New Mercedes-AMG GT SUV: the Porsche Cayenne’s worst nightmare is here

The covers have come off the all-new Mercedes-AMG GT SUV: the maker’s first “in-house-developed, full-size SUV” and the second model to be based on the 800-volt AMG.EA performance platform. It boasts up to 1,153bhp and 435 miles of range, and will be priced from around £110,000 when it goes on sale in the coming weeks.

Using the same base as the AMG GT 4-Door saloon, the SUV will be offered in twin-motor 53 and 55 guises, as well as in flagship, triple-motor 63 form. Product team lead, Nadine Schütt, told us the car is a “true milestone for AMG” and while it’s “SUV in shape, it’s a GT by nature”.

Measuring just over five metres long, there are plenty of links to be drawn with the 4-Door, including a similar front-end grille and lighting treatment, and an all-but-identical darkened arrangement at the back. There are lots of functional cuts and slashes in the bodywork, plus a small, active rear wing at the top of the tailgate.

In profile, there are whiffs of Aston Martin DBX to the design, although Schütt told us in no uncertain terms that this car has been unashamedly benchmarked against the latest Porsche Cayenne. Whatever you think of the styling, the on-paper performance stats offer some eye-widening reading. 

Entry-level AMG 53 cars get 537bhp and 800Nm of torque, and will prop up the range until the 55 and 63 arrive next year. The headline stats are impressive nonetheless: the 53 will do 0-62mph in 4.2 seconds and hit a top speed of 155mph. This model comes with a 106kWh battery good for up to 416 miles of range; Mercedes claims a peak charge rate of 600kW – with the ability to replenish more than 270 miles in 10 minutes.

Both the 809bhp AMG 55 and 1,153bhp AMG 63 use a larger 128kWh battery for between 385 and 435 miles of range depending on specification. Each can charge at up to 710kW – although no UK charger is currently capable of such numbers – for even quicker top-up times. A 10 to 80 per cent charge takes 12 minutes.

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The GT 63 has a “continuous” power output of 711bhp (boosted to 1,153bhp for short bursts) from its three axial-flux motors. These have been developed by UK firm Yasa, and combined, produce an enormous 2,000Nm of torque. The car can sprint from 0-62mph in 2.7 seconds, while top speed with the optional Driver’s Package stands at 168mph.

As with the latest C-Class Electric, the AMG GT SUV features a two-speed transmission on the rear axle. The first is a short ratio for “excellent acceleration”, while the second is longer, for “confident power delivery and low engine speeds on the motorway”. A ‘Disconnect Unit’ (DCU), can decouple the front and rear motors to improve efficiency.

Other trick tech includes the newly developed AMG Active Ride Control+ suspension (standard on the 63, and optional on the 55), which features “pitch and roll stabilisation” for the first time. This ensures the car stays level when accelerating and braking, keeping some of the SUV’s considerable (2.7-tonne) mass in check. Simulated gear changes should add much-needed feedback for the driver, while rear-wheel steering will aid manoeuvrability in town and increase stability at higher speeds.

Mercedes-AMG may have become a performance-car icon through the deployment of shouty V8s, but it can’t escape the electric-car revolution. The brand’s engineers know AMG customers love the theatre of a petrol engine, and as such, have replicated the exhaust noise of an AMG GT R for what they call “an authentic and immersive sound experience” on 55 and 63 models. An external speaker means passers-by get the full experience; owners will even be able to ‘rev’ the car at a standstill.

It’s accessed via the three rotary controllers on the car’s centre console, allowing customers to “adjust responsiveness, cornering dynamics and wheel slip more sensitively and individually than ever before”, according to the brand. Schütt told us the set-up is akin to “having a race engineer in the car”.

The cabin will feel very familiar to anyone who has seen or sat in the AMG GT 4-door, with an identical layout that ditches the single-pane Hyperscreen arrangement from other Mercs, for a set-up intentionally angled towards the driver. This separates the passenger-side screen, increasing its usefulness for anyone riding shotgun.

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The doors are trimmed in similar material to that found on the saloon, with contrasting stitching in a diamond formation. In typical Merc-fashion, the seat controls are also mounted on the door, ergonomically positioned within easy reach.

Look up and you’ll notice the “full-surface” Sky Control glass roof which can be switched in between transparent and opaque in individual panels. Should you wish, you can also project the AMG logo onto the glass at the press of a button.

As you’d expect, the SUV is an infinitely more practical option than its saloon sibling – evidenced during our time with the car in a closed studio ahead of its unveiling. We managed to comfortably fit a six-foot-tall adult behind a similarly sized driver, with head and legroom to spare. 

But the practicality isn’t limited to the generous cabin. AMG claims up to 607 litres of boot space with the rear seats in place, expanding to 1,740 litres with everything folded flat. There’s also a 78-litre frunk, accessed by swiping your hand in front of a sensor on the bonnet; it’s a deep cavern big enough for storing the charge cables alongside a couple of soft bags.

Mercedes’ Manufaktur programme will open up a long list of options, including “more than 60 exclusive paint finishes”. The AMG-forged wheels can also be “enhanced” with coloured accents from ‘Angel Blue’ to ‘Sunny Lime’. The seatbelts can also be personalised in matching or contrasting colours.

The AMG GT SUV goes on sale in Europe on 20 October, and the UK is expected to follow suit by announcing prices and specifications very soon. We’ve been told to expect a starting figure of around £110,000 for the 53, with the 55 and 63 not due before early 2027. First deliveries will be in the spring. 

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