As I write I’ve just spent a couple of hours in central London, during which my expensive Mercedes spotto count read: G-Classes seven, AMG GT 4 -Door Coupés nil.
Only anecdotal evidence, I know. But there are only ever a few used GT 4-Doors in the classifieds, too, and tell me, reader, have you ever seen one?
I can’t shake the feeling that AMG’s bespoke coupé-saloon (technically a five-door hatchback), introduced in 2018, is a very rare groove, a niche option. But if you prefer to roll around in a G-Class then I think you’re missing out.
So far we’ve had the 63 S variant in the UK, plus the less powerful 63, now dropped but continuing abroad. British buyers like high-spec cars so we’ve settled on the one with 630bhp from its 4.0-litre V8, and a price of £153,755.
That’s now joined by this £177,715 variant, the 63 S E Performance, which keeps the V8 in the same tune and gains another 201bhp from an electric motor mounted at the back axle for a combined 831bhp. That makes it the second-most-powerful AMG behind the One hypercar.
I would say 831bhp in a big coupé/hatchback thing ought to be plenty. The most powerful comparable Audi RS, BMW M and Porsche models don’t get that close.
The 63 S E Performance is a pluggable hybrid. On top of the motor is a 6.1kWh battery. It gives just 7.5 miles of electric-only range because, say the engineers, it’s more about performance than distance.On that point, this car will do 0-62mph in 2.9sec (0.3sec faster than the 63 S) and go on to 196mph (the same), while the combined economy test, often ultra-generous to PHEVs, rates it at just 35.8mpg.
From a practicality standpoint (I know you’re worried about it), the electric gubbins at the rear, including a two-speed gearbox for the electric motor, eats into the boot floor, reducing luggage capacity from 461 to 335 litres. Maybe that’s why everyone buys a G-Class instead. But probably not.
Kerb weight understandably takes a hike from 2205kg to 2494kg, so the PHEV gets carbon-ceramic brakes the 63 S is denied.
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