Mercedes hits back hard with 600kW AMG GT

The 2017 Geneva Motor  Show is now fully underway with manufacturers giving the public tastes of their new models coming to market, and glimpses of what might come further in the future. Mercedes stole the show on Tuesday with the debut of the Mercedes GT Concept- a 600 kW four-door version of the AMG GT.

Although appearing to be a stretched out version of the AMG GT, the GT Concept actually has its roots stemming from the E63 chassis. That means you’ll find the AMG Performance 4MAtic+ all-wheel-drive system strapped to  a 600kW (805 BHP) 4.0L bi-turbo V8. This is just the second Mercedes to wear the EQ Power+ badge- the first being this year’s Mercedes Formula 1 car.  Yep, you guessed it- this car is a Hybrid. Electric motors will support the rear wheels while the batteries used to power them will harvest energy under braking, or be charged  by the combustion engine if necessary.

Said to ”herald the further extension of the AMG GT family”  you can expect this concept to be representative of a production version, although concept features such as camera replacements for side mirrors and hidden windscreen wipers won’t make the way to the production version. The exterior is also indicative of Mercedes’ slow removal of feature lines from the sides of the its cars in recent years, with sleek, continuous bodywork lining the side of the vehicle. The massive 22 inch wheels give you an idea of the scale of the car as they sit neatly under the body without looking out of proportion.

A 0-100 km/h time of under 3 seconds will certainly have Porsche nervous as they prepare to launch the upcoming Panamer Turbo S E-Hybrid, which ,I’m sure not so coincidently, is also powered by a 4.0 L bi-turbo V8 and a 100 kW electric motor.

The AMG GT Concept marks 50 years of AMG.