AMG’s 1,153-HP Electric SUV Fakes Gearshifts And Pipes A V8 Soundtrack Through Its Headlights
To be honest, if the above headline had landed even five years ago, most people would have probably thought it was some kind of joke. AMG is a company that made its name on sticking V8s in normal Mercedes and making them sound like classic American muscle cars. But the planet is changing quickly, and the automotive industry is struggling to keep up, not quite knowing what the future will bring. So with the announcement that AMG is apparently carrying out the first automotive V8 character transplant into an EV, it’s hard to know how to react. At least we will be hearing and feeling something, right?
AMG Has Made Its Name On V8s
AMG was founded in 1967 by two former Mercedes-Benz engineers named Hans Werner Aufrecht and Erhard Melcher. They lent their surnames to the initials of the company, throwing in G for Großaspach (Aufrecht’s birthplace) at the end for good measure. The company’s first modified race/road project was a tuned 300 SEL 6.8 in 1971. Nicknamed the “Red Pig, this SEL featured a heavily bored-out 6.8-liter M100 V8 engine that was good for 428 horsepower and around 443 lb-ft of torque.
The car put the company on the map, but it was in 1986 that they put a 5.0-liter V8 in an E-Class coupe—a car which also had a nickname: “The Hammer”—that the company really started to take off. This was a luxurious Mercedes coupe that could hit (at least) 180 mph — that was the same as a 12-cylinder Ferrari Testarossa of the time.
The Company Is At A Crossroads
As AMG became more and more a part of Mercedes in the ’90s (Daimler took complete ownership of the company in 2005), it worked with different engines. The Mercedes-Benz C36 AMG, backed by a full Mercedes-Benz warranty, was the first AMG in America, but it had a 282-horsepower, six-cylinder screamer instead of a V8. Top end S-Classes have also been fitted with AMG V12s, but the core of AMG was always the V8. This was the engine you would find in its most popular models, the sedans that everyday people drove, and the G-Classes that people aspired to.
In short, for many people, AMG is V8. So when emissions regulations and environmental concerns started to force manufacturers to move towards hybrids, downsizing, and EVs, AMG had a bit of a problem on its hands. How do you make a V8 that isn’t actually a V8?
The AMGFORCE S+ Mode Is Either Brilliant Engineering Or Pure Theater
The alarm bells were ringing when the Mercedes-AMG C63 S E-Performance replaced a traditional V8 with a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder plug-in hybrid system. Despite generating a combined 671 horsepower, the move was controversial, and fans weren’t happy. To be fair to carmakers, they don’t have much choice in stepping away from big thirsty ICE engines, but clearly people missed AMG’s V8s. So when the new wave of high-end electric cars started to emerge from AMG, they took a surprising new path. The new Mercedes‑AMG GT 4‑Door Coupe had to do a lot of heavy lifting, convincing the public that the spine-tingling V8 experience of AMG could be transplanted into a silent EV.
The GT 4‑Door Coupe is the first series production all-electric vehicle with axial flux motors, two on the rear axle and one at the front, with an output of 1,153 hp. The AMGFORCE Sport+ drive program is part of the high-performance AMG.EA architecture, which the SUV will also utilize. It is intended to bring the sound and even the physical rumble of a V8 to both vehicles, with the expectation that the synthesized version can replace the real thing.
AMG’s Theater-First Tech Is Mind-Blowing
The AMGFORCE Sport+ drive program creates authentic-feeling gear changes and uses the sound from the AMG GT R (C 190) (with a real-time mixing system that uses more than 1,600 sound files) to replicate a V8 sound, from idle to full-bore attack. The Mercedes-AMG GT R was measured both statically and dynamically on a chassis dynamometer, with the aim of digitizing every nuance of the authentic AMG sound character.
Sixteen different microphone positions, inside and outside, captured more than 100 highly precise measurements that could be transferred to the EVs. The rumble is even felt through structure-borne sound transducers in the seat backrests. There will be authentic traction interruptions during simulated gear changes, and an adapted driver display in the central-tube design. The simulated shift function briefly interrupts torque delivery to mimic an ICE powertrain. The prototype of the coupe even had loudspeakers in the headlights, which showed the potential of outdoor sound staging and could even relay warning signals for pedestrian protection.
No One Can Complain About This EV SUV’s Performance
If all of this sounds a little odd, then there is something familiar with the way these AMGs go. At the heart is a Formula 1-based 800-volt battery with directly cooled cylindrical cells that ensures fast, repeatable and sustained power delivery. The coupe accelerates to 60 mph in just 2.0 seconds, with 124 mph arriving in 6.4 seconds. That’s a lot quicker than a McLaren F1. When fitted with the optional AMG Performance Package, the 4-Door Coupe features a 186-mph electronically limited top speed. With the same powertrain, we wouldn’t expect the SUV to be much slower. The battery has a 600-kW charging capacity, and approximately 460 kilometers of range can be charged in as little as 10 minutes.
Is A Fake V8 Such A Bad Thing?
When the original Gran Turismo was launched on the PS1 in 1997, it was a revelation. The game used real data from cars, feeding it into a computer and creating a pretty accurate copy on screen (for the time). The AMG EVs use the same thinking, and are also aimed at those of us who grew up when technology development was on fast-forward. Silent EVs just don’t seem to capture the imagination, at least in the high-end world of supercars and hypercars, but a company like Mercedes-AMG can’t just say they have decided to keep going with thirsty V8s for eternity.
AMG executives, including CEO Michael Schiebe, have stated in interviews that buying an AMG is an “emotional decision” and that a pure, silent electric car “doesn’t do the job” for their hardcore V8 fanbase. AMG has already said of its upcoming SUV: “Our new high-performance architecture follows a clear philosophy: ‘AMG First, EV Second.’ This means the vehicles not only excel as electric vehicles but also embody the core AMG qualities of emotion and performance.” You cannot fault AMG’s trademark thoroughness when it comes to recreating the V8 for its future cars. Time will tell if it is enough for the customers.
AMG Hasn’t Quite Given Up On Real V8s
For anyone who still can’t face an EV, there is good news. AMG hasn’t given up on V8s — for now. Just over two months ago, Mercedes‑AMG unveiled the extensively updated 2027 AMG GLE 63 S and AMG GLS 63. Under the hood is a thoroughly updated AMG M177 EVO engine. This 4.0-liter V8 biturbo engine produces 603 hp and 627 lb-ft of torque and couldn’t be more AMG if it tried.
AMG also hinted at its longevity, suggesting that it will be around for as long as possible. “A number of engineering enhancements mark a decisive step in keeping this iconic engine future-proof; ready to meet regulations while continuing to deliver exceptional performance.” Changes to the engine include a modified intake camshaft, a new flat-plane crankshaft, an optimized fuel injection system, and state-of-the-art exhaust aftertreatment. For anyone lusting after a new, real V8-powered AMG SUV, you can get one of these at a Mercedes-AMG dealership near you.
Sources: Topgear.com, Motor1.com
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