Mercedes-AMG's New GT SUV Packs 1,153bhp Into a Family Hauler

Mercedes-AMG has unveiled the GT SUV, a five-seat electric vehicle that the company says is the most powerful production SUV in the world. The range-topping GT 63 produces up to 1,153bhp and 1,475lb ft of torque, which puts it ahead of the Lotus Eletre and the Porsche Cayenne Electric on paper. It is also the first SUV that AMG has developed entirely in-house, and it will be sold in three versions in the UK.

The GT 63 sprints from 0 to 62mph in 2.7 seconds and reaches 124mph from a standstill in 7.2 seconds, the quickest acceleration of any AMG SUV so far. Its electronically limited top speed is 168mph, which rises from a lower figure when the optional AMG Driver's Package is fitted. Those numbers are notable given the car's weight, which runs from 2,585kg to 2,695kg depending on battery size.

Power comes from three axial-flux motors supplied by Yasa, the British firm that Mercedes owns. Two sit at the rear, each driving its own single-speed gearbox so the car can vector torque between the wheels. The third motor sits at the front and disconnects when it is not needed. AMG has paired the system with an 800V electrical architecture and a battery with oil-cooled cylindrical cells. The company says the setup is designed to hold its output during repeated hard runs, where many performance EVs fade as their motors and batteries heat up. The GT 63 is rated to deliver a continuous 711bhp.

The rest of the range is less extreme but still quick. The GT 55 peaks at 805bhp and reaches 62mph in 3.1 seconds, while the entry GT 53 uses two conventional motors, one per axle, for 536bhp and a 4.2 second sprint. The GT 53 is already on sale in Germany from €113,050 (£95,863). The 55 and 63 will follow in April 2027, with UK pricing to be confirmed in the coming months. AMG has also confirmed a more sloping coupé version of the GT SUV, due to debut early next year.

Battery options are 106kWh and 128kWh, with maximum ranges of 364 and 435 miles. AMG quotes charging speeds of up to 600kW for the smaller pack and 710kW for the larger one, and claims the bigger battery can add 280 miles in ten minutes. Few UK chargers can deliver anything close to those rates, so real-world top-ups will be far slower.

The body is 5,084mm long, 2,001mm wide and 1,656mm tall, making it 130mm longer and 126mm lower than the V8-powered GLE 63 S. The front end has a blanked-off grille and a lit three-pointed star, while the rear uses a full-width light bar. Inside, the dashboard matches the GT saloon, with a 10.2in digital instrument display and a 14.0in central touchscreen. Because the SUV body allows a flat floor, the battery layout is simpler than on the low-slung four-door, and boot space measures 607 litres, rising to 1,740 litres with the rear seats folded.