The AMG GT 4-Door is a complex and often underrated product from the folks at Affalterbach. Depending on the lens through which you view it, its six-figure allure can yield different results, and some may find themselves disappointed. On paper, this GT 63 E-Performance symbolizes the peak of performance, boasting the highest torque output in the entire AMG portfolio, one of the quickest top speeds at 317 km/h, and a 0-100 km/h time of 2.9 seconds, enough to outrun more supercars than we can list. It’s equipped with all-wheel drive to effectively put the power to the ground, as well as various differentials and rear-wheel steering options to make it handle like a proper sports sedan. Additionally, it’s a plug-in hybrid with an electric driving range of 10 km. If NASA were in the car-making business, it would look something like this.

So then, is this the ultimate sports sedan? From a performance perspective, it’s in the upper echelon hanging out with the BMW Alpina B8 Gran Coupe, Porsche Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid, and Audi RS 6 Avant. We’d argue that the AMG is quicker, lairier, and more skilled around a serpentine road too, but it’s sacrificed its soul and any inkling of civility and functionality just to achieve that. Let me explain.

This is the E Performance model that takes the hand-built V8 engine that’s lobbed into everything from the GLC 63 to the G 63, and pairs it with a rear-mounted electric motor and hybrid battery for a grand total of 831 horsepower and 1084 lb-ft of torque. The way to tell it apart? Well, it’s got red badging, carbon ceramic brakes, and an electric slot opening out of the rear end below the passenger-side taillight. Oh, and the low price of $214,500 – our test vehicle was spec’d to the moon with over $40,000 in options, including a $7,020 Burmester 3D sound system and a $3,050 white and black leather interior. It’s also one of the few new AMGs to use the AMG badge on the front hood logo instead of the Mercedes silver star.

Its speed is outrageous. Remember the first time you experienced a rollercoaster, and that sinking feeling in your heart and floating feeling in your brain as you experienced powerful G-forces for the first time? You get that every time you launch the GT 63, with the hybrid providing that initial thrust and the V8 stepping in with its afterburner. The acceleration is addictive, it feels quicker than many Lamborghinis we’ve driven, and it’s an excellent albeit more expensive alternative to caffeine in the morning. 

Take a calmer approach with your right foot at sane speeds, and power is delivered in a smooth manner like a 787 Dreamliner on takeoff. Stable, planted, and it never loses its footing, even when the meaty 315-section width Pirelli P Zero All-season rear tires are still a bit frosty from the morning air. It’s one of the most vicious sedans we’ve ever tested, and the only one with a four-digit torque rating. The V8 engine itself produces a healthy 630 hp and 664 lb-ft of torque on its own, and the 201-hp permanently excited synchronous motor and 6.1 kWh battery provide the rest through its own two-speed gearbox. It all sounds rather heavenly and heavy.

While its performance credentials cannot be dismissed, what it lacks is proper driver engagement at lower and calmer speeds. The final product is missing that extra layer of polish that we’d expect from a quarter-million-dollar car. The steering is too quick and aesthetized with no feel – it’s like using your finger to try and catch that fragment of eggshell stuck inside the yolk. You shoot, guess where it will end up, let it flow, and you will likely miss. The GT 63 is precise and easy to place but a little too reactive for the daily commute when you want more progressive rotation from the wheels. The carbon ceramic brakes are strong and capable of reeling this car back from embarrassingly quick speeds, but the pedal is like a springboard and difficult to modulate smoothly. It feels like an electric car from the 2010s and doesn’t inspire confidence in braking.

The rear is hyperactive in many ways, capable but unpredictable. You can throw this GT 63 into corners at stupid speeds and come out the other side untainted and looking like a hero. Hilariously enough, we find it more interactive and fun to drive than both the SL 63 Roadster and EQS AMG Sedan, but the entire stable is missing that extra step that melds their features together into a cohesive package. At least this 4-door feels focused on its core mission of delivering outright speed. The gearbox is better polished than many other 9-speeds we’ve tested from AMG, and it’s less prone to refusing shifts, but the shift from second to third gear is annoyingly rough and clunky during automatic shifting, causing a brief shudder that cascades throughout the chassis. But for a car with this much power, it’s unbelievably docile at low speeds, showing off a tame demeanor that’s easily accessible.

As a four-door sedan meant to be driven daily, it’s not as competent and is where the lustre of its armour begins to wear off. It’s easier to think of it as a sports car that just happens to have four doors because it comes with all the same compromises of the two-door AMG GT Coupe. The ride is firm, the cabin is cramped, the doors are tiny, and the entry portals are even tinier, meaning you have to contort your upper body just to fit inside, not an easy feat for the expected clientele in their later years with disposable income. 

Once situated inside, the seats are sumptuous, soft, and supportive, but the cabin feels cramped. Its soapbar silhouette and raked back roofline are to blame but the seating position is all whack because of it. You sit almost on top of the car, the seat can’t be lowered a decent amount, and taller folks will reach the headliner. I’m six feet tall and my hair almost scrapes it. The overly cluttered center console takes up way too much room and most of it is delegated to the overly large driving mode buttons and dials, and not to meaningful storage cubbies, which there are notably few. The cupholders in the center are slim and won’t fit large bottles, and the center console is shallow but is where the wireless charging pad awkwardly sits.

Elbow room is restrictive but the footwell is sizable. Not having a leather airbag cover for the steering wheel is a glaring omission at this price point, but the two-tone spec is attractive. The rear seats are similarly confined and there’s just enough room for me, but the seats are positioned too upright to be able to find a relaxed seating position, and the single-pane sunroof doesn’t cover the rear cabin either. Only heated seats back here too, with no adjustment or massage. 

And therein lies the important question: why not choose the S 63 E Performance instead, which offers magnitudes more cabin space, a more generous amenity list, and a more cosseting ride, but nearly as much straight line performance? It may produce less horsepower and torque but it’s also cheaper and softer on the eyes. We’re not sure why anyone would either unless you only had room for one in your garage and required a compromise between a sports car and a luxury sedan. In that light, the GT apex predator can provide the thrills and the raw ingredients of a luxury sedan. 

Who is this GT 63 E Performance for? Those who need four seats and the highest degree of performance that AMG can offer. It really is one of the most merciless sedans we’ve driven. A wolf in sheep’s clothing, this, ready to outrun Lamborghinis and Ferraris the moment its nuclear V8 awakens from its slumber. If you find yourself constantly challenged for pink slips or for highway domination, this is the sled for you. Just mind the fact that it suffers from the same compromises as any other 2+2 sports cars, like the busy ride, difficult ingress and egress, and cramped cabin space. Those who aren’t willing to accept that will find solace in the S-Class equivalent instead.

Specifications:

Model: 2024 Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S E Performance 4-Door Coupe
Paint Type: MANUFAKTUR Spectral Blue Magno (matte)
Base Price: $214,500
Price as Tested: $255,245
Engine: 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8, 150kW electric motor, 6.1 kWh lithium-ion battery
Horsepower: 831 hp @ 5,500 – 6,500 rpm
Torque: 1,084 lb-ft @ 2,500 – 4,500 rpm
Transmission: 9-speed multi-clutch transmission
Engine & Drive Configuration: Front engine, AWD
Observed Fuel Consumption (L/100km): 15.4
Tires: Pirelli P Zero All-Season; 275/35R21 front; 315/30R21 rear