Mercedes-AMG GT 4-Door Coupe – Outside, inside and under the hood

To be honest, when I hear the words four-door and coupe together, I cringe. I don’t think four-doors can be coupes, and I don’t think the new Mercedes-AMG GT four-door is a coupe. It’s an incredibly sleek sedan. So, when I traveled to Geneva to have a look at the newest member of the Mercedes-AMG GT family, I hadn’t set my hopes too high. But boy, was I in for a surprise.  

Right from my very first glance, the design spoke clearly to me. Sleek, flowing lines, visually well-balanced proportions, an incredibly hot-looking rear end (not an easy feat for a hatchback), powerful bulges everywhere – this car leaves no doubt it is a true AMG, but it’s not macho or brutish. Sensual and convincing is how I would define my first impression.

Up front, the Panamericana-style grille with its vertical bars spells business, while the two power domes on the hood continue the theme. Big 21-inch wheels, bulging front fenders and sculpted flanks starting at the front door then flowing through the rear door and over the rear fenders, well …  I think by now you will have noticed where this is going.

In side view the greenhouse with its three-window styling detail is low and sleek and the four doors with frameless windows add to the impression of lightness. In particular, styling boss Gorden Wagener got that rear-end design right: Those ultra-thin rear lights that look so good on the back of the two-door GTs make an even bigger impact here; the rear looks almost delicate. Four round exhaust pipes are subtle cues announcing the 6-cylinder versions, while the V-8s come with chunky square outlets.

Below the big hatch, both versions feature an extending rear spoiler that keeps the lines unspoiled (excuse the pun) when not in motion. Both front and rear screens are very steeply raked, while the metal portion beneath the windows is just the right amount to make the car look muscular, but not so much to make it appear plump.

The dash is reminiscent of the CLS interior, with the centrally mounted gear lever being the most obvious difference. Inside, the key element is the back where the AMG still offers enough headroom for adults, although for those taller than 6 feet 1 inch, it could get a little tight. Trunk space is 13.9 cubic feet, which can be increased up to an impressive 48.8 cubic feet if the foldable rear bench is chosen over the optional two-single-seat configuration.

Entirely developed and built in Affalterbach as opposed to being an adaptation of a Mercedes-Benz design from Sindelfingen, the technology in the GT four-door coupes is distinctive.

Anchoring the performance of this exciting four-passenger car, AMG engineers make clear, is the platform used in the E63 lineup, employing the floorpan of the E63 station wagon.

In terms of performance, the GT takes off where the CLS ends. The GT53 offers the 3.0-liter inline-6 cylinder with EQ boost (429 horsepower). The brutal 4.0-liter V-8-powered GT63 or GT63 S punch the air with 577 or 630 horsepower and 590 or 664 pound-feet of torque, making the GT63 S currently the most powerful AMG model available. Both V-8 engines feature two twin-scroll turbochargers. Power is transmitted via a 9-speed auto gearbox. That power is good enough for a 0-60 time of 3.3 or 3.1 seconds – unbelievable performance for a four-seater sedan.

The GT53 comes with a new 48-volt onboard power supply, running lights, cockpit infotainment display and control unit. The V-8 features AMG Cylinder Management, switching off four cylinders in partial-load driving while in Comfort mode. Active engine mounts as part of the Dynamic Plus Package adapt their rigidity to the respective driving conditions.

There are no fewer than six different drive modes (Ice, Comfort, Sport, Sport+, Race and Individual). Even more choice comes with the AMG Dynamic Select system, which can be tuned precisely to the driver’s skills (basic, advanced, pro and master). For drivers anticipating track use, an aero package with bigger front spoiler and fixed rear wing is available.

All four-door GTs come with AMG 4Matic Plus and active rear-wheel steering as standard, while the suspension setups are distinctly different. The GT53 relies on conventional steel springs and adjustable dampers, while the GT63 and GT63 S come with air suspension based on AMG Ride Control Plus. There is even a brake hierarchy – silver for the GT53, red for the GT63 and yellow for the GT63 S – with different degrees of braking. The GT63 S comes with 20-inch wheels as standard, the other two start off on 19-inch rims with 21-inch rims optional.

Inside, there are two 12.3-inch LED displays as standard. Like the other AMGs, the GT’s gear selector is mounted centrally on a wide console surrounded by eight buttons, which can be gesture activated. A new feature for the GT is the display setup called “Supersport,” with visual cues to track performance. A nice feature is the AMG Track Pace app, which can record and store up to 80 specific laps for evaluation and comparison.   

One of the media representatives sitting inside the display car with me managed to sum up my feelings about this car better than I could: “This is the Panamera Porsche wished it had.” There’s nothing to add to that.

Mercedes-AMG GT63 • Mercedes-AMG GT63 S
TYPE: Four-door, four-passenger coupe
ENGINE: 3,982cc AMG 4.0-liter V-8 biturbo
HORSEPOWER: GT63 – 577 at 5,500-6,500 rpm • GT63 S – 630 at 5,500-6,500 rpm
TORQUE: GT63 – 553 lb-ft at 2,350-5,000 rpm • GT63 S – 627 lb-ft at 2,500-4,500 rpm
DRIVE SYSTEM:
GT63 – AMG Performance 4Matic+ permanent all-wheel drive; fully variable torque split
GT63 S – AMG Performance 4Matic+ permanent all-wheel drive; variable torque split, drift mode
TRANSMISSION: AMG SpeedShift MCT 9G
ACCELERATION: Zero-60 mph GT63 – 3.3 sec (est.) • GT63 S – 3.1 sec (est.)
TOP SPEED: GT63 – 193 mph • GT63 S – 195 mph

Mercedes-AMG GT53
ENGINE: 2,999cc AMG-enhanced 3.0-liter Inline-6 turbo with EQ boost
HORSEPOWER: 429 at 6,100 rpm • TORQUE: 384 lb-ft at 1,800-5,800 rpm
EQ BOOST MAX HP: 21 • EQ BOOST MAX TORQUE: 184 lb-ft
DRIVE SYSTEM:
AMG Performance 4Matic+ all-wheel drive; fully variable torque distribution
TRANSMISSION: AMG SpeedShift TCT 9G
ACCELERATION: Zero-60 mph 4.4 sec (est.) • TOP SPEED: 177 mph