Mercedes Debuts a Hybrid Super Sports Car for the Whole Family

MERCEDES-AMG has flagged its intention to build a 600kW, Panamera-bashing V8 hybrid super sedan with the unveiling of the GT Concept at the 2017 Geneva motor show.

In the battle of the performance four-door coupes, the GT Concept appears to have the new Porsche Panamera S E-Hybrid licked in the performance stakes – the hybrid Merc’s 815 hp and sub-three second 0-100 km/h sprint time betters the 680 hp and 3.4-second 0-100 km/h of its plug-in Zuffenhausen rival – in GT Concept form, at least.

True to four-door coupe proportions, the sleek body work of the GT Concept melds the fastback aesthetics of a sports auto with the practicality of a sedan. Look for the hottest versions to be powered by the increasingly ubiquitous 4.0-liter twin-turbo V-8 with improved twin-scroll turbochargers nestled in the valley of the vee to further improve breathing. This equates to 805bhp, topping the output of the most powerful of AMG’s existing models, the GT R, by a stunning 228bhp. “Plus the GT Concept – like the AMG Hypercar, which we are presenting at the International Motor Show in Frankfurt – illustrates how we are defining performance of the future at AMG.” said Tobia Moers, CEO of Mercedes-AMG. Mercedes-AMG says this allows the car’s systems to individually vector the car’s torque to each wheel. The stylish and sleek design adds to the appeal of this AMG model.

Stylistically, the GT concept treads new ground for Mercedes-Benz, both in proportion and detail.

The exterior design is in sync with the sleekness of the brand.

Mercedes said the concept can hit 60 miles per hour in less than three seconds.

The Mercedes-AMG principle that fascination is always linked with function also applies to the AMG GT Concept.

The 6-corner Panamericana grille, with vertical slats overlaid on top of a newly designed insert, is angled forward to give the nose an outwardly aggressive shark appearance. Transforming Benz models into autobahn burners remains a priority, but AMG is no slouch when it comes to developing vehicles on its own. The side window graphic picks up on the theme already seen on more-recent Mercedes coupes. Not to mention the similarly shaped wheels and short overhang at the rear. The battery unit itself is entirely scaleable, too, and you can take that to mean that it will make its way into plenty more cars, both on the AMG side and otherwise.

Released alongside the footage was a sketch which also reveals two-tone copper and silver wheel rims, 3D-style LED tail-lights, a carbon-fibre rear diffuser and a single central exhaust.