Mercedes-AMG plotting electric Porsche 911 fighter

Mercedes-AMG has confirmed it has been secretly developing a smaller, lighter two-door coupe that will be heavily based on the next-generation AMG GT 4-Door previewed by the AMG GT XX. When it arrives, the new halo AMG is set to blend hypercar levels of thrust and some of the fastest charging yet, in its bid to overshadow combustion rivals like the evergreen Porsche 911.

Mercedes-AMG is readying what could be its most radical EV yet, with brand executives at the Munich motor show admitting a two-door version of its wild AMG GT XX concept is under development.

Built to replace the car-maker's current Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S coupe, the wild new EV is expected to share the same 800V AMG.EA platform as the production version of the AMG GT 4-Door Coupe and harness the same pioneering axial-flux powertrain tech as the AMG GT XX concept, according to Autocar.

Meanwhile, AMG boss Michael Schiebe says a feasibility study is already under way, with the new AMG GT EV Coupe set to arrive after the battery-powered AMG SUV arrives in 2027.

“There is an emotional discussion and a rational discussion,” Schiebe told the British magazine, adding:

"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."

If green lit, AMG's boss said the electric version of the AMG GT Coupe would be sold alongside the V8 version, with the performance division announcing it would continue to invest and develop the combustion-powered version well into the next decade.

“I would say we are very successful with our combustion-engined?GT two-door. So, we will focus on that first and then let's see when the right point and time is there to launch a two-door EV.”

Remarkably, Schiebe reportedly went on to hint that even without a business case in place, the wild new EV coupe might still be brought to market as a halo car that will demonstrate AMG's cutting-edge EV tech.

In what sounds like a win-win for performance car enthusiasts, with AMG's considerable resources on hand, we might finally see the true potential of the car-maker's next-gen axial-flux powertrain technology, without lamenting the loss of V8 power from under the bonnet of its fast GT.

With explosive hypercar-levels of acceleration, extreme levels of torque vectoring and considerable weight savings over current EVs it also means existing combustion-powered sports cars like the Porsche 911, Aston Martin Vantage and the likes of the Ferrari Amalfi will have their work cut out to keep up.

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