THE MOST POWERFUL AMG YET

Bangkok Post

07-07-2025

Mercedes-AMG has previewed its future electric flagship with the Concept GT XX, a 1,341bhp technical tour de force showcasing a radical design, an advanced new technical layout and a motorsport-inspired cockpit.
This fully operational four‑door machine features a new 1,341bhp tri‑motor electric drivetrain and an oil‑cooled 114kWh cell‑to‑pack battery capable of charging at up to 850kW.As with the Mercedes‑Benz Vision EQXX, the precursor to the third‑generation CLA that was unveiled in 2022, the GT XX serves as a technology demonstrator for what will become the heavily anticipated successor to the GT 4‑Door Coupé and the most powerful AMG yet.
Given its billing, AMG plans to undertake various record attempts with the prototype ahead of a planned launch next year. Mercedes' chief technical officer, Markus Schäfer, said the upcoming production model will target a 0–100kph time of less than 2.5sec and a potential top speed of 358kph.
"With the EQXX, we pushed limits on efficiency, range and charging -- and it led directly to the new CLA," added Schäfer. "With the GT XX, the aim is to do the same on the performance side: test the edge, then bring that innovation into production."
DESIGN
The GT XX is the first model built on the new AMG.EA electric car platform. Its battery pack is integrated into the chassis to boost torsional rigidity and crash protection. The body is constructed from a mix of aluminium, steel and carbon fibre composites.
It also introduces a completely new look for AMG. While at first previewing the upcoming successor to the GT 4‑Door Coupé, it also shows what is to come in the performance arm's electric future. It includes elements first seen on the Vision AMG of 2022, such as the long bonnet, cab‑back profile and tapering rear end.
"Some might see it as a sports car, others as a grand tourer," said Schäfer. "It merges both worlds. But the most important thing is it must evoke desire."
Its most striking design element can be found up front, where AMG's Panamericana grille has been reshaped into a more concave, oval form with 10 vertical strakes.
This is flanked by recessed headlights and a deep splitter. Elsewhere, the bonnet features functional vents to extract heat, the windscreen is steeply raked for improved aerodynamics and the roof receives a defined central channel.
Along the flanks, frameless doors with flush handles and compact aero mirrors reduce drag, while the side sills are sculpted for airflow management.
At the back, notably, the concept is missing a rear window. Below, six small round tail‑lights are joined by a 730‑LED light panel that can display an array of messages. An airbrake spoiler deploys under heavy braking or at high speed, working in tandem with a large carbon fibre diffuser.
Aerodynamic efficiency extends to the 21in alloys, which feature active blade sections -- five per wheel -- that open to aid brake cooling and close at speed to reduce drag.
All of this combines for a drag coefficient of 0.19, which, if carried over, would make the production model one of the slipperiest cars on sale. The 0.19 figure is not as low as the EQXX's record‑breaking 0.17, but Schäfer said the brief for the GT XX was to give precedence to downforce and cooling over outright drag reduction. To compensate, a complex underfloor aerodynamic package is designed to generate a venturi effect, contributing to what AMG describes as "exceptional aerodynamic balance".
At 5,204mm long, 2,130mm wide and 1,317mm tall, the GT XX is 150mm longer, 61mm wider and 130mm lower than the current, V8-engined GT 4‑Door Coupé launched in 2018. These dimensions are expected to carry over into the production car, which will be built at Mercedes‑Benz's Sindelfingen manufacturing facility in Germany. By way of comparison, the Porsche Taycan is 4,963mm long, 2,144mm wide and 1,379mm tall.
The vivid Sunset Beam orange paint is a nod to past Mercedes research prototypes and concepts including 1970's C111 and the more recent One‑Eleven.
The heart of the GT XX is its tri‑motor drivetrain: two axial‑flux motors at the rear, with a third up front that can decouple under light loads to reduce mechanical drag. Combined output is 1,341bhp, which is sent to all four wheels via a fully variable 4Matic+ system.
These motors, created by Mercedes-owned UK manufacturer Yasa, which also supplies Ferrari and Lamborghini, will be used by all electric AMGs and the most powerful Mercedes-Benz models. Electricity is drawn from the 114kWh oil‑cooled cylindrical‑cell battery, which has been developed in partnership with AMG's Formula 1 powertrain division in Brixworth, Northamptonshire.
According to AMG, oil immersion offers greater surface area and more efficient heat transfer under sustained load than conventional liquid cooling. Operating at "more than" 800V, the battery theoretically supports DC charging at up to 850kW, although no public chargers currently offer such capacity. AMG has not yet quoted a WLTP range, but it says the GT XX can recover around 400km of range in five minutes.
"Three years ago, 300kW charging on the road was unthinkable," said Schäfer. "Now it's reality. We're already seeing 480kW stations in China. 1000kW parks will come."
The GT XX uses a double‑wishbone front and multi‑link rear suspension set‑up, combined with adaptive air springs. It also features the active roll control and rear‑wheel steering systems set to be adopted by its production sibling. AMG claims a 50:50 weight distribution.
SOUNDTRACK
AMG says it has gone to great lengths to retain the emotional appeal that remains a draw of today's V8-powered models. For example, an eight‑speaker exterior sound system -- mounted in the headlight housings -- mimics acceleration sounds.
"AMG is about more than just performance," said Schäfer. "It's about emotion -- how a car sounds. We believe an electric AMG can still deliver that experience."
Inside, the cabin mixes luxury saloon cues with GT3 race car elements. Dual digital displays (10.25in and 14in) dominate the dash, while the steering wheel is inspired by the AMG One. Illuminated orange piping echoes the car's high‑voltage cabling, and seats feature 3D‑printed ergonomic inserts.
Swathes of experimental materials adorn the interior, with biotech leather alternatives made from recycled GT3 tyres, protein‑derived bio‑silk door pulls and a visible-from-the-inside carbon fibre roof with no headliner. Even the floor uses recycled material, here printed in a chequered‑flag pattern.
The GT XX's production model will be joined by a closely related SUV, scheduled for UK launch in 2027 and conceived to take on the upcoming electric Porsche Cayenne.
Nevertheless, its unveiling comes as several performance car makers scale back their electric model plans.
Ferrari has reportedly delayed its second electric model until at least 2028 due to weaker than expected orders, although it still plans to unveil its first purely electric model in October. Lamborghini, Porsche and Maserati have also postponed or cancelled forthcoming electric models. Autocar