Mercedes-Benz performance division AMG unveiled the GT XX concept Wednesday, previewing the brand’s first production EV with a claimed 1,340 horsepower, 223-mph top speed, and a wild synthetic “engine” sound. According to AMG CEO Michael Schiebe, one unnamed board member called AMG’s first bespoke electric powertrain “the best V-8 we have ever developed” during a closed-door executive drive session of a GT XX prototype.
That’s a bold claim for a company whose legendary V-8s have included the 5.0- and 5.5-liter “Hammers,” the 6.2-liter M156, and the current 4.0-liter bi-turbo “hot vee” V-8. AMG’s customers love V-8s so much that they’ve summarily rejected the current C63 for its four-cylinder hybrid powertrain.
'This is the best V-8 we have ever developed.'
The GT XX Concept gets its four-figure output from three axial-flux electric motors and a battery pack with direct-cooled cylindrical cells, a setup Schiebe says is designed for repeatable performance, such as multiple hot laps of a racetrack rather than a couple of acceleration runs before needing to cool down.
“Some of the electric cars, they are very fast in accelerating from zero to 60 … but they quickly lose steam once you push them really hard,” AMG’s CEO told a media roundtable during the GT XX’s preview event. “You need to be able to push [the GT XX] like a strong AMG combustion engine car.”
Of course, the V-8 experience is about more than just performance. It’s about theater—a distinctive rumble at idle, wall-shaking revs, and rip-snorting downshifts. That’s why AMG has bestowed the GT XX with a pair of speakers inside the headlight housings broadcasting a synthesized V-8 soundtrack. The steering yoke also has paddle shifters, presumably so the driver can shift through simulated “gears,” like in the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N.
"Our cars are bought by customers because they are very emotional."
According to Schiebe, the element of theater and passion is essential in crafting a performance EV to appeal to AMG’s combustion-crazy customers.
“What does it mean when someone gets into an electric car? Is it like a quiet car driving, you know?” he asked rhetorically. “No, it will not be like this, because our cars are bought by customers because they are very emotional.”
Whether or not AMG buyers will actually put their money down for an EV remains to be seen. The GT XX concept is still a ways off from becoming a production car, and in the meantime, AMG is developing a next-generation V-8 to power several of its combustion cars. But clearly, AMG’s top brass believes its electric powertrain can woo its most loyal customers.
