AMG’s bespoke EV – imagined here by us – gets a radically different cabin from other Mercs
Rotary dials, big screens and displays in the ceiling – AMG’s Taycan fighter lets us inside ahead of full unveiling
Mercedes-AMG has unveiled the interior of the new GT 4-Door Coupé, the electric super-saloon that will take on the Porsche Taycan and Lotus Emeya when it is launched later this year.
Evolved from the record-setting, 1341bhp AMG GT XX concept car, the new electric GT’s cockpit is a highly bespoke and performance-oriented environment that looks to blend next-gen digital functionality with analogue ergonomics.
Dominating the cabin is a full-width digital display hosting a trio of screens: a 10.2in instrument cluster, a 14.0in infotainment panel angled toward the driver, and a second 14.0in touchscreen for the front passenger, available as an optional extra.
The centre console is also angled towards the driver – emphasising the GT’s performance focus over mainstream Mercedes models, which have a symmetrical arrangement, and providing easier access to three new drive mode controllers. The Response Control knob adjusts the sharpness of the throttle, while the Agility Control dial alters the car’s willingness to rotate through bends. The third controller adjusts the traction control through nine settings.
“The entire philosophy is designed for intuitive control of all relevant driving controls,” said Mercedes-AMG.
The flat-bottomed steering wheel is familiar from other AMG models, hosting haptic controls and a pair of control dials – one for the drive mode and one for the suspension – with integrated LCD displays, while chunky paddles on the column control the regenerative braking.
The GT 4-Door is fitted with four bucket seats as standard, with the rears able to be folded individually – or there’s a more conventional three-seat bench option.
The unusual twin-pane panoramic roof, meanwhile, also works as a display screen. AMG emblems can be projected above the front occupants’ heads, and it can also be illuminated with racing stripe graphics coloured to match the ambient lighting.
The focus on performance and engagement will extend to a synthesised engine note and gearbox – à la Hyundai Ioniq 5 N – which will help to differentiate the driving experience from the likes of the firm’s existing EQE 53 and EQS 53 electric sports saloons.
Mercedes’ former technology chief, Markus Schäfer, told Autocar last year at the unveiling of the GT XX concept: “How does the car feel in terms of noise, in terms of sound level, in terms of the vibration, in terms of the gearshift?
“It has to touch the emotional side of you. And if it doesn’t, it doesn’t do the job. This is what AMG cars do, and that’s exactly what we transferred piece by piece into the AMG GT XX.”
He added: “You can expect everything that you have today in the V8, V12 race-oriented AMGs [in this car].”
The new AMG GT 4-Door Coupé will be revealed in full later this spring as AMG’s first bespoke electric car. All AMG-badged EVs to date have been based on existing Mercedes-Benz road cars. A closely related performance SUV, with the same powertrains and interior treatment, will follow shortly after.
