2026 Mercedes-AMG GT 63 Pro vs. E Performance: To Hybrid or Not to Hybrid?

The GT 63 S E Performance is way more powerful but also heavier. Is the extra speed worth the trade-off?

2025 Mercedes-AMG GT 63 Pro Coupe vs E Performance GT Hybrid

written by Nick Yekikian
edited by Steven Ewing
5/22/2026
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What's new: The Mercedes-AMG GT Pro and GT 63 S E Performance share a body but are two very different animals.
Why it matters: These cars cost exactly the same amount before options, so Mercedes clearly wants you to make a choice.
Edmunds says: We weigh up the pros and cons of each to find out which one's more fun — and the better buy.

For the lofty price of $203,550, Mercedes-Benz will sell you two versions of the AMG GT coupe: the GT 63 Pro and GT 63 S E Performance. The former offers insane performance numbers thanks to its hybrid powertrain, but the latter takes a back-to-basics approach with less power, sharp handling and — crucially — less weight. So, which one offers the best bang for your buck? We took both to the Edmunds test track to find out.

The GT Pro makes a healthy 603 horsepower and 627 lb-ft of torque from this V8 engine. But those numbers are of absolutely no consequence to the S E Performance. Thanks to its 4.8-kWh battery pack and electric motor, the hybrid GT churns out 805 hp and 1,047 lb-ft. A base BMW M3 has less torque than the 420 lb-ft gap between these two GTs. In other words, the difference is staggering.

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2025 Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S E Performance front three quarter

Same name, different game

With that hybrid system on board, the AMG GT 63 S E Performance (wow, that name) weighs in at 4,798 pounds. With my 220-pound frame on board, this thing is hauling around more than 2.5 tons. Yeesh.

But the performance is still staggering. At our track, the GT 63 hybrid ripped off a 2.7-second run to 60 mph and blitzed the quarter mile in 10.4 seconds at 133.5 mph. Thrust is so immediate and so constant that the E Performance finishes the quarter mile before a Nissan Kicks can even get to 60 mph.

The Pro is 524 pounds lighter, but still slower off the line. It hit 60 mph in 3.1 seconds in our testing and finished the quarter mile in 11.9 seconds at 121.8 mph. A second and a half slower to accelerate and more than 10 mph slower through the speed trap might not seem like much, but it is a huge delta at these velocities. Think of it this way: If you were 1.5 seconds slower than Usain Bolt's 9.58-second 100-meter dash, you wouldn't even be in the top 5,000 runners worldwide.

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Spec	2026 Mercedes-AMG GT 63 Pro	2026 Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S E Performance
Engine	4.0-liter twin-turbo V8	4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 + electric motor
Transmission	nine-speed automatic	nine-speed automatic
Battery size	N/A	4.8 kWh
Driveline	all-wheel drive	all-wheel drive
Weight	4,274 pounds	4,798 pounds
Horsepower	603 hp	805 hp
Torque	627 lb-ft	1,057 lb-ft
Power-to-weight	7.09 pounds per hp	5.96 pounds per hp
0-60 mph	3.1 seconds	2.7 seconds
60-0 mph braking	102 feet	104 feet
1/4 mile @ mph	11.0 seconds @ 123.8 mph	10.4 seconds @ 133.5 mph
Tire	Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R	Michelin Pilot Sport S 5
Starting price	$203,550	$203,550
Price as tested	$211,360	$221,299

The story changes — but only a little, in the 60-to-0-mph braking test. The E Performance needed 104 feet to stop from 60. The Pro? Ever so slightly less at 102 feet. That's where the weight savings factor in.

Where the Pro flexes its chops is on our skidpad. The E Performance pulled an impressive 1.07 g there, but the Pro blew it away at 1.13 g. That's the second-highest lateral acceleration figure we've ever recorded, behind the 2026 Porsche 911 GT3 (1.24 g).

What do the numbers mean?

The GT 63 Pro offers a much more engaging and connected experience on the road. The Pro's Michelin Cup 2 R tires send welcome feedback through the steering wheel. The Pro is also a car you're able to push with confidence. You know exactly what the wheels are doing when you turn in to a corner, and grip from the rear is accurately communicated through both the steering wheel and the seat of your pants.

In the E Performance, the front and rear don't feel quite as well balanced as they do in the Pro. The weight also comes into play when it's time to extract the E Performance's massive power and torque. Sure, you'll be quicker on every straight, but what you give up in the corners is feedback and — more importantly — trust in the car.

Said another way, you're always trying to figure out the E Performance when you're behind the wheel. What is it thinking? What's it trying to do? When you're going as fast as this car can, you don't want to be left guessing. The E Performance is great if all you want to do is launch control your way to every country club. Oh, but that reminds me: Thanks to the size of the battery pack, your golf clubs won't fit in the E Performance's trunk.

The hybrid is undoubtedly better than the standard GT 63 — more planted, way more powerful, and definitely more fun. But which AMG GT 63 is really best? The Pro, without a doubt. It's edgier and more intuitive, like a proper sports car should be. For my $203,550, both cars are compelling. But the Pro wins this shootout without question.

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by Nick Yekikian

Nick Yekikian has worked in the automotive industry since 2019. He has written close to a thousand car-related articles and tested and reviewed more than 200 vehicles over the course of his career. Nick is the Senior News Editor at Edmunds and has also contributed to MotorTrend, Automobile Magazine and Super Street. When Nick isn't zipping around town in his latest used-car find, he's probably making digital art in Photoshop or playing disc golf with friends.

edited by Steven Ewing

Steven Ewing is Edmunds' director of editorial content. An automotive journalist for more than half of his life, Ewing's been on staff at Winding Road magazine, Autoblog, Motor1.com, CNET, and he was the U.S. correspondent for Top Gear magazine. He's also contributed to publications like Automobile magazine, Car and Driver, The Drive, Jalopnik, Porsche Panorama, and more. Ewing has worked in the automotive industry since 2003. From testing prototype cars in the Arctic Circle to spilling a beer on a Formula 1 driver at the 24 Hours of Le Mans (oops), he's always got an interesting story to tell.

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