Mercedes-AMG's 4-Door GT 63 S PHEV Is Finally Coming to America

Yahoo

04-02-2025

The folks over at Mercedes-AMG call the GT 63 S E Performance 4-Door a coupe, but our eyes see four doors. We're willing to overlook that discrepancy, though, because the wait for Affalterbach's most powerful family-friendly version of the AMG GT sports car is finally over... after three and a half years. See, European consumers have had the plug-in hybrid V-8-powered beast available since the 2022 model year, but it's only as of calendar year 2025 that American buyers are finally receiving a shot at the car.
The GT 63 S E Performance 4-Door — which is effectively a four-door equivalent of the GT 63 S E Performance coupe, even though its architecture is actually more closely related to the previous-generation E-Class — is a mouthful because of its powertrain: A 4.0-liter, twin-turbocharged V-8 is paired to a permanently excited synchronous electric motor, making a total of 831 hp and 1032 lb-ft of torque. All this is then fed to all four wheels through a nine-speed dual-clutch transmission, allowing for a swift 0-60 mph run of a claimed 2.8 seconds.
Prospective buyers will have to settle for being just shy of the 200-mph club, however, as the car's top speed is electronically limited to 197 mph. But what's more exciting than the specs is the way engineers in Affalterbach have managed to streamline the power delivery process, and it all starts at the rear axle.
The twin-turbo V-8 alone makes its own 630 hp and 664 lb-ft of torque, while the 6.1 kWh battery and electric motor add 201 hp of their own to the mix. The e-motor is mounted at the rear axle, where it delivers power via an electrically shifted two-speed gearbox feeding an electronically limited slip differential, with the 196-pound battery mounted on top of the motor. Immediate torque is one plus of the setup, but AMG says that the ability to better manage traction and handling dynamics is a greater benefit.
The usual benefits of an electric powertrain are present as well. All-electric driving is possible for brief periods up to a speed of 87 mph, but the real benefit comes from regenerative braking. AMG has set up the GT 63 S E Performance 4-Door with four different energy recuperation modes. Level 0 is essentially a coasting mode, while Level 1 and Level 2 gradually increase the level of regen, and Level 3 is close to one-pedal driving.
There's no shortage of drive modes available, either — seven, in fact (Electric, Comfort, Battery Hold, Sport, Sport+, RACE, and Slippery), each of which brings changes to the throttle mapping, suspension tuning, and steering weight. The system is adjusted through a knob on the steering wheel and can be switched into a momentary boost mode, applying full power for 10 seconds when requested. These modes are paired with four settings (Basic, Advanced, Pro, Master) of AMG's Dynamics program, which adjusts parameters like yaw damping and stability control.
AMG's Ride Control + suspension system is one link between all these tunable metrics. At its core, the system is based on a multi-chamber air suspension that can automatically level the ride height of the GT 63 S ; but it's the adaptive, electronically adjustable dampers that catch our eye. Thanks to dual pressure relief valves, the system operates with one valve controlling rebound and the other overseeing compression independently from each other. The combination of an air suspension and these high-dollar dampers delivers a suspension setup with a multitude of personalities, making the car both a cushy family cruiser and a track-ready beast.
All of these specifications are exciting news, especially in a package that functions as an everyday ride... but they aren't all that new. Mercedes-AMG originally promised the U.S. market this model by the 2023 model year, so its 2025 arrival is a few years late — and in that time, Porsche has brought out a new plug-in hybrid Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid and BMW has rolled out its new PHEV M5, both of which battle on the GT 63 S E Performance's turf. Then again, neither of those makes more than 800 hp and over 1000 lb-ft of torque.
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