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Mercedes-AMG GT 63 SE Performance review

AMG’s march towards electrification continues with this, the Mercedes-AMG GT 63 SE Performance. Unlike the GLC 63 and C 63, there’s no four-cylinder motor to be found here. Instead, you get a brawny 4.0-litre twin turbo V8 with over 600bhp, and another 200bhp of electric motor on top, making it one of the fastest plug-in hybrids.

Rivals? Well, plug-in hybrid coupes are a bit of a rare groove, so there’s only one at the time of writing. It’s another car with a 4.0-litre V8, and similar power, although it is a bit pricier. It is of course the Bentley Continental GT, although you’ll find plenty of other non-PHEV rivals. That includes the Porsche 911 Turbo S, Ferrari Roma and Aston Martin DB12.

At a glance
Pros: Rapid acceleration, relatively comfortable, well equipped

Cons: Brake and steering feel, interior quality, wide

What’s new?
Errrr, nothing really. We’ve already seen the AMG GT 63 in regular V8 guise, and the V8 PHEV system debuted on the GT 63 four-door. As you’d expect from a PHEV, boot space has tumbled somewhat and it’s over 200kg heavier than the regular ICE AMG GT.

To cope with the bulk, all SE Performance models get active roll stabilisation on the suspension, four-wheel steering and carbon ceramic brakes. Expect more versions of the GT 63 to follow, starting with a track-biased ‘Pro’ model.

What are the specs?
Let’s start with the numbers you really care about. 0-62mph takes a thoroughly believable 2.8sec, and it’ll get awfully close to 200mph flat out. Total system output is 805bhp with torque at 1047Ib ft. That makes it the quickest AMG ever, beating even the ONE hypercar from 0-62.

As the SE Performance bit suggests, this GT 63 is a plug-in hybrid, just like the Mercedes-AMG GT 63 four-door SE Performance. Don’t expect lots of EV running and a correspondently small CO2 figure, though. Total range from a fully charged battery is a mere 8 miles, and it’s still in the 37% BIK rate for company car drivers.

What about the interior?
It’s like a regular AMG GT 63, just with a few PHEV specific alterations. Take a look at the shortcut bar under the touchscreen and you’ll find a shortcut to a new charging menu, and there’s additional drive modes, too. These include an EV-only mode and another to save the battery’s charge for later.

There’s also new graphics for the driver’s display to show when the e-motors are propelling you and how efficient they are. The biggest change is in the boot. With the 400v battery perched on top of the rear diff, boot space drops from 321-litres in pure ICE GTs to 182-litres in the SE Performance.

Everything else remains much the same, so the rear seats are best left for kids or people you dislike, although they can be folded to increase boot space. Quality is a bit disappointing in places (interior door pulls shouldn’t flex), the infotainment system is responsive and looks good, and there’s plenty of space up front.

How does it drive?
Any doubt over the claimed 2.8-second 0-62mph time evaporates as soon as you engage launch control. All four tyres stick themselves to the road and fire the GT forward with real violence. It’s not as unrelenting as some silly fast EVs out there, but it’s enough to make your eyesight go a bit squiffy.

It’s not just rapid off the line, either. A stretch of derestricted autobahn highlighted just how easily the SE Performance builds speed, with 150mph blown past like it was 70, and the speedo still climbing quite quickly at an indicated 180mph. AMG’s claimed 199mph top speed could actually be on the conservative side.

Comfort mode allows a bit too much body movement, but Sport really ties things down. Combined with the four-wheel steer, stability is excellent and the car feels absolutely planted. At lower speeds the 4WS boosts agility, but it all feels a bit synthetic.

The steering has quite a big dead-spot around the straight ahead, with a noticeable ramp up in steering ratio once you’ve got some lock on. It’s not particularly pleasant, and the brakes are even worse.

They’re sensitive at the top of their travel yet require a long push to get past the regen and into the friction braking. Jerky progress is very hard to avoid, and while ramping up the regen helps, they’re still in need of a lot more work.