Mercedes-AMG GT sedan leaked

Update: 05/03/2018, 5:38pm: A single image of the new 2018 Mercedes-Benz AMG GT sedan has been leaked by a Polish website.

Autoblog.rs published the photo today, referring to the model as the Mercedes-AMG GT Coupe Edition 1. Although the image is not crisp and clear it appears to be the real deal, matching up with camouflaged cars seen testing previously.

The new model has a strong resemblance to its two-door sibling, the Mercedes-AMG GT, with its striking grille, bold front end, long bonnet and curved roof.

The new model will be launched at the 2018 Geneva motor show and is expected to be packing a 450kW version of AMG's 4.0-litre twin turbo V8 engine, badged as the AMG 63 model.

As previously reported the company is plotting a plug-in hybrid version of the car – AMG's first eco-friendly road rocket – which could be even more powerful with up to 600kW of stomp.

See below for more details and stay tuned for the official reveal late Tuesday/early Wednesday Australian time.

Mercedes-AMG's job used to be simple. Take a Mercedes C-, E- or S-Class and make it faster and louder.

Today the AMG brief has expanded significantly as the German car-maker offers at least two hot versions of almost every model in its range.

Now it has confirmed the imminent reveal of its second stand-alone high-performance model, following the Mercedes-AMG GT Coupe and Roadster, with the F1-engined Mercedes-AMG Project ONE hypercar to follow.

Mercedes-AMG CEO Tobias Moers all but confirmed the all-new GT sedan, which was inspired by the AMG GT Concept, will make its world debut at the Geneva motor show on March 6.

"Shortly we will welcome a new member to the AMG GT family," he said in a social media post on Friday, when AMG released a series of images of the new four-door GT undergoing testing.

"My team and I are now in the final testing phase before the upcoming world premiere. Check out these behind the scenes pictures. Greetings from my latest development drive."

Mercedes-AMG has also confirmed the third member of its GT model family will be called the '4-door Coupe', although it will wear 53 and 63 badging – unlike the existing coupe and roadster models, which wear GT, GTS and S badges.

Even so, this could be confusing because there's already a Mercedes-AMG GT Coupe, and a coupe is traditionally a two-door vehicle – although that hasn't stopped Mercedes-Benz calling its four-door CLS a 'coupe' either.

Clearly AMG is attempting to position its first dedicated sedan model as a member of the GT family, but the fact is that – apart from its name – the new four-door is unrelated to its existing two-seat sports cars.

Instead of the rear transaxle-equipped platform that underpins the GT Coupe and Roadster, the GT sedan is based on a reworked version of the platform under the latest E-Class and new CLS, which also have four doors.

Like the upcoming CLS, the four- and five-seat GT will be a rival four-door 'coupes' like the Porsche Panamera, Audi A7, BMW 6 Series Gran Coupe and Maserati Quattroporte.

But while the third-generation CLS will offer five seats and be available 350d, 400d, 450 and (hybrid) AMG 53 guises, for the first time it won't come with a V8.

Which is where the new AMG GT four-door sedan comes in.

Apart from its straight-six petrol-electric '53' powertrain, the GT sedan will be offered in full-blown twin-turbo V8 '63' form.

We've published spy photos of the AMG GT sedan previously and it's clear the new vehicle's proportions have classic grand tourer or GT elements, such as the long bonnet. But a coupe? That's up for debate.

The large grille has the same vertical slats as the AMG GT (the 'actual' coupe, not the Coupe, OK?) and the headlight design is big and bold. The rear-end boasts slim-line LED brake lights, a stumpy boot and quad exhaust outlets, hinting at the 4.0-litre biturbo V8 hidden beneath its body panels.

Naturally, the GT sedan will launch with this engine and the AMG GT 63 is expected to belt out around 450kW and 850Nm, but the high-tech GT 53 hybrid could develop up to 600kW of power and propel the car to 100km/h in less than three seconds.

The Affalterbach-based brand says it will be the first-ever high-performance hybrid from AMG.

AMG's new four-door GT Coupe will also be an all-wheel drive (4MATIC+) proposition, most likely with 'drift mode'.