clever in that it manages to incorporate front and back ends which actually look a lot like the GT, and a bit in the middle that doesn’t. But it’s all pretty cohesive.
Despite looking like it could make production, this is still very much a concept with oversized alloys, no door mirrors and a power plant AMG aren’t really forthcoming about.
This is the first car from Mercedes-AMG to use the EQ Power+ moniker to denote a hybrid, and AMG make big claims for this powerplant without giving much away.
The engine is a high performance V8 petrol – presumably Mercedes 4.0 litre bo-turbo – mated to an electric motor and with a battery borrowed from F1 which is more powerful than used in normal hybrids, but lighter and more compact.
AMG say they have had the hybrid powerplant working at up to 800bhp in its last level of development, and that the Gt Concept will hit 62mph in under 3 seconds.
Tobias Moers, AMG boss, said:
With the Mercedes-AMG GT Concept we are giving a preview of our third completely autonomously developed sports car. And extending the attractive AMG GT family to include a four-door variant.
Plus the GT Concept – like the AMG Hypercar, which we are presenting at the International Motor Show in Frankfurt – illustrates how we are defining performance of the future at AMG.
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