A mighty concept coupé from Mercedes-AMG rewrites the electric performance car rulebook

The performance arm of Mercedes-Benz, Mercedes-AMG, likes to be at the cutting edge of propulsion. Up until now, AMG hasn’t committed to all-out electrification, having built its reputation on the primacy of its hand-built engines, most notably a modern V8 that also finds its way into Aston Martin’s DB12 and Vantage models.

With a customer base effectively addicted to the snap, crackle and pop of the OTT AMG exhaust note, there was uproar amongst the enthusiasts when the sub-brand broke with tradition and went hybrid, mating a humble 4-cylinder engine to an electric motor. Earlier this month, AMG announced a Starmer-ish U-turn with a promise to up the cylinder count on future models.

However, what will this vocal contingent have to say about this, the palindrome-adjacent Mercedes-AMG Concept AMG GT XX? For this conceptual vision is a clue as to how AMG ends up ditching combustion altogether. It’s a showcase for what can be done with the AMG-EA high performance electrical architecture, an EV platform that’ll underpin the next generation of AMG performance cars.

First up, those passionate to raw numbers, not noise, should be sated by the headline figures. With a power output equivalent to over 1,360hp, this big four-door GT will never be a slouch.

It won’t be silent, either, for one of the key conceptual elements are exterior speakers integrated into the front headlights. These are designed to emit a ‘driving sound’, using the headlight housing as the speaker cavity, to warn pedestrians and perhaps – perhaps – find some kind of synthetic replacement for the signature AMG growl.

The front end is yet another evolution of the Mercedes grille and headlight set up, this time harking back to an earlier concept, the 2023 Vision One-Eleven, which in turn was inspired by the 1970 C111-II experimental car. Sunset Beam orange paintwork completes the connection.

Whereas these two forebears were low-slung two-seaters, the AMG GT XX is very much designed for four, even if the conceptual interior has a strong racing ethos, complete with bucket seats, five-point harnesses and a F1-style steering wheel.

Orange accents also abound on the interior, which offers up a feisty take on a driver-focused environment, thanks to the aforementioned seats and wheel and a wraparound digital dash consisting of two hi-res screens. The latter are large but not overbearingly so, with a knurled and crest-bearing element in the centre console adding a sculptural touch.

The cleverest tech is reserved for the battery, which uses a new form of direct cooling to maximise both output and input when at the fast charger; Mercedes reckons that 400km of range (nearly 250 miles) can be added in just five minutes. No maximum range was made available, but the company threw out a top speed of around 360 km/h (223 mph), which should raise a bar or two in the industry.

What’s also notable is that the AMG GT XX is something of a looker. Mercedes is no stranger to the oxymoronic idea of the four-door coupé, but this iteration is one of the best, a flowing side profile that culminates in an ultra-neat tail, with three sets of rear lights creating a pleasingly uncomplicated graphic element.

If you need glitz, the MBUX Fluid Light Panel in between them car serve up infinite graphical variations thanks to its 700 programmable LEDs. There’s also no rear screen, taking a leaf out of Polestar’s book, and presumably to maximise the rear seat headroom without losing the fluidity of the roofline.

Other notable elements include the blanked in wheels with their custom white-wall Michelin tyres and the winglets that sit just ahead of the front wheel arch. These aero elements look like they’ve evolved from a Formula 1 car, which was no doubt the intention. In the future, AMG will continue fly the flag for Mercedes-Benz’s sporting ambition, regardless of whether it’s gas or electrons that makes its cars go.

Mercedes-AMG.com, @MercedesAMG