Mercedes-AMG GT deliveries commence in Oz

MERCEDES-AMG has made available its GT S E Performance flagship in Australia, almost two years after the model’s global debut.

Priced from $399,900 plus on-road costs, the plug-in hybrid four-door/four-seat ‘GT’ is the most expensive Mercedes-AMG to yet be offered Down Under (assuming you don’t include the rare 2021 GT Black Series), and is the only variant now offered with the atmo GT 63 S no longer available.

Combining a 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8 with an electric motor, the GT outputs an impressive 620kW of power and an immense 1400Nm of torque. The figures make the series production model not only the most expensive the German brand has ever offered locally, but also the most powerful.

It is also plenty fast, with a neck-stretching 0-100km/h time of just 2.9 seconds. Top speed is listed at 316km/h.

With a 150kW/320Nm electric motor on the rear axle – hooked up to a two-speed transmission and electronic limited slip differential – the GT’s ‘electric’ side is fed by a floor-mounted 6.1kWh liquid-cooled lithium-ion battery pack.

The rear-set e-motor can be used to drive the front axle and is hooked into the car’s standard 4Matic all-wheel drive system. Mercedes-AMG says the unit can provide up to 12km of all-electric range, while also contributing to a combined cycle fuel consumption figure of 7.7 litres per 100km.

But the electronic trickery doesn’t stop there. The Mercedes-AMG GT S E Performance is further equipped with 48-volt mild hybrid technology in the form of a starter/generator set between the engine and the nine-speed automatic transmission.

The motorsport-derived system is designed to ensure the PHEV battery never runs flat, ensuring there’s plenty of charge for, you know, hoofing it.

“The optimised weight distribution, best possible utilisation of torque, and the very fast power delivery promise driving dynamics at the highest level,” explained Mercedes-AMG chief technical officer, Jochen Hermann.

“Added to this is the high-performance battery developed in-house, which has twice the power density of conventional drive batteries and, like many other components, is inspired by technology from Formula 1.”

Of course, being a plug-in hybrid, the GT may also be charged at home, and offers a maximum AC charging rate of 3.7kW.

There are also carbon ceramic brakes, adaptive air suspension and an extensive array of active safety technology to be found.

The cabin of the GT is bristling with the expected levels of technology and safety, and lashings of high-end accoutrements.

Merc’s dual 12.3-inch big-screen MBUX system features AMG-specific displays while also providing instrumentation and infotainment content. There’s a head-up display front and centre, too, and a glass-rattling 14-speaker Burmester surround sound system.

Tri-zone climate control features alongside heated and cooled front pews, heated rear seats, heated armrests, power-closing doors, 64-colour LED ambient lighting and much, much more.

2023 Mercedes-AMG GT S E Performance pricing*:

*Pricing excludes on-road costs.