The CarExpert team's favourite reveals from the Shanghai motor show
Auto Shanghai 2025, also known as the Shanghai International Automobile Exhibition, kicked off earlier this week and we've already been treated to a raft of exciting new model reveals!
From rough-and-tough off-road SUVs to plug-in hybrid (PHEV) utes and electric sports cars, the 21st running of the biennial Chinese motor show since 1985 has had it all and there's still plenty to come.
Fans of the Toyota Prado will be keeping an eye on the Geely Galaxy Cruiser, an electrified 4×4 that could be among the six 'new energy' models Geely has promised for Australia in the next three years.
Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now.
Then there's the Nissan Frontier Pro, an all-new PHEV ute to take on the likes of the BYD Shark 6 and Ford Ranger PHEV.
Zeekr continues to wow crowds, this time with the 9X large SUV. It looks like a Rolls-Royce Cullinan, but the bones are undeniably Zeekr – a plug-in hybrid powertrain, air suspension, more than 380km of electric range, and a 0-100km/h time of three seconds.
We could go on, but you get the picture. There's a lot going on in Shanghai this week, and here are our favourite reveals so far.
Let us know your pick in the comments below!
Marton Pettendy: Nissan Frontier Pro
Nissan's new Mitsubishi Triton-based Navara is still at least a year away from Australian showrooms, but this all-new plug-in hybrid dual-cab revealed in China this week could complement it nicely.
With a plug-in hybrid powertrain that slams out 300kW of power and 800Nm of torque, and offers 135km of electric-only driving range, it could become Nissan's Australia's answer to the popular BYD Shark 6, GWM Cannon Alpha PHEV, and the upcoming Ford Ranger PHEV.
Armed with an all-new look and advanced powertrain tech, it could not only provide Nissan with a two-pronged attack in the booming local ute market, but become an invaluable asset to help it meet the federal government's ambitious new emissions targets – whether or not the next Navara brings hybrid as well as diesel power.
James Wong: Lexus ES
Get lost haters – I reckon the new-generation Lexus ES is a vibe, and a welcome departure from the frumpy design of the current mid-size luxury sedan. The side profile and the rear-end in particular are to die for.
The silvery colour of the original launch images didn't do the new ES justice; check out the ES500e in bronze, which is much nicer and with sportier wheels it looks quite mean.
I think the 2026 Lexus ES is a big signal from the Toyota and Lexus brands too, given the TNGA-K architecture has basically been re-engineered to accommodate both hybrid and electric powertrains.
Also props to Lexus Australia for putting its hand up for both of them from launch. Though the all-wheel drive versions are yet to be confirmed for local release, there should be an ES for everyone – provided you want a hybrid or EV luxury sedan.
Interested in buying a Lexus ES? Get in touch with one of CarExpert's trusted dealers here
MORE: Everything Lexus ES
William Stopford: Zeekr 9X
In China, the domestic brands have significantly upped their game over the past several years, to the point where buyers there are abandoning American, European, Japanese and Korean brands in significant numbers.
It was great, then, to see the likes of Lexus, Mazda and Nissan fight to remain relevant in China, with each revealing impressive new vehicles – some of these not possible without the extensive assistance of Chinese joint-venture partners.
My colleagues have all praised these new Japanese-brand vehicles already, so given I'm among the last to supply my answer I'm going to go with something from a Chinese brand.
We haven't seen the interior yet, but the Zeekr 9X is glitzy, gaudy, gauche and yet surprisingly charming. Beneath the slab-sided bodywork is an intriguing powertrain, the first hybrid from what has always been an EV brand.
It features a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine producing 205kW of power, mated with a 290kW front electric motor and a 370kW rear electric motor, with a claimed electric range of more than 380km and a 0-100km/h time of three seconds.
It rides on air suspension, too, and features five LiDAR units.
The Chinese brands have not only matured, they've flourished. It's remarkable how not too long ago, Chinese brands were selling blandly styled, cheaply constructed vehicles with old tech either licensed or reverse-engineered from foreign brands.
Now, the likes of Audi and Mazda are leaning heavily on Chinese carmakers to develop and produce new models, and the foreign brands that were once able to take the Chinese market for granted are struggling to keep their heads above water. This sea change is exemplified by vehicles like, among others, the Zeekr 9X.
Josh Nevett: GWM V8
Engine downsizing is rife across the industry as manufacturers race to meet tightening emissions standards, threatening the very existence of the mighty eight-cylinder.
So it came as a surprise when GWM ripped the covers off a new V8 in Shanghai this week, and it seems like an epic feat of engineering.
Supported by twin turbochargers and plug-in hybrid (PHEV) technology, the box-fresh V8 powertrain will offer multiple selectable personalities, from silent electric city driving to exhilarating highway performance.
And after more than three years of development, the new V8 is now under consideration for a variety of models to be sold in China and export markets including Australia.
Among those touted for production is a V8 version of the Tank 300, a possibility that has me uncharacteristically excited for a new SUV.
The Tank 300 has made its name as a cut-price alternative to our favourite off-roaders, and I think it has a lot more charm than many of the SUVs hitting our market at present.
Add a powerful and efficient V8 to the mix and GWM would be onto a winner. Let's just hope the decision-makers in China agree.
Interested in buying a GWM Tank 300? Get in touch with one of CarExpert's trusted dealers here
MORE: Everything GWM Tank 300
Max Davies: Lexus ES
I reviewed the Lexus UX300e around six months back, and though it has flaws I thoroughly enjoyed the small electric SUV.
It was my first prolonged experience in any Lexus vehicle, and something about its fit, finish and the way it drove absolutely sold me on the idea of Japanese luxury motoring. There are three main issues though, starting with the ridiculous price tag.
The second is the fact it's a fairly unassuming SUV that wasn't built to be electric, and the last is that it has far too much power to put through only the front wheels. It got me thinking though – a fully electric, rear-wheel drive, ES-size Lexus sedan would surely be glorious. Why don't they just build one?
Well, it seems they now have. The new ES looks like it ticks all those boxes except being rear-drive, which I'm willing to forgive because Lexus will also make the car available with all-wheel drive for the first time ever, hopefully in Australia too.
Specifically, the ES500e is the one I'm most excited for. It will offer loads of power and – hopefully – a decent real-world driving range. And although it's also likely to cost a bomb, it has the design to match – both inside and out.
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Supplied Credit: CarExpert Mercedes-Benz is working with Alpitronic, Europe's leader in high-power charging technologies, to develop a prototype ultra-fast charger that will enable the production version of the AMG GT XX to add 400km of range (as per Europe's WLTP measurement) in just five minutes. With all that power and all-wheel drive, the production version of the AMG GT XX promises to be as be spine-crushingly quick from 0 to 100km/h as other high-end, high-performance EVs such as the Porsche Taycan Turbo GT Weissach. But what will set it apart from the electric supercar pack, says Mr Schiebe, will be its ability to deliver its ultimate performance over a much longer time. Supplied Credit: CarExpert Indeed, the AMG boss hints the production car will be capable of at least three flat-out laps of the legendary Nürburgring Nordschliefe. Okay, that's barely 65km, but as Mr Schiebe points out, most combustion-engined performance cars are past their peak after three laps through the Green Hell, too. 'There is a myth that you can drive an internal combustion engine high-performance car forever on the track,' he says. 'You can maybe do three laps on the Nordschleife and then you must make a pit stop, because either the tyres are gone, or you're running out of fuel.' One of the most intriguing details on the AMG GT XX concept is the fact it has a VIN number in the lower left-hand corner of the windscreen, just like any production Mercedes-Benz (it's the third car built of its type, in case you're wondering), along with fully functioning windscreen wipers, a detail most carmakers don't bother putting on concept cars. Supplied Credit: CarExpert There's a real car underneath, but how much of what we see is likely to make production? 'It's a good sneak into what the [production] car could look like,' Mr Schiebe confirms. Though the AMG boss won't elaborate, we can tell you the production car will have a slightly higher roofline (though it will still be two inches lower than that of the current AMG GT 4-Door, despite the under-floor battery pack) and it will be a liftback with a rear window. The production front and rear bumper fascias will be different, though the concave grille with the signature AMG vertical bars will be retained, along with the six round tail-lights at the rear. Supplied Credit: CarExpert The AMG GT XX concept has a claimed drag co-efficient of just 0.198Cd. Whether the production version will match that number remains to be seen, but we do know it will be available with an optional active rear diffuser that extends – like that on the Mercedes-Benz EQ XX concept – to further reduce drag, so it may not be just a tease. The production car will also roll on 21-inch wheels, with a staggered tyre setup – 275/35 ZR 21 front and 315/35 ZR21 at rear – to handle the prodigious power and torque funnelled through the rear axle. What will surprise people most about the production version of the AMG GT XX is how it's going to sound. The GT XX concept features a visceral V8 soundscape that plays back through the car's audio system – which includes exterior speakers behind the headlights – when it's driven. Supplied Credit: CarExpert Carefully indexed to inputs like accelerator position and wheel speed, it sounds – from the brief preview played to the media – like an old-school 6.3-litre V8-powered C63 on steroids. 'I'm super confident, and I mean really super, super confident, that we will convince the strongest petrol-heads with this car,' said Mr Schiebe, who added that during a Mercedes-Benz executive drive of the production car prototype a few days before the preview of the AMG GT XX, one board member proclaimed: 'this is the best V8 we have ever developed!'. That board member's taking liberties, of course. But it will be fascinating to see if Mercedes-AMG can truly make its ultra-powerful, ultra-fast four-door electric coupe sound as exciting as it undoubtedly will be to drive. MORE: Everything Mercedes-AMG
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At first glance the Mercedes-AMG GT XX is just another piece of concept car eye-candy. The active aero wheels with moveable blades between the spokes that close to reduce drag at speed and open to provide brake cooling when needed, light-up paint on the side sills, a configurable light panel between the tail-lights: We're not likely to see any of this stuff on a production Mercedes-Benz anytime soon. What's under that iridescent orange bodywork is another story, however. Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. The AMG GT XX previews an all-new, aluminium-intensive, electric vehicle architecture that will underpin a coming generation of electric-powered Mercedes-AMG supercars. The first of these, a four-door 'coupe' like the AMG GT XX, is expected to hit the road within a year, and Mercedes-Benz has confirmed it will be joined by an SUV that's expected to appear in 2027. And they aren't the only models in the pipeline. "I'm pretty confident that there will be more cars to come on that platform," Mercedes-AMG boss Michael Schiebe told CarExpert at a preview of the AMG GT XX concept in Germany last month, "because we are very flexible. And it's not only our electric motors, but also the battery setup is flexible for different body types." You don't have to be Einstein to figure out what Mr Schiebe's really saying: An electric-powered AMG sports car is coming, too. The production version of the AMG GT XX will be quite a weapon, a four-door rocketship delivering more than 1000kW and a top speed of more than 360km/h, courtesy of three axial-flux e-motors engineered by Mercedes-Benz-owned subsidiary Yasa Ltd. They will be powered by a lightweight high-performance battery pack developed in-house at AMG with help from engineers at Mercedes-AMG High Performance Powertrains (HPP) in Brixworth, England, where the hybrid powertrains for the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula 1 cars are designed and built. Axial-flux motors feature a disc-shaped stator at their centre rather than the tubular stator used in the radial-flux motors that power most modern EVs. This arrangement enables the magnetic flux to flow parallel to the motor shaft rather than perpendicular to it, dramatically improving efficiency. As a result, axial flux motors are 67 per cent lighter and 67 per cent smaller than comparable radial flux motors, says Yasa CEO Jörg Miska, delivering three times the power density and twice the torque density. The two rear motors are contained in a single electric drive unit (EDU) that also houses a planetary transmission and silicon carbide inverter for each motor, as well as pumps for the oil-based cooling system used for the motors and transmissions and the water-based system that cools the inverters. The rear EDU weighs just 140kg but produces well over 640kW, says Miska. The EDU at the front axle comprises a single axial-flux motor, a spur-gear transmission, and a single silicon carbide inverter. The motor has been designed to kick in only when additional power or traction is required at the front wheels for acceleration or recuperation. During steady and low load driving or coasting the front motor is decoupled from the front axle to reduce frictional losses and increase overall efficiency. The motors are already being made at Mercedes-Benz's plant in Marienfelde, Berlin. Manufacturing the motors requires about 100 different processes, 65 of them new to Mercedes-Benz and 35 of them world-firsts involving new forms of laser technology, innovative joining processes, and artificial intelligence systems. Powering the motors is a battery combining more than 3000 cells that combine a nickel cobalt manganese aluminium (NCMA) cathode with a silicon content anode. The tall and thin design of the cells allows them to be more effectively cooled by the electrically non-conductive oil that surrounds them (battery cells typically heat up from their centre outwards under load). The cells are in lightweight laser-welded aluminium housings which also provide better electrical and heat conductivity than the commonly used steel containers. The battery's cooling system and high voltage – more than 800V – means it can accept charge rates of more than 850kW over a wide range of its charging curve. Mercedes-Benz is working with Alpitronic, Europe's leader in high-power charging technologies, to develop a prototype ultra-fast charger that will enable the production version of the AMG GT XX to add 400km of range (as per Europe's WLTP measurement) in just five minutes. With all that power and all-wheel drive, the production version of the AMG GT XX promises to be as be spine-crushingly quick from 0 to 100km/h as other high-end, high-performance EVs such as the Porsche Taycan Turbo GT Weissach. But what will set it apart from the electric supercar pack, says Mr Schiebe, will be its ability to deliver its ultimate performance over a much longer time. Indeed, the AMG boss hints the production car will be capable of at least three flat-out laps of the legendary Nürburgring Nordschliefe. Okay, that's barely 65km, but as Mr Schiebe points out, most combustion-engined performance cars are past their peak after three laps through the Green Hell, too. "There is a myth that you can drive an internal combustion engine high-performance car forever on the track," he says. "You can maybe do three laps on the Nordschleife and then you must make a pit stop, because either the tyres are gone, or you're running out of fuel." One of the most intriguing details on the AMG GT XX concept is the fact it has a VIN number in the lower left-hand corner of the windscreen, just like any production Mercedes-Benz (it's the third car built of its type, in case you're wondering), along with fully functioning windscreen wipers, a detail most carmakers don't bother putting on concept cars. There's a real car underneath, but how much of what we see is likely to make production? "It's a good sneak into what the [production] car could look like," Mr Schiebe confirms. Though the AMG boss won't elaborate, we can tell you the production car will have a slightly higher roofline (though it will still be two inches lower than that of the current AMG GT 4-Door, despite the under-floor battery pack) and it will be a liftback with a rear window. The production front and rear bumper fascias will be different, though the concave grille with the signature AMG vertical bars will be retained, along with the six round tail-lights at the rear. The AMG GT XX concept has a claimed drag co-efficient of just 0.198Cd. Whether the production version will match that number remains to be seen, but we do know it will be available with an optional active rear diffuser that extends – like that on the Mercedes-Benz EQ XX concept – to further reduce drag, so it may not be just a tease. The production car will also roll on 21-inch wheels, with a staggered tyre setup – 275/35 ZR 21 front and 315/35 ZR21 at rear – to handle the prodigious power and torque funnelled through the rear axle. What will surprise people most about the production version of the AMG GT XX is how it's going to sound. The GT XX concept features a visceral V8 soundscape that plays back through the car's audio system – which includes exterior speakers behind the headlights – when it's driven. Carefully indexed to inputs like accelerator position and wheel speed, it sounds – from the brief preview played to the media – like an old-school 6.3-litre V8-powered C63 on steroids. "I'm super confident, and I mean really super, super confident, that we will convince the strongest petrol-heads with this car," said Mr Schiebe, who added that during a Mercedes-Benz executive drive of the production car prototype a few days before the preview of the AMG GT XX, one board member proclaimed: "this is the best V8 we have ever developed!". That board member's taking liberties, of course. But it will be fascinating to see if Mercedes-AMG can truly make its ultra-powerful, ultra-fast four-door electric coupe sound as exciting as it undoubtedly will be to drive. MORE: Everything Mercedes-AMG Content originally sourced from: At first glance the Mercedes-AMG GT XX is just another piece of concept car eye-candy. The active aero wheels with moveable blades between the spokes that close to reduce drag at speed and open to provide brake cooling when needed, light-up paint on the side sills, a configurable light panel between the tail-lights: We're not likely to see any of this stuff on a production Mercedes-Benz anytime soon. What's under that iridescent orange bodywork is another story, however. Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. The AMG GT XX previews an all-new, aluminium-intensive, electric vehicle architecture that will underpin a coming generation of electric-powered Mercedes-AMG supercars. The first of these, a four-door 'coupe' like the AMG GT XX, is expected to hit the road within a year, and Mercedes-Benz has confirmed it will be joined by an SUV that's expected to appear in 2027. And they aren't the only models in the pipeline. "I'm pretty confident that there will be more cars to come on that platform," Mercedes-AMG boss Michael Schiebe told CarExpert at a preview of the AMG GT XX concept in Germany last month, "because we are very flexible. And it's not only our electric motors, but also the battery setup is flexible for different body types." You don't have to be Einstein to figure out what Mr Schiebe's really saying: An electric-powered AMG sports car is coming, too. The production version of the AMG GT XX will be quite a weapon, a four-door rocketship delivering more than 1000kW and a top speed of more than 360km/h, courtesy of three axial-flux e-motors engineered by Mercedes-Benz-owned subsidiary Yasa Ltd. They will be powered by a lightweight high-performance battery pack developed in-house at AMG with help from engineers at Mercedes-AMG High Performance Powertrains (HPP) in Brixworth, England, where the hybrid powertrains for the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula 1 cars are designed and built. Axial-flux motors feature a disc-shaped stator at their centre rather than the tubular stator used in the radial-flux motors that power most modern EVs. This arrangement enables the magnetic flux to flow parallel to the motor shaft rather than perpendicular to it, dramatically improving efficiency. As a result, axial flux motors are 67 per cent lighter and 67 per cent smaller than comparable radial flux motors, says Yasa CEO Jörg Miska, delivering three times the power density and twice the torque density. The two rear motors are contained in a single electric drive unit (EDU) that also houses a planetary transmission and silicon carbide inverter for each motor, as well as pumps for the oil-based cooling system used for the motors and transmissions and the water-based system that cools the inverters. The rear EDU weighs just 140kg but produces well over 640kW, says Miska. The EDU at the front axle comprises a single axial-flux motor, a spur-gear transmission, and a single silicon carbide inverter. The motor has been designed to kick in only when additional power or traction is required at the front wheels for acceleration or recuperation. During steady and low load driving or coasting the front motor is decoupled from the front axle to reduce frictional losses and increase overall efficiency. The motors are already being made at Mercedes-Benz's plant in Marienfelde, Berlin. Manufacturing the motors requires about 100 different processes, 65 of them new to Mercedes-Benz and 35 of them world-firsts involving new forms of laser technology, innovative joining processes, and artificial intelligence systems. Powering the motors is a battery combining more than 3000 cells that combine a nickel cobalt manganese aluminium (NCMA) cathode with a silicon content anode. The tall and thin design of the cells allows them to be more effectively cooled by the electrically non-conductive oil that surrounds them (battery cells typically heat up from their centre outwards under load). The cells are in lightweight laser-welded aluminium housings which also provide better electrical and heat conductivity than the commonly used steel containers. The battery's cooling system and high voltage – more than 800V – means it can accept charge rates of more than 850kW over a wide range of its charging curve. Mercedes-Benz is working with Alpitronic, Europe's leader in high-power charging technologies, to develop a prototype ultra-fast charger that will enable the production version of the AMG GT XX to add 400km of range (as per Europe's WLTP measurement) in just five minutes. With all that power and all-wheel drive, the production version of the AMG GT XX promises to be as be spine-crushingly quick from 0 to 100km/h as other high-end, high-performance EVs such as the Porsche Taycan Turbo GT Weissach. But what will set it apart from the electric supercar pack, says Mr Schiebe, will be its ability to deliver its ultimate performance over a much longer time. Indeed, the AMG boss hints the production car will be capable of at least three flat-out laps of the legendary Nürburgring Nordschliefe. Okay, that's barely 65km, but as Mr Schiebe points out, most combustion-engined performance cars are past their peak after three laps through the Green Hell, too. "There is a myth that you can drive an internal combustion engine high-performance car forever on the track," he says. "You can maybe do three laps on the Nordschleife and then you must make a pit stop, because either the tyres are gone, or you're running out of fuel." One of the most intriguing details on the AMG GT XX concept is the fact it has a VIN number in the lower left-hand corner of the windscreen, just like any production Mercedes-Benz (it's the third car built of its type, in case you're wondering), along with fully functioning windscreen wipers, a detail most carmakers don't bother putting on concept cars. There's a real car underneath, but how much of what we see is likely to make production? "It's a good sneak into what the [production] car could look like," Mr Schiebe confirms. Though the AMG boss won't elaborate, we can tell you the production car will have a slightly higher roofline (though it will still be two inches lower than that of the current AMG GT 4-Door, despite the under-floor battery pack) and it will be a liftback with a rear window. The production front and rear bumper fascias will be different, though the concave grille with the signature AMG vertical bars will be retained, along with the six round tail-lights at the rear. The AMG GT XX concept has a claimed drag co-efficient of just 0.198Cd. Whether the production version will match that number remains to be seen, but we do know it will be available with an optional active rear diffuser that extends – like that on the Mercedes-Benz EQ XX concept – to further reduce drag, so it may not be just a tease. The production car will also roll on 21-inch wheels, with a staggered tyre setup – 275/35 ZR 21 front and 315/35 ZR21 at rear – to handle the prodigious power and torque funnelled through the rear axle. What will surprise people most about the production version of the AMG GT XX is how it's going to sound. The GT XX concept features a visceral V8 soundscape that plays back through the car's audio system – which includes exterior speakers behind the headlights – when it's driven. Carefully indexed to inputs like accelerator position and wheel speed, it sounds – from the brief preview played to the media – like an old-school 6.3-litre V8-powered C63 on steroids. "I'm super confident, and I mean really super, super confident, that we will convince the strongest petrol-heads with this car," said Mr Schiebe, who added that during a Mercedes-Benz executive drive of the production car prototype a few days before the preview of the AMG GT XX, one board member proclaimed: "this is the best V8 we have ever developed!". That board member's taking liberties, of course. But it will be fascinating to see if Mercedes-AMG can truly make its ultra-powerful, ultra-fast four-door electric coupe sound as exciting as it undoubtedly will be to drive. MORE: Everything Mercedes-AMG Content originally sourced from: At first glance the Mercedes-AMG GT XX is just another piece of concept car eye-candy. The active aero wheels with moveable blades between the spokes that close to reduce drag at speed and open to provide brake cooling when needed, light-up paint on the side sills, a configurable light panel between the tail-lights: We're not likely to see any of this stuff on a production Mercedes-Benz anytime soon. What's under that iridescent orange bodywork is another story, however. Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. The AMG GT XX previews an all-new, aluminium-intensive, electric vehicle architecture that will underpin a coming generation of electric-powered Mercedes-AMG supercars. The first of these, a four-door 'coupe' like the AMG GT XX, is expected to hit the road within a year, and Mercedes-Benz has confirmed it will be joined by an SUV that's expected to appear in 2027. And they aren't the only models in the pipeline. "I'm pretty confident that there will be more cars to come on that platform," Mercedes-AMG boss Michael Schiebe told CarExpert at a preview of the AMG GT XX concept in Germany last month, "because we are very flexible. And it's not only our electric motors, but also the battery setup is flexible for different body types." You don't have to be Einstein to figure out what Mr Schiebe's really saying: An electric-powered AMG sports car is coming, too. The production version of the AMG GT XX will be quite a weapon, a four-door rocketship delivering more than 1000kW and a top speed of more than 360km/h, courtesy of three axial-flux e-motors engineered by Mercedes-Benz-owned subsidiary Yasa Ltd. They will be powered by a lightweight high-performance battery pack developed in-house at AMG with help from engineers at Mercedes-AMG High Performance Powertrains (HPP) in Brixworth, England, where the hybrid powertrains for the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula 1 cars are designed and built. Axial-flux motors feature a disc-shaped stator at their centre rather than the tubular stator used in the radial-flux motors that power most modern EVs. This arrangement enables the magnetic flux to flow parallel to the motor shaft rather than perpendicular to it, dramatically improving efficiency. As a result, axial flux motors are 67 per cent lighter and 67 per cent smaller than comparable radial flux motors, says Yasa CEO Jörg Miska, delivering three times the power density and twice the torque density. The two rear motors are contained in a single electric drive unit (EDU) that also houses a planetary transmission and silicon carbide inverter for each motor, as well as pumps for the oil-based cooling system used for the motors and transmissions and the water-based system that cools the inverters. The rear EDU weighs just 140kg but produces well over 640kW, says Miska. The EDU at the front axle comprises a single axial-flux motor, a spur-gear transmission, and a single silicon carbide inverter. The motor has been designed to kick in only when additional power or traction is required at the front wheels for acceleration or recuperation. During steady and low load driving or coasting the front motor is decoupled from the front axle to reduce frictional losses and increase overall efficiency. The motors are already being made at Mercedes-Benz's plant in Marienfelde, Berlin. Manufacturing the motors requires about 100 different processes, 65 of them new to Mercedes-Benz and 35 of them world-firsts involving new forms of laser technology, innovative joining processes, and artificial intelligence systems. Powering the motors is a battery combining more than 3000 cells that combine a nickel cobalt manganese aluminium (NCMA) cathode with a silicon content anode. The tall and thin design of the cells allows them to be more effectively cooled by the electrically non-conductive oil that surrounds them (battery cells typically heat up from their centre outwards under load). The cells are in lightweight laser-welded aluminium housings which also provide better electrical and heat conductivity than the commonly used steel containers. The battery's cooling system and high voltage – more than 800V – means it can accept charge rates of more than 850kW over a wide range of its charging curve. Mercedes-Benz is working with Alpitronic, Europe's leader in high-power charging technologies, to develop a prototype ultra-fast charger that will enable the production version of the AMG GT XX to add 400km of range (as per Europe's WLTP measurement) in just five minutes. With all that power and all-wheel drive, the production version of the AMG GT XX promises to be as be spine-crushingly quick from 0 to 100km/h as other high-end, high-performance EVs such as the Porsche Taycan Turbo GT Weissach. But what will set it apart from the electric supercar pack, says Mr Schiebe, will be its ability to deliver its ultimate performance over a much longer time. Indeed, the AMG boss hints the production car will be capable of at least three flat-out laps of the legendary Nürburgring Nordschliefe. Okay, that's barely 65km, but as Mr Schiebe points out, most combustion-engined performance cars are past their peak after three laps through the Green Hell, too. "There is a myth that you can drive an internal combustion engine high-performance car forever on the track," he says. "You can maybe do three laps on the Nordschleife and then you must make a pit stop, because either the tyres are gone, or you're running out of fuel." One of the most intriguing details on the AMG GT XX concept is the fact it has a VIN number in the lower left-hand corner of the windscreen, just like any production Mercedes-Benz (it's the third car built of its type, in case you're wondering), along with fully functioning windscreen wipers, a detail most carmakers don't bother putting on concept cars. There's a real car underneath, but how much of what we see is likely to make production? "It's a good sneak into what the [production] car could look like," Mr Schiebe confirms. Though the AMG boss won't elaborate, we can tell you the production car will have a slightly higher roofline (though it will still be two inches lower than that of the current AMG GT 4-Door, despite the under-floor battery pack) and it will be a liftback with a rear window. The production front and rear bumper fascias will be different, though the concave grille with the signature AMG vertical bars will be retained, along with the six round tail-lights at the rear. The AMG GT XX concept has a claimed drag co-efficient of just 0.198Cd. Whether the production version will match that number remains to be seen, but we do know it will be available with an optional active rear diffuser that extends – like that on the Mercedes-Benz EQ XX concept – to further reduce drag, so it may not be just a tease. The production car will also roll on 21-inch wheels, with a staggered tyre setup – 275/35 ZR 21 front and 315/35 ZR21 at rear – to handle the prodigious power and torque funnelled through the rear axle. What will surprise people most about the production version of the AMG GT XX is how it's going to sound. The GT XX concept features a visceral V8 soundscape that plays back through the car's audio system – which includes exterior speakers behind the headlights – when it's driven. Carefully indexed to inputs like accelerator position and wheel speed, it sounds – from the brief preview played to the media – like an old-school 6.3-litre V8-powered C63 on steroids. "I'm super confident, and I mean really super, super confident, that we will convince the strongest petrol-heads with this car," said Mr Schiebe, who added that during a Mercedes-Benz executive drive of the production car prototype a few days before the preview of the AMG GT XX, one board member proclaimed: "this is the best V8 we have ever developed!". That board member's taking liberties, of course. But it will be fascinating to see if Mercedes-AMG can truly make its ultra-powerful, ultra-fast four-door electric coupe sound as exciting as it undoubtedly will be to drive. MORE: Everything Mercedes-AMG Content originally sourced from: At first glance the Mercedes-AMG GT XX is just another piece of concept car eye-candy. The active aero wheels with moveable blades between the spokes that close to reduce drag at speed and open to provide brake cooling when needed, light-up paint on the side sills, a configurable light panel between the tail-lights: We're not likely to see any of this stuff on a production Mercedes-Benz anytime soon. What's under that iridescent orange bodywork is another story, however. Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. The AMG GT XX previews an all-new, aluminium-intensive, electric vehicle architecture that will underpin a coming generation of electric-powered Mercedes-AMG supercars. The first of these, a four-door 'coupe' like the AMG GT XX, is expected to hit the road within a year, and Mercedes-Benz has confirmed it will be joined by an SUV that's expected to appear in 2027. And they aren't the only models in the pipeline. "I'm pretty confident that there will be more cars to come on that platform," Mercedes-AMG boss Michael Schiebe told CarExpert at a preview of the AMG GT XX concept in Germany last month, "because we are very flexible. And it's not only our electric motors, but also the battery setup is flexible for different body types." You don't have to be Einstein to figure out what Mr Schiebe's really saying: An electric-powered AMG sports car is coming, too. The production version of the AMG GT XX will be quite a weapon, a four-door rocketship delivering more than 1000kW and a top speed of more than 360km/h, courtesy of three axial-flux e-motors engineered by Mercedes-Benz-owned subsidiary Yasa Ltd. They will be powered by a lightweight high-performance battery pack developed in-house at AMG with help from engineers at Mercedes-AMG High Performance Powertrains (HPP) in Brixworth, England, where the hybrid powertrains for the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula 1 cars are designed and built. Axial-flux motors feature a disc-shaped stator at their centre rather than the tubular stator used in the radial-flux motors that power most modern EVs. This arrangement enables the magnetic flux to flow parallel to the motor shaft rather than perpendicular to it, dramatically improving efficiency. As a result, axial flux motors are 67 per cent lighter and 67 per cent smaller than comparable radial flux motors, says Yasa CEO Jörg Miska, delivering three times the power density and twice the torque density. The two rear motors are contained in a single electric drive unit (EDU) that also houses a planetary transmission and silicon carbide inverter for each motor, as well as pumps for the oil-based cooling system used for the motors and transmissions and the water-based system that cools the inverters. The rear EDU weighs just 140kg but produces well over 640kW, says Miska. The EDU at the front axle comprises a single axial-flux motor, a spur-gear transmission, and a single silicon carbide inverter. The motor has been designed to kick in only when additional power or traction is required at the front wheels for acceleration or recuperation. During steady and low load driving or coasting the front motor is decoupled from the front axle to reduce frictional losses and increase overall efficiency. The motors are already being made at Mercedes-Benz's plant in Marienfelde, Berlin. Manufacturing the motors requires about 100 different processes, 65 of them new to Mercedes-Benz and 35 of them world-firsts involving new forms of laser technology, innovative joining processes, and artificial intelligence systems. Powering the motors is a battery combining more than 3000 cells that combine a nickel cobalt manganese aluminium (NCMA) cathode with a silicon content anode. The tall and thin design of the cells allows them to be more effectively cooled by the electrically non-conductive oil that surrounds them (battery cells typically heat up from their centre outwards under load). The cells are in lightweight laser-welded aluminium housings which also provide better electrical and heat conductivity than the commonly used steel containers. The battery's cooling system and high voltage – more than 800V – means it can accept charge rates of more than 850kW over a wide range of its charging curve. Mercedes-Benz is working with Alpitronic, Europe's leader in high-power charging technologies, to develop a prototype ultra-fast charger that will enable the production version of the AMG GT XX to add 400km of range (as per Europe's WLTP measurement) in just five minutes. With all that power and all-wheel drive, the production version of the AMG GT XX promises to be as be spine-crushingly quick from 0 to 100km/h as other high-end, high-performance EVs such as the Porsche Taycan Turbo GT Weissach. But what will set it apart from the electric supercar pack, says Mr Schiebe, will be its ability to deliver its ultimate performance over a much longer time. Indeed, the AMG boss hints the production car will be capable of at least three flat-out laps of the legendary Nürburgring Nordschliefe. Okay, that's barely 65km, but as Mr Schiebe points out, most combustion-engined performance cars are past their peak after three laps through the Green Hell, too. "There is a myth that you can drive an internal combustion engine high-performance car forever on the track," he says. "You can maybe do three laps on the Nordschleife and then you must make a pit stop, because either the tyres are gone, or you're running out of fuel." One of the most intriguing details on the AMG GT XX concept is the fact it has a VIN number in the lower left-hand corner of the windscreen, just like any production Mercedes-Benz (it's the third car built of its type, in case you're wondering), along with fully functioning windscreen wipers, a detail most carmakers don't bother putting on concept cars. There's a real car underneath, but how much of what we see is likely to make production? "It's a good sneak into what the [production] car could look like," Mr Schiebe confirms. Though the AMG boss won't elaborate, we can tell you the production car will have a slightly higher roofline (though it will still be two inches lower than that of the current AMG GT 4-Door, despite the under-floor battery pack) and it will be a liftback with a rear window. The production front and rear bumper fascias will be different, though the concave grille with the signature AMG vertical bars will be retained, along with the six round tail-lights at the rear. The AMG GT XX concept has a claimed drag co-efficient of just 0.198Cd. Whether the production version will match that number remains to be seen, but we do know it will be available with an optional active rear diffuser that extends – like that on the Mercedes-Benz EQ XX concept – to further reduce drag, so it may not be just a tease. The production car will also roll on 21-inch wheels, with a staggered tyre setup – 275/35 ZR 21 front and 315/35 ZR21 at rear – to handle the prodigious power and torque funnelled through the rear axle. What will surprise people most about the production version of the AMG GT XX is how it's going to sound. The GT XX concept features a visceral V8 soundscape that plays back through the car's audio system – which includes exterior speakers behind the headlights – when it's driven. Carefully indexed to inputs like accelerator position and wheel speed, it sounds – from the brief preview played to the media – like an old-school 6.3-litre V8-powered C63 on steroids. "I'm super confident, and I mean really super, super confident, that we will convince the strongest petrol-heads with this car," said Mr Schiebe, who added that during a Mercedes-Benz executive drive of the production car prototype a few days before the preview of the AMG GT XX, one board member proclaimed: "this is the best V8 we have ever developed!". That board member's taking liberties, of course. But it will be fascinating to see if Mercedes-AMG can truly make its ultra-powerful, ultra-fast four-door electric coupe sound as exciting as it undoubtedly will be to drive. MORE: Everything Mercedes-AMG Content originally sourced from:
