Recently， Mercedes-Benz unveiled its latest AMG all-electric concept car， the AMG GT XX (hereinafter referred to as XX). While Mercedes’ EQ series has largely missed the mark， the high-performance division， AMG， remains a consistently strong performer. From the AMG GT to the derided AMG A35L， no AMG vehicle has been a disappointment.
Currently， the AMG ONE holds the top spot on the Nürburgring production car leaderboard， with a time over 8 seconds faster than the second-place Porsche 911 GT2 RS. It even ranks fifth overall on the Nürburgring combined leaderboard， ahead of restricted-access vehicles like the Porsche 919， Volkswagen ID.R， Xiaomi SU7 Ultra prototype， and Lotus Evija X， solidifying its impressive performance credentials.
The AMG GT XX is poised to surpass the AMG ONE， as AMG’s first independent all-electric model. It aims to be the fastest Mercedes by incorporating all available cutting-edge technologies， signalling the brand’s future direction in electric performance vehicles.
However， since its unveiling， this top-tier flagship， representing Mercedes’ future in electric technology， has been met with persistent criticism. The primary point of contention is its polarizing exterior design. To borrow a sentiment from online discussions， it appears as though Maserati and Ferrari had a bit too much to drink that night.
The AMG GT XX features a distinctive front end with a nearly full-width grille， accented by a surrounding decorative light strip. Auxiliary lights are integrated into the sides of the grille， creating a visual likened to a fish head.
Despite initial reactions to its styling， the GT XX is not without its innovative features. Mercedes has discreetly integrated a significant technological advancement: speakers embedded within the headlight units. Testimonials from bloggers who experienced it firsthand suggest that the simulated engine sound produced by these speakers is among the best currently available for electric vehicles.
Moving to the side profile， the proportions are more conventional. The GT XX boasts flush-fitting， pop-out door handles， illuminated side skirts (which light up when powered)， and 21-inch aerodynamic wheels with advanced technology. These aerodynamic wheels feature adjustable blades that can be closed for reduced drag during energy-efficient driving and opened to enhance brake cooling during spirited driving.
The rear of the vehicle displays a muscular， wide-body fastback design. A concealed panel at the rear functions not as an adjustable spoiler but as an air brake， similar to those found on aircraft， designed to increase drag and assist with braking.
More attention-grabbing is the rear MBUX “Flowing Light Panel，” composed of over 700 programmable LEDs， capable of displaying animations and interacting with the surroundings.
The interior has undergone a technological transformation by AMG， achieving a distinct cyberpunk aesthetic. Large， tubular ambient lighting suggests the vehicle’s electric nature， with fluid-like variations in depth， while interior trim pieces are crafted from the same resin material used for AMG engine covers.
The carbon fiber bucket seats， in addition to incorporating recycled tire material for environmental consciousness， will offer a unique customization option: AMG will scan the owner’s physique to create bespoke seats， akin to those used by F1 drivers.
Focusing on the powertrain and battery， the AMG GT XX represents significant advancements. The vehicle is built on Mercedes’ new AMG.EA platform and features three high-performance axial flux motors (also known as disc motors) from YASA， a Mercedes subsidiary. These motors offer exceptional power in a more compact size， enabling the GT XX to produce a remarkable 1，340 horsepower， a top speed of 223 mph (approximately 360 km/h)， and an estimated 0-60 mph acceleration time of under two seconds.
Axial flux motors are also being utilized by Lamborghini and Koenigsegg， subjects previously covered in articles discussing their technological breakthroughs. Mercedes has also made significant advancements in battery development for the GT XX. The high-performance HPP division， responsible for developing Mercedes’ F1 engines， has ingeniously employed a novel nickel-cobalt-manganese-aluminum (NCMA) quad-material composition. Compared to typical ternary lithium batteries， the inclusion of a small amount of aluminum in the NCMA chemistry enhances thermal stability. This innovation allows the GT XX to achieve a more extreme energy density of 300 Wh/kg.
Beyond material innovation， HPP has implemented F1-inspired immersion cooling for the GT XX’s battery. Conventional battery cooling systems typically rely on water cooling plates inserted between battery cells. This method can lead to temperature gradients， with cells closer to the water inlet being cooler than those near the outlet. In contrast， the GT XX’s battery is directly immersed in a specialized coolant， similar to immersion liquid cooling in high-performance computers， thereby significantly enhancing heat dissipation efficiency.
While the specific durability of the GT XX’s battery has yet to be detailed， its charging capability is exceptional. With a charging power exceeding 850kW， it can achieve a 250-mile range (400 km on the WLTP standard) in just 5 minutes. This performance appears to be even faster than BYD’s recently announced megawatt flash charging， suggesting superior sustained peak power delivery.
Furthermore， the GT XX’s battery benefits from a specialized packaging design. According to Mercedes-AMG’s Michael Schiebe， the entire battery pack is engineered to be tall and thin， resulting in a vehicle ride height that is 2 inches lower than the current AMG GT four-door model (the AMG GT 63 SE currently has a ground clearance of 112mm). This lower profile enhances the vehicle’s center of gravity， bringing it closer to racing car dynamics， and when combined with underbody aerodynamic channeling， it contributes to improved overall aerodynamic performance.
In terms of technological advancement and innovation， the AMG GT XX clearly elevates performance and engineering beyond the AMG ONE. However， despite the impressive technological prowess discussed， the fundamental issue of its aesthetic appeal remains a significant concern. For a top-tier sports car， a lack of sufficient emotional resonance can render even groundbreaking technology somewhat superficial.
The current design of the GT XX seems to carry echoes of the EQ series. As Mercedes shifts its focus towards electrification， there’s a perception that the designers are prioritizing quantifiable electric vehicle metrics over established design principles. In pursuit of low drag coefficients (the GT XX boasts a drag coefficient of just 0.198)， there’s a concern that aspects such as manufacturing feasibility and the desired mechanical aesthetics for customers may have been overlooked from the initial design stages， leading to an overly artistic rather than a universally appealing outcome.
Contrast this with past iconic Mercedes-AMG designs like the SLS AMG Black Series， AMG SL63 S E Performance， and the EQS， where a balance between performance， innovation， and aesthetic appeal was evident.
The legacy of Bruno Sacco， the renowned Mercedes-Benz chief designer who passed away last year， with his famous quote， “Mercedes-Benz must always look like Mercedes-Benz，” still resonates on the company’s official website， making the current design direction a matter of significant debate.
While the GT XX draws inspiration from the 1969 Mercedes C111 with its avant-garde styling， and was previewed by the Vision One-11 concept car， its “forward-looking” exterior does not seem to align with contemporary aesthetic preferences. It lacks the elegance， nobility， and poise that characterized previous Mercedes-Benz designs.
More importantly， Mercedes’ customer base has expressed their dissatisfaction with the brand’s current design language through their purchasing decisions. Sales of hybrid C63 and GLC 63 models， which feature a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine， have seen a decline. Mercedes CEO Michael Schiebe publicly acknowledged earlier this year that these changes had alienated some V8 enthusiasts. Consequently， in February， Mercedes announced a reversal of this strategy， discontinuing the 2.0-liter four-cylinder in favor of a return to V8 engines and also revealing plans to develop a V12 engine for the Pagani Utopia.
Given that Mercedes-Benz has faced market backlash with its decisions in the internal combustion engine segment， it is hoped that the production version of the GT XX will better meet market expectations. Based on leaked images shared by automotive reviewer Jacky from “Speed Fanfare，” there is optimism that the final production model will be more aesthetically pleasing.
