There is technology and then there is marketing. In 2022, Mercedes introduced the EQXX, a battery electric sedan that offered extraordinary range. It had styling that optimized its aerodynamic efficiency. Its battery had the same capacity as the EQS but weighed half as much. The result was a car that could travel more than 1000 km (620 miles) on a single charge. There was only one problem. The EQXX did not look the way Mercedes customers expected their cars to look — large, imposing, and dominant. People don’t drop 150 large on a car just because it is efficient; they want to make a statement. But the EQXX — and the EQS — did not have the visual presence they wanted. You can build the most efficient car in the world, but if no one buys it, what’s the point? Credit: Mercedes We may carp about how appearances take priority over saving the world from an ecological disaster, but ignoring the wishes of the public is not a good business plan. So Mercedes went back to basics and came up with the AMG GT Coupe, a car with an intimidation factor that fairly shouts at other motorists, “Get out of my way!” There are lighted three-pointed stars in the headlights and the tail lights. Gone is the aerodynamically efficient front of the EQXX, which was replaced by a proper shark-like grille with a lighted Mercedes emblem in the center. The new look says, “This is a car not to be messed with!” The Specs Okay, enough about styling. What makes the Mercedes AMG GT Coupe so special? How about 1,153 horsepower and 1,475 pound-feet of torque in the top trim? How about 0 to 60 km/h in 2.1 seconds and 200 km/h in 6.4 seconds. Or a top speed of 300 km/h ? That’s in the top tier GT 63 trim with two rear motors and one front motor. That front motor can spin at up to 15,000 rpm and is called into play only when the driver whistles down to the engine room for maximum power by mashing the exhilarator. There is also a GT 55 trim with 805 hp and 1,328 pound-feet of torque. Either one will peel your eyelids back and plant a big sloppy grin on your face as you pass ordinary vehicles as if you were in the Millennium Falcon when it makes the jump to hyperspace. Both versions feature a synthetic audio system that mimics the throaty sound of a V-8 engine, complete with the crackles and pops we associate with those engines during deceleration. Mercedes says it has compiled a library of 1,600 audio files to “sonically interpret” different driving situations. Be still my beating heart! Advanced NMCA Batteries Credit: Mercedes There are two aspects of the new car that make all this goodness possible. First, the car uses NMCA battery technology influenced by the company’s Formula One program. The 106 kWh battery uses 2,660 cylindrical cells grouped into 18 modules. With the emphasis on performance, controlling heat is critical. Mercedes uses cylindrical battery cells that are 10.5 cm tall and 2.6 cm wide (4.1 inches by 1 inch). Each one is immersed in coolant and also sits on a cooling plate. The battery management system is capable of cooling individual modules based on their temperatures, a technique Mercedes calls “on demand cooling.” “This unique format provides crucial advantages for cooling,” Mercedes explains. “The small diameter of the round cell minimizes the distance from the cell core to the surface. This enables rapid and efficient dissipation of heat generated under load, ensuring that each individual round cell is always maintained within its optimal temperature range. This is essential for consistent power delivery and battery longevity, even under extreme conditions.” Mercedes also uses laser welded aluminium cell housings for its proprietary battery cells. Not only is aluminum lighter than steel, it also has better electrical and thermal conductivity, which contributes to more precise and effective temperature control of each cell. The new cells feature a full-tab design in which the cell winding is fully connected electrically and thermally to the poles. “The result is a significant reduction in internal resistance,” Mercedes claims. The battery cells use silicon graphite anodes to achieve an energy density of 298 Wh/kg. The AMG GT Coupe uses 800 volt architecture and is capable of accepting up to 600 kW of charging power. It can charge from 10 to 80 percent in just 11 minutes, which is about as quickly as any electric car not manufactured in China, and can add 285 miles of WLTP range in just 10 minutes when plugged into a 600 kW charger. There are precious few of those to be found, although charging network operators are upgrading their equipment constantly to increase charging power. The range of the AMG GT Coupe is said to be about 700 km (WLTP) or 315 miles (EPA). Axial Flux Motors Credit: YASA The second interesting technical feature of the Mercedes AMG GT is that it uses axial flux motors supplied by YASA in the UK, which Mercedes acquired in 2021. The AMG GT Coupe is the first to use the technology in a fully electric production car. Mercedes says the power unit is 67 percent lighter and 67 percent shorter than conventional motors. Below is an interesting video that explains more about axial flux motors. Or you can check out our report from late last year. The Bottom Line And how much will all this goodness cost? That question may not be relevant for the intended buyers, who presumably will be well heeled, but Mercedes says, “The pricing for the models will be based on comparable predecessor vehicles.” Those cars are priced between €158,800 and €179,000. The GT 55 trim will arrive at US dealerships later this year, with the GT 63 following in early 2027. What is it like to drive one of these beauties? Ola Källenius, CEO of Mercedes Benz Group, had this to say: “I have driven the new AMG GT 4 Door Coupé myself many times, and it genuinely stands out. It pushes performance to new limits and delivers the emotion our fans expect — now in the electric era. From my time at AMG, I know how high the bar is set in Affalterbach. With this first model on the new AMG.EA architecture, we don’t just meet it, we move it.” Emotion… that’s what sells cars. The AMG GT Coupe will forge an emotional connection instantly with drivers, and that’s all it will take for them to write the big check needed to put one of these beauties in the garage next to the Porsche and the Maserati. If you have that kind of discretionary cash, life behind the wheel of a Mercedes AMG GT Coupe will always be very good indeed!
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