BMW’s archrival, Mercedes, is finally getting serious about launching dedicated AMG electric models. Before the first production vehicle breaks cover, a wild concept offers a glimpse of what’s to come. The GT XX is a swoopy sedan that looks substantially different from current offerings out of Affalterbach. It forgoes a rear window and adopts a slinky, coupe-like profile but with the added practicality of rear doors.
Although the styling is thoroughly modern, even futuristic, the GT XX’s striking orange paint reminds us of the C111 experimental test cars from the 1970s. The circular taillights also evoke those radical prototypes, but the spectacular gullwing doors are sadly a thing of the past. Despite being labeled as a concept, it likely isn’t far off from the eventual production model. Its rakish profile and small greenhouse are even more dramatic than those of a Porsche Taycan.
Inside, the cabin cocoons the driver and passengers in a race car-like ambiance, complete with body-hugging front seats. Mercedes borrowed the steering wheel from its F1-engined AMG One hypercar and installed a dual-display setup. The instrument cluster measures 10.25 inches, while the touchscreen spans a larger 14-inch diagonal. Illuminated orange tubes accent the exposed body structure, though we doubt those will make it to production.
While the C111 prototypes from half a century ago experimented with everything from rotary engines to diesels, this new concept abandons internal combustion entirely. Instead, it features a tri-motor setup with axial flux motors developed in collaboration with British electric motor specialist YASA, a wholly owned subsidiary of Mercedes since 2021.
With more than 1,341 horsepower on tap, the AMG GT XX is one of the most powerful four-door EVs ever built. It’s also among the fastest, topping out at over 223 mph (359 km/h). Two motors drive the rear axle, while a third powers the front, giving the family-friendly supercar an all-wheel-drive layout. When extra traction isn’t needed, the front motor decouples, allowing the car to behave like a rear-wheel-drive vehicle.
Mercedes claims the car gains approximately 249 miles (400 kilometers) of WLTP range after just five minutes of charging. The power comes from an all-new battery developed in collaboration with the Formula 1 team. It features an entirely new layout with cylindrical cells and NCMA (nickel, cobalt, manganese, aluminum) chemistry. The system operates at over 800 volts and supports a peak charging power of more than 850 kW.
With a remarkably low drag coefficient of just 0.198, this sleek sedan debuts the AMG.EA architecture, designed to minimize the weight penalty of a large battery pack. Engineers optimized the structure with a mix of aluminum, steel, and fiber composites, although they haven’t disclosed the GT XX’s curb weight. The production version will replace a gasoline-powered model; specifically, the AMG GT 4-Door Coupe with its inline-six and V8 engines.
Following the sedan’s debut, a large AMG electric SUV will soon join the lineup. BMW M isn’t sitting idle either, as fully electric M models are due this decade. Leading the charge will be a hot EV akin to the M3, arriving in 2027. Like AMG’s performance electric cars, BMW M’s new EVs will also adopt cylindrical battery cells.
Photos: Mercedes-AMG