Earlier this month, Mercedes-AMG teased the forthcoming GT 73 4-Door Coupé during the launch of the new F1 W12 E Performance racer. No details were revealed then, but a new report from Autocar has shed light on some tantalising technical specs of this electrified super sedan.
Affalterbach’s first plug-in hybrid will apparently a potent one, utilising a new P3 powertrain that situates an electric motor on the rear axle. Tipped to share components with the ZF-built asynchronous motor from the EQC SUV, it will reportedly make 204 PS and 363 Nm of torque all on its own.
This complements a mildly-tweaked version of the already ferocious M177 4.0 litre twin-turbocharged V8, which in the GT 63 S produces a heady 639 PS and 900 Nm. The result is “previously unattained levels of power and torque” for an AMG model, with the car promised to “at least match” the 815 PS of the similarly-configured GT Concept from 2017, as well as around 1,000 Nm of torque. That would be enough for it to get from zero to 100 km/h in under three seconds on its way to a top speed of 320 km/h.
The electric motor will be juiced by a liquid-cooled lithium-ion battery, although the British publication has yet to nail down its capacity. However, the also soon-to-arrive C 300 e will get a 25.4 kWh battery, which in that car is enough to give it an all-electric range of around 100 km; such a big unit in the GT 73 should at least allow it to travel on electric power for some distance. The motor is also said to be capable of enhancing the car’s torque vectoring in hybrid mode, which was another function touted in the GT Concept.
The P3 PHEV system is a significant upgrade over the P2 system found in cars like the outgoing C 350 e, in which the motor is sandwiched between the engine and gearbox. As the former powers the rear wheels directly, it won’t be limited by any torque constraints of the transmission and four-wheel drive system. It’s also claimed to improve the car’s weight balance and its kinetic energy recuperation capabilities.
Aside from the GT 4-Door, the 73 powertrain is also expected to be introduced on the S-Class and SL. The P3 system is also due to make its way into the next C 63, although that car is set to feature the A 45‘s M139 2.0 litre turbo four-cylinder instead of a V8.
GALLERY: Mercedes-AMG GT 73 E Performance 4-Door Coupé, F1 W11 EQ Performance and One
Looking to sell your car? Sell it with Carro.
