It was precisely on January 21, 2022, when our spies laid eyes on the new Mercedes-AMG GT Coupe for the first time. Some 18 months later, we still haven’t seen the production version. Meanwhile, an interesting batch of spy shots has come our way with help from Spanish publication Motor.es and their sightings of a plug-in hybrid prototype. The yellow stickers are a dead giveaway we’re dealing with the PHEV.
The sports coupe’s electrified nature is further evidenced by the charging port cap on the rear bumper. Other noteworthy details include the 20-inch wheels with 295/35 ZR20 Pirelli tires and carbon-ceramic brakes judging by the gold calipers. The familiar Panamericana grille is flanked by numerous air intakes suggesting this is at the higher end of the lineup.
At the rear, the dual exhaust tips sticking out from the bumper hint Mercedes was testing the engine. Since it doesn’t have the quad setup, we could be looking at the lesser of the two PHEV derivatives with an electrified inline-six instead of a beefier hybrid V8. Nothing is official at this point but it might be called the AMG GT 53 E Performance or something to that effect.
The interior is just as interesting as it reconfirms the second-generation GT Coupe will adopt a four-seat layout. Unsurprisingly, the cabin largely takes after the latest SL roadster, which has also been developed by AMG. Rather than a fully fledged four-seater, expect a 2+2 layout with limited rear legroom to mirror its main rival, the Porsche 911.
This prototype had the rear seats in place, but with lots of computers and wires as part of the bulky equipment used during the testing phase. Weight will be a concern considering the PHEV setup will make the car bulkier, but electrification is necessary due to increasingly stringent emissions regulations. By the way, the 911 we mentioned is also going hybrid.
With AMG now selling an SL43, one can’t help but wonder whether there will be a four-cylinder GT base model as well. In the roadster, the longitudinally mounted 2.0-liter M139 borrowed from the AMG “45” compact cars (where it’s mounted transversally) uses an electric exhaust gas turbocharger to produce 375 horsepower and 354 pound-feet (481 Newton-meters) of torque. At the other end of the spectrum, a GT 63 S E Performance with a plug-in hybrid V8 should produce well over 800 hp.
When can we expect to see the new AMG GT Coupe? With the 2023 IAA Munich scheduled for early September and Detroit later that month, Mercedes could decide to unveil the revamped sports car online before that. If that won’t be the case, we should still see it later this year, possibly ahead of mid-November when the Los Angeles Auto Show takes place.
