Mercedes-AMG is readying a production version of its dramatic and badass GT XX concept, and the brand is apparently mulling over the idea of putting a coupe version of the four-door EV into production as well, according to Autocar. The company just says it needs to “justify the investment” before doing so — how hard could it be? A car like this would almost certainly be aimed squarely at the likes of the Porsche 911 and serves as a companion to the gas-powered AMG GT coupe.
The production version of the GT XX will be the first car to sit on Mercedes’ new 800-volt AMG.EA platform, which will also be used for a new high-powered SUV that’ll debut sometime in 2027. While that’ll almost certainly be a better seller than an electric coupe, that hasn’t stopped Mercedes-AMG’s boss, Michael Schiebe, from considering it.
“There is an emotional discussion and a rational discussion,” said Schiebe said at the Munich motor show. “Emotionally, yes, we should do that. The question is whether there is a market that is big enough to justify the investment that is necessary. At least from a technology point of view, we know how to do that.”
He continued by saying the automaker hasn’t put any sort of timeframe on when a car like this would come to market, and it is “flexible” on a launch date. Basically, that means Mercedes could accelerate the program if interest in electric performance cars suddenly jumps in the next few years. I’m not a betting man, but I feel like that’s not going to happen. Here’s hoping, though.
The V8 won’t go anywhere
But I don’t want you to worry, V8 lovers. The gas-powered AMG GT isn’t going anywhere, according to Autocar. Even if a coupe version of the GT XX is put into production, it’ll be sold alongside the V8-powered GT, not in lieu of it. Schiebe tells the outlet that the automaker will continue to invest in that car well into the next decade.
“[W]e will focus on that first, and then let’s see when the right point and time is there to launch a two-door EV.”
He added: “We want to be in terms of technology and performance successful but also economically successful. We do whatever is, let’s say, worth investing the money. And at the moment, I would say we are more successful investing into our two-door combustion-engine platform than doing this on the electric side.
He did add that the company is flexible, so if anything changes in the market, it can react quickly. At the moment, there aren’t too many fully electric options available in the space a coupe version of the AMG GT XX would occupy. Off the top of my head, the only one I can really think of is the Maserati GranTurismo Folgore, which isn’t terribly much to write home about. Because of that, it would go up against the gas-powered cars like the Porsche 911, Aston Martin Vantage, Ferrari Amalfi and Bentley Continental GT.
The potential GT two-door wouldn’t be AMG’s first electric halo coupe, though. As I’m sure you remember (because you’re so damn smart), Mercedes produced nine SLS AMG Electric Drives back in 2013 that put out 740 horsepower and 737 pound-feet of torque with the help of four electric motors. It was more of an engineering exercise than a production car, but the point still remains.
