In an ironic twist of fate, the first SUV developed by AMG independently of Mercedes doesn’t have a combustion engine. There are high-performance versions of everything from the GLA to the GLS, and even the EQE electric SUV, but all ride on Mercedes bones. However, this prototype is different. It’s based on the AMG.EA platform developed specifically for EVs born in Affalterbach, with no equivalent model carrying the fabled three-pointed star.
Car paparazzi have spotted the unnamed model looking large and in charge while testing in the Alps. It’s set to square off against the Lotus Eletre and the first-ever Porsche Cayenne EV, which debuts later this week. AMG is confident there’s room for yet another supersized SUV, but without a brawny V-8, we honestly don’t see the appeal.
Although cloaked in camo, the flared fenders are a dead giveaway that this isn’t your typical grocery-getter. Without a Mercedes sister model, AMG has the freedom to push a more daring design. Essentially, it will be the SUV counterpart to the swoopy four-door previewed a few months ago by the wild GT XX concept. The 1,341-horsepower, 223-mph (360-km/h) super sedan arrives next year, so its high-riding cousin is unlikely to show up before 2027.
AMG is developing an all-new, more powerful V-8, but the underpinnings for this SUV were conceived exclusively for EVs. If it follows the sedan’s blueprint, power will come from three axial-flux electric motors developed by Mercedes-owned Yasa. The GT XX concept even pumped fake V-8 noise through dual loudspeakers built into the headlights, with simulated gear shifts to better emulate the feel of a gas-powered car.
Expect the fakery to carry over to the SUV, though it remains to be seen how many customers will appreciate the artificial theatrics. In any case, AMG’s combustion-engine SUVs aren’t going anywhere; this new model will join the lineup rather than replace an existing model, so that's good.
Previously described as “AMG first, all-electric second,” the SUV should look better than the prototype suggests. The taillights are clearly placeholders, and although the test vehicle appears to wear its production body, the heavy camouflage conceals a great deal. Once the disguise comes off, it should deliver a beefy stance with a fresh take on the Panamericana grille and wide rear haunches.
Size-wise, it’s expected to slot between the EQE and EQS SUVs, making a roughly 197-inch (five-meter) length plausible. Weight is a concern, especially since the AMG EQE SUV already tips the scales at 5,768 pounds (2,616 kilograms) in U.S. spec. Seeing the glass half full, it shouldn’t be as hefty as the electric G-Class, which hits a colossal 6,801 pounds (3,085 kilograms) in Europe.
We’re curious to see how AMG’s first in-house SUV effort unfolds, but it’s hard to pinpoint who exactly this vehicle is for.
Source: CarSpyMedia / YouTube
