Mercedes-AMG just teased its 1,000bhp Porsche Taycan Turbo GT rival –and it’ll need to dip deep into its performance past to beat it
- The upcoming Mercedes-AMG EV could boast upward of 1,000bhp
- It will be the first Mercedes-AMG product built from the ground up
- Porsche, Audi and Xiaomi could finally have another fiery rival
Mercedes-AMG has teased its first electric ‘super sedan’ via a series of images released on its social media channels that show the large, imposing four-door fastback wearing a thin camouflage.
Both the front and rear lamps have been inspired by the star design used on the upcoming CLA – causing somewhat of a furore on socials – while the low-slung ride height and enormous aero-enhanced wheels signify its performance intentions.
Above all else, the design already sets apart from the slightly confusing Mercedes-AMG’s EQE and EQS mash-up models that have arrived to date.
But the good news is, this is tipped to be the first dedicated, high-performance electric Mercedes-AMG product, complete with its very own platform (dubbed AMG.EA) and in-house tweaked electric motors.
Where AMG was once the final word in high-performance combustion engines, arguably peaking with its fantastic and ferocious naturally-aspirated 6.3-liter V8 (I’ve personally owned one and it was amazing before the fuel bills financially ruined me), it has yet to be permitted to properly have its wicked way with an electrified powertrain.
Reports suggest that the upcoming electric super sedan will use axial flux motors, which are much lighter and more energy dense than the radial motors used in most of today’s high-performance EVs.
According to Autocar, a total power output of 1,000bhp and 1,000lb-ft of torque are quite feasible from a twin-axial flux motor set-up. But we will have to wait for a full reveal to find out.
However, this would bring it directly in the firing line of the Taycan Turbo GT, which is capable of smashing the 0-62mph sprint in just 2.3 seconds thanks to its 1,020bhp power. It can also return an impressive 347 miles on a single charge.
Analysis: Porsche will be tough to beat
Since the automotive industry made the switch towards an increasingly electric future, Mercedes-AMG has been downsizing and turbocharging its internal combustion engines, as well as adding plug-in hybrid options in order to meet more stringent emissions regulations.
Speak to any AMG fan and they will likely admit that this has had a negative effect on the products leaving the famous Affalterbach factory. Let’s not get started on the expensive, bizarrely-styled and slightly disappointing Mercedes-AMG EQE 53 and EQS models.
But this latest project could be the first time we really see what the famous tuning arm of Mercedes-Benz can do when it gets its hands on the brand’s battery and motor technology, with the results finally able to take on the might of Porsche and Audi.
The former would likely be its closest rival, as it has been pushing its EV tech to the limits for years, with the Taycan Turbo GT arguably one of the most mind-bending and impressive high-performance electric vehicles I have ever been lucky enough to drive.
Simply imbuing an EV with enormous amounts of power isn’t good enough, as so much work has to be done in order to translate that into useable, real-world performance.
The Taycan Turbo GT – complete with the Weissach Package that removes the rear seats and adds a fixed carbon rear wing in pursuit of lightness – is arguably too much for the road, but it redefines what it means to go fast.
The handling is exquisite, the feedback through the steering wheel pure Porsche and the acceleration with Overboost activated borderline painful.
Launch Control is so aggressive that the driver can only handle a handful of runs before they throw in the towel… or throw up. However, it can make even ham-fisted drivers look like the GOAT, thanks to its seemingly endless amounts of grip and poise.
But despite this, the market is still relatively slow for high-performance EVs, with sales of Taycan reportedly plummeting by 49% in 2024. The poor residual values are also knocking consumer confidence in new cars.
Mercedes-AMG entering the game should help prove to the market that this really is the future of high-performance motoring, building on the work that Audi, Porsche and Xiaomi (in China at least) have already done.
What’s more, it will hopefully signal a return to AMG doing what it does best when it is left to its own devices… chiefly creating phenomenal driver’s cars.
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The upcoming Mercedes-AMG EV could boast upward of 1,000bhp It will be the first Mercedes-AMG product built from the ground up Porsche, Audi and Xiaomi could finally have another fiery rival Mercedes-AMG has teased its first electric ‘super sedan’ via a series of images released on its social media channels…
