Mercedes-AMG GT SUV debuts as brand’s first dedicated electric AMG SUV
Mercedes-AMG’s electric GT 4-door split opinion earlier this year, mostly over its looks. Now the brand has an SUV version…
The AMG GT SUV carries over everything from the sedan, but unlike the 4-door, which offers two variants, the SUV gets three. The GT 53 makes 400kW and 800Nm, the GT 55 has 600kW and 1,860Nm, and the GT 63 tops the range with 860kW and 2,000Nm. All three use dual electric motors. The GT 53 and GT 55 share a 106kWh battery, while the GT 63 gets a 128kWh pack.
Like the GT 4-door, all variants use an 800-volt architecture where the bigger battery charges at up to 710kW while the smaller at 600kW, and Mercedes claims that’s enough to add up to 450km of range in 10 minutes. In terms of performance, the sprint to 100km/h takes 4.2 seconds in the GT 53, 3.1 in the GT 55 and 2.7 in the GT 63.
We’ll leave the looks for you to judge, but the retro influence is there, and we like it, especially at the back, where the lights remind us of the Nissan GT-R’s. Car fanatics should find that easy to love. Also, the GT SUV has an advantage over its 4-door sibling, which replaced an ICE-powered car, so it has a legacy to answer to, while the SUV is the first of its kind and has no petrol predecessor to be measured against.
Inside, the GT SUV still looks like an AMG, with its own steering wheel, AMG-specific buttons and switches, and sports seats. There’s a 14-inch touchscreen, a 10.2-inch instrument cluster, and an optional 14-inch passenger display. Space looks adequate, which is the point of an SUV. It seats five, and the boot holds 607 litres, growing to 1,740 litres with the rear seats folded. There’s also a 78-litre frunk at the front. For comparison, the GLE 53 offers 630 litres.
For now, Mercedes-AMG says orders for the GT 53 SUV are open in Europe, with the other two variants following in the new year. Local availability is yet to be confirmed, but if it does make its way here, it will be a talking point. Locally, an AMG is judged by its engine, and it is unclear whether the gradual shift to EVs will make this easier to forgive among South Africans.
What does an AMG mean without a V8? To us, it marks the beginning of an era. Whether we want it or not, that’s where the industry is heading. The good news is that there are still AMGs with engines we can enjoy.
