Mercedes-AMG’s first series-production plug-in hybrid is also the most powerful 4-door model Benz’s Affalterbach-based division has ever produced. With 620 kW and a monstrous 1 400 Nm of torque on tap, the GT63 S E Performance is said to accelerate from 0 to 100 kph in 2.9 sec and achieve a top speed of 316 kph.

The newcomer is based on the Mercedes-AMG GT63 S 4Matic+ 4-Door Coupe, which is powered by a 470 kW/900 Nm twin-turbo 4.0-litre V8, but the plug-in hybrid produces a full 150 kW and 500 Nm more than its exclusively ICE-powered sibling…

That’s because the GT63 S E Performance’s throaty V8 is not only supplemented with a 10-kW belt-driven starter-generator that is integrated with the vehicle’s (400V) high-voltage electrical system – a 150 kW/320 Nm electric motor is positioned at the rear axle, where it is packaged with an electrically shifting 2-speed gearbox and an electronically controlled limited-slip rear differential as a compact electric drive unit.

The potent electric motor, in turn, is powered by a 6.1-kWh high-performance battery that weighs just 89 kg and is kept at its optimal operating temperature (45°C) by virtue of 14 litres of non-electrically conductive coolant that the Benz circulates around the pack’s 560 cells, regardless of how often it is charged or discharged.

As for the plug-in part of the package, the GT63 S E Performance is equipped with an onboard 3.7-kW AC charger, which can be connected to a charging station, wall box or household power outlet and gives the Benz an electric-only range of 12 km; while that does not sound like much, Mercedes-AMG openly says the hybrid setup “is designed for fast power delivery and draw, not for the longest range possible”.

With drive sent to all four wheels viaMercedes-AMG’ 4Matic+ all-wheel-drive system and a 9-speed automatic transmission, the GT63 S E Performance is claimed to, um, charge from 0 to 100 kph in 2.9 sec, 0 to 200 kph in “under 10 sec” and achieve a top speed of 316 kph, yet consume an average of 8.6 L/100 km, which is astonishing.

No fewer than 7 drive modes are offered, including the Comfort, Sport, Sport+, Race, Slippery and Individual. In Electric mode, the Benz activates an Acoustic Vehicle Alerting System to warn pedestrians that the GT63 S E Performance is approaching – which is surely a first for a Mercedes-AMG model? The regenerative braking system has 4 settings, the most aggressive of which allows “EV-like” one-pedal driving.

Meanwhile, the newcomer comes standard with AMG Ride Control+ air suspension with automatic level control and adaptive (and adjustable, obviously) damping. Stopping power is provided by carbon-ceramic brakes – 420-mm discs with 6-piston calipers at the front and 380 mm discs with single-piston calipers at the rear.

Although the GT63 S E Performance looks much the same as its Mercedes-AMG GT63 S 4Matic+ 4-Door Coupe sibling, it features a charging port on the rear bumper, red-highlighted model badging and externally fluted trapezoidal twin exhaust pipes.

The interior features, inter alia, AMG’s updated twin-spoke steering wheel with paddle shifters and drive-mode selector, leather-trimmed sports seats and a plethora of carbon-fibre inserts. However, the MBUX infotainment system features model-specific displays, such as graphics that visualise the hybrid drive system’s power flow, while the digital instrument cluster displays range, power consumption and battery temp.

Provided there is enough demand for the model, we expect the Mercedes-AMG GT63 S E Performance to arrive in Mzansi during 2022. Suffice to say there aren’t many rivals for this newcomer – it easily outguns the Porsche Panamera turbo S e-hybrid.

Watch will.i.am introduce theMercedes-AMG GT63 S E Performance

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