The AMG CLS 63 had to die so that the AMG GT 4-Door Coupe could live, but now it’s the latter’s turn to make way for a successor. Affalterbach is preparing to say goodbye to the super sedan’s combustion engine in favor of an all-electric setup. Developed from the ground up as an EV, a first for an AMG product, this unnamed sedan will break cover in June. Before it goes official, here’s a teaser to generate buzz.
The sloping roofline, à la the Porsche Taycan, may suggest an extra-long coupe, but you can see the outline of the rear doors. Official images of a camouflaged prototype clearly show a more practical body style with a four-door layout. It’s unclear whether we’re still dealing with a liftback like the outgoing gas model or if Mercedes is switching to a sedan shape. The rakish EV was initially previewed in 2022 with the Vision AMG concept, hinting at a totally new look compared to the V-8 sedan the Germans have been selling for seven years.
With four doors, a relatively long hood, and a generous rear section, this is going to be a big car. Circling back to the prototype, it certainly has presence, riding low to the ground; however, an SUV equivalent with a raised suspension is also in the works. Both will be underpinned by the AMG.EA platform, an in-house effort to make electric vehicles exciting to drive.
At the heart of the sedan will be YASA’s axial-flux motors, which can pump out 480 hp and 590 lb-ft while weighing about half as much as radial-flux motors. Fitting just one at each axle would enable an all-wheel-drive layout close to 1,000 horsepower and over 1,000 lb-ft, putting it in the fight with the Porsche Taycan Turbo and the Audi RS E-Tron GT. But two motors don’t necessarily imply AWD, considering the One-Eleven supercar concept had a dual-motor RWD setup.
Weight is a concern, but it’s not as if the current AMG GT 4-Door Coupe is as light as a feather either. The plug-in hybrid V8 version already tips the scales at 5,269 pounds, so the EV can’t be much worse than this. Or can it? Whatever the case may be, logic tells us that the SUV will be even heavier than the sedan. The sedan should also be the more aerodynamic of the two, with a slippery body that should translate to more range.
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Specs aside, AMG has reasons to be concerned about the future of these two AMGs. We can all agree that enthusiasts would rather have a large-displacement combustion engine than a completely silent electric drivetrain. Sure, an EV is quicker off the line thanks to its instant torque delivery, but what about the rest of the driving experience? Neck-snapping acceleration gets old fast.
The latest C63 has proven to be unpopular after losing its V-8 in favor of a highly complex electrified four-cylinder engine. Remove the ICE completely, and you take away the soul of an AMG. Maybe I’m wrong, and people will buy this electric sedan and give Mercedes the necessary funding to keep the V-8 alive as promised.
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