Mercedes-AMG GT 63 4-Door Coupe to outsell mild-hybrid six

A Mercedes-Benz Australia exec has confirmed with local media that the prestige car importer expects the V8-engined Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S 4-Door Coupe will be the volume-selling variant in the new model range.

"The expectation with Australians' love of the V8 is that the '63' will be more popular," said Ryan Lewis, the brand's Media Relations & Product Communications manager in Australia.

For buyers who want their GT to offer some eco-friendly technology and not just straight-line performance, the six-cylinder GT 53 model is soon to be available. But the importer will not be introducing the entry-level GT 43 variant (pictured) of the Mercedes-AMG GT 4-Door Coupe to the local market.

"There is a GT 43 [4-Door Coupe] as well, with a lower output inline six that some markets offer," said Lewis, during a presentation for the local launch of the Mercedes-AMG GT 4-Door Coupe.

"The 53 is the more applicable car for Australia," Lewis continued. "We expect the 63 to be the volume-seller, but there's a business case for a six-cylinder option, and ... if we were only going to offer one six-cylinder it made sense to offer the 53."

Although Australia is a relatively large market for AMG models, it's still a small market overall. AMG models represent 20 per cent of Mercedes-Benz sales in Australia, but even so the business case for the 43 variant – taking to three the number of powertrain variants for the GT 4-Door Coupe – just didn't stack up.

So it was one of those decisions that hinged on a business case based on sustainable sales volumes. But it does beg the question, is Porsche's Panamera unassailable in this narrow sector of the market?

Perhaps we'll never know...