805bhp Mercedes-AMG GT 63 Hybrid Is The Quickest Merc Ever

If you were left feeling a little cold at the reveal of the four-pot Mercedes-AMG last month, we’ve got the perfect antidote for you. This is the new AMG GT 63 S E Performance – the quickest Merc ever built.

Hitting 62mph in 2.8 seconds from a standstill, it’s even quicker than the AMG One, albeit by just a tenth. It uses the 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 found in the regular GT 63, though it’s now paired with an electric motor on the rear axle, with a total system power of 805bhp and frightening 1,047lb ft of torque. That’s a rise of 228bhp and 457lb ft over the base car.

That results in a half-second improvement to 62mph, although the top speed rises by ‘just’ 3mph to 199mph. Oh, and a little confusingly, it’s also down 26bhp on the AMG GT 4-Door hybrid. Pathetic, honestly…

Mercedes hasn’t said how much the GT 63 hybrid weighs, perhaps out of fear of fat shaming, but it says the 6.1kWh battery has been positioned above the rear axle for better weight distribution. In case you care about being eco-conscious in your 805bhp sports car, that cell pack also allows for eight miles of electric-only driving.

Naturally, hybridisation also means more driving modes, with ‘Electric’ and ‘Battery Hold’ joining Comfort, Slippery, Sport, Sport+, Race and Individual modes. You’ve got four levels of battery recuperation to play around with too, if you really want to pretend you’re Lewis Hamilton while being gapped by 20-year-old Renault Clios on the Nürburgring.

Helping contain the extra performance are carbon ceramic brakes fitted as standard, which are normally optional on the GT 63. These measure 420x40mm on the front axle with six-piston callipers, and 380x32mm with single-piston callipers at the rear. Other goodies include active anti-roll stabilisation and rear-axle steering.

Spotting a hybrid from a regular 63 might require a keen eye. It gets 21-inch wheels as standard, a charging flap (obviously) and a heap of red-trimmed E Performance badges.

No word yet on how much the Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S E Performance will cost you, but expect a considerable rise on the £164,905 for the standard 63. For some idea, the hybrid 4-Door costs £22,855 more than the base V8.