The Mercedes-AMG GT 4-Door Is an Electric Rocket That Looks Like a Fish

• What's new: Mercedes' new four-door electric sports car arrives with tons of power, 600-kW charging and around 450 miles of estimated range.
• Why it matters: This gives Mercedes a solid competitor for the likes of the Porsche Taycan Turbo GT and Lucid Air Sapphire.
• Edmunds says: The design is ... not great. But wow, do the GT's specs impress.

Super fast charging and generous range

The AMG GT has a 106-kWh battery pack integrated into its floor. The cells inside are tall, slim and cylindrical, and a large cooling tunnel runs the length of the pack, giving the GT's battery great thermal properties. What this means for you: fast charging. Like, really fast. Mercedes quotes a max charging rate of 600 kW for the AMG GT, which is way faster than what the current Level 3 public chargers can muster.

As for the all-important question of range, final figures are still being determined. Mercedes-Benz says the GT 55 should top out at somewhere between 700 and 770 kilometers on the notoriously optimistic European WLTP test cycle, which translates to roughly 435 miles to 478 miles. The GT 63 lowers those numbers slightly, to 432 miles and 475 miles, respectively.

GT 55 arrives first, GT 63 to follow

The GT 55 will arrive first, near the end of this year. A more potent GT 63 will follow. Both use newly designed axial flux motors, which not only deliver higher torque than conventional electric motors, but more consistent power delivery. In both the GT 55 and GT 63, there's one motor on the front axle and two at the rear.

In the GT 55, Mercedes-AMG cites a peak output of 805 hp and 1,328 lb-ft of torque, allowing this 5,424-pound EV to accelerate to 60 mph in 2.7 seconds. Hitting 124 mph takes 9 seconds, and if you spec the optional AMG Performance package, the GT 55's top speed is 186 mph. The GT 63 is obviously the top performer, with a max output of 1,153 hp and 1,475 lb-ft of torque. This drops the 0-to-60-mph time to 2.3 seconds and the 0-to-124-mph time to 6.8 seconds. The 186-mph top end remains.

Putting this in perspective, the Porsche Taycan Turbo GT has a maximum output of 1,019 hp and 914 lb-ft of torque, allowing it to hit 60 mph in 2.2 seconds. The Lucid Air Sapphire, meanwhile, packs 1,234 hp, and it also hit 60 mph in 2.2 seconds in our testing.

Active aero and V8 sounds

Both models come with Mercedes' Predictive Performance Manager (PPM), with Endurance and Hotlap modes that will change the EV's performance to deliver consistent lap times on a racetrack. How's it work? Mercedes explains: "When driving downhill or through tight combinations of corners, full output is not necessary, allowing energy to be saved for the uphill sections where it can be fully deployed. The PPM therefore reduces or increases power output as needed depending on the section of the track."

Another big trick up the GT 4-Door's sleeve: active aerodynamics. There's the optional Aerokinetics Venturi Flow system, wherein underbody contours direct and accelerate airflow and effectively "suck" the vehicle to the road (Mercedes' wording, not mine). There's also a huge rear diffuser that extends out of the rear bumper at high speed to improve airflow, plus vertical louvers in the front fascia that open and close as needed for better aerodynamics. 

The tri-motor setup gives the AMG GT all-wheel drive, and rear-axle steering can turn the back wheels up to 6 degrees in either direction to aid with handling and cornering stability. A body-leveling air suspension is optional on the GT 55 and standard on the GT 63.

Oh, and fun fact: Put the AMG GT in Sport+ mode and it pumps out a V8-inspired soundtrack rather than some futuristic EV-specific sound profile. In fact, Mercedes-Benz says it ripped real V8 sounds from the old AMG GT R, including things like exhaust burbles. In Sport+ mode, the AMG GT EV has simulated gear shifts — à la the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N — and the V8 soundtrack works with this programming to give the impression of genuine internal combustion performance. If it's as good as Hyundai's system, it'll definitely be a treat.

Screens on screens on screens

Mercedes already showed the interior of the AMG GT 4-Door. And unfortunately, like other modern Mercs, it's total screen-a-palooza. There's a 10.2-inch reconfigurable gauge cluster, a 14-inch central screen that's angled toward the driver and a 14-inch passenger screen, all of which are standard. Sitting inside the GT, the digital real estate is ... a lot. With the bright glow of ambient lighting — including lights and patterns etched in the optional glass roof panels — the whole cabin is really eye-searing. Some people will undoubtedly love this, but at night, on the road, I'll be happy to dim this as low as it'll go.

The GT's interior is full of lovely details. The metal dials on the center console for various drive settings have a great tactile feel, and the steering wheel is nicely sized and properly thick. There isn't a ton of small-item storage, but at least the center console has two dedicated wireless charging pads for smartphones. Two individual bucket seats in the back are surprisingly easy to get in and out of, and there's generous footroom thanks to cutaways in the battery pack. It's easy to get comfy back there.

The GT uses a liftback design, so there's a surprisingly large trunk. There's a small frunk under the hood, too, large enough for a backpack or a couple of small shopping bags.

It's not pretty, but the AMG GT EV is still super cool

All of the details and specs about the Mercedes-AMG GT 4-Door are compelling — this'll be an excellent Taycan fighter, and I'm eager to conduct the inevitable comparison test. The hardest thing for me to wrap my head around is the design. That front end just gives off pinched catfish vibes — especially with the optional illuminated treatment. And the rear? That huge gloss black panel around the taillights is just going to be a magnet for dust, dirt and water spots. It'll never be clean, especially with all its little ridges.

But I digress. It's exciting to see Mercedes' electric sports car finally make its debut. Company CEO Ola Källenius has long said this car is "kick ass," and I have no doubt it'll be a hoot and a half to drive.