Mercedes-AMG GT PHEV Needs Green Series Suffix

If it’s one Mercedes-AMG car that’s bound to make you forget about the Black Series, then that’s the upcoming plug-in hybrid version of the next-gen GT. Expected to be christened the GT S E Performance, it will have a jaw-dropping amount of power available via the loud pedal.
 

Reports speak of the 4.0-liter bi-turbo V8 with electric assistance. If it sounds familiar, then you’re not wrong, as that’s the same powertrain used on the Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S E Performance. Here, it has a combined 831 hp (843 ps/620 kW), and the torque is rated at 1,033 lb-ft (1,400 Nm). The four-door machine needs under three seconds to hit 62 mph (100 kph) from rest. Flat-out, it will do 196 mph (316 kph).
 
Now, assuming that this is indeed the drivetrain of the 2024 Mercedes-AMG GT S E Performance (name unconfirmed), then you should expect it to be even more neck-snapping fast. The reason is simple, as it will be smaller and therefore lighter. Recharging the battery, that may or may not be the 6.1 kWh unit found on the GT 63 S E Performance, will be done either on the go, using the ICE, or by plugging it in via the charging port in the rear bumper, on the right-hand side, just below the taillight.
 
The latest scooped prototype had four squared exhaust tips and a large fixed wing that could be offered on the First Edition cars that will be sold in the first year of production. The large grille with vertical slats takes center stage up front, and the bumpers, wheels, brakes, suspension setup, and other components will be exclusive to this version. Another novelty is the 2+2 seating layout, though the rear seats will be suitable for children only in all likelihood, thus making the occasional school run more special for them.
 
Additional powertrains will be offered on the next-gen Mercedes-AMG GT. The entry-level will get a 2.0-liter four-pot, expected to be identical to the one powering the mechanically-related SL 43. That means 376 hp, with a 14 hp boost coming from the mild-hybrid system. The nine-speed auto ‘box delivers the power to the rear wheels in the roadster, which needs 4.9 seconds to sprint to 62 mph (100 kph). The best way to tell the four-banger GT from the V8-powered ones is to look at the tailpipes, as the lesser one will have four round tips.
 
Still taking on the likes of the Porsche 911, the all-new GT is probably due in a few months. Chances are the GT 55 and 63 versions, with their V8 units, will launch at first, followed by the 2.0L GT 43. The plug-in hybrid supercar variant, the GT S E Performance, will allegedly be introduced at a later date.