Confirmed: Mercedes-AMG GT 73e gets epic power

Mercedes-AMG has confirmed that the new V8 twin-turbo plug-in hybrid powertrain it is developing for a flagship version of the Mercedes-AMG GT 4 Door Coupe will produce an incredible 600kW and 1000Nm of torque.

During a presentation held online, carsales has learned that the 2021 Mercedes-AMG GT 73e – as it's believed to be called – will blend the current GT 63's M177 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 with AMG's latest 'P3' E-Performance plug-in hybrid powertrain.

Like in the Mercedes-AMG C 63e, the GT 73e is set to package a two-speed transmission and electronically-controlled limited-slip differential, plus a battery that slots in underneath the boot floor.

Providing an optimum weight distribution, the powerful electric motor can punch out as much as 150kW/320Nm for up to 10 seconds.

That, says AMG, will help provide the big AMG GT with a sub-3.0sec sprint to 100km/h.

Top speed was not confirmed but it's thought to be in excess of 330km/h.

Feeding current to the electric motor, which will provide the 4 Door AMG with a limited pure-electric range at speeds up to 140km/h, is a 6.1kWh lithium-ion battery that draws from tech developed by the Mercedes-AMG F1 team.

It tips the scales at 89kg and has a power density of 17.kW/kg – a figure double most conventional batteries.

Engineers claim that thanks to a new cooling system as well as a 150kW burst of power, the hybrid system will never be depleted and can feed 70kW of power continuously.

The advanced cooling system submerges the 400-volt battery's 560 cells in 14 litres of coolant to keep it at an optimum 45 degrees Celsius.

Thanks to its chiller, the battery can deploy its energy quicker and recharge far faster than other hybrids.

What's missing is the F1 car's trick MGU-H turbo seen in the four-cylinder C 63e, but according to engineers the V8's superior torque down low and better overall power meant it didn't need it.

There was also the added difficulty of packaging the larger electric motor blowers within the hot-vee where the current 4.0-litre's two turbos live.

Like the C 63e, the Mercedes-AMG GT 73e will use a nine-speed AMG Speedshift MCT 9G transmission and 4MATIC variable all-wheel drive that can shuffle 100 per cent of torque to either axle.

Torque vectoring across the axle will also be possible, while the front axle is capable of being decoupled for rear-drive only, providing an opportunity for AMG engineers to introduce a drift mode.

The only fly in the ointment for the more efficient and powerful plug-in AMG GT 73 is weight.

The new hybrid packaging over the rear axle will add a mighty 200kg, which means we could see the flagship four-door tip the scales at an obese 2300kg.

Launch timing is still to be confirmed, but the 2021 Mercedes-AMG GT 73e is set to land before the end of the year with pricing likely to match the plug-in Porsche Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid at about $420,000.