MERCEDES-BENZ

Mercedes produces an electric AMG GT53 4-Door to beat the Taycan 4S

Mercedes-AMG has produced an electric sports sedan—the GT53 4-Door—capable of competing in the market for the most exciting four-door electric sports cars. It aims to rival the Tesla Model S Plaid but, above all—in the context of the German rivalry—the Porsche Taycan 4S. The latter is the core model of the Taycan lineup, priced at €127,000, delivering 544 hp, and accelerating from 0 to 100 km/h in 3.7 seconds. To further worry Porsche executives, Mercedes-AMG has launched this electric sedan at a lower price point than its Porsche counterpart.

The 53 model's battery has a usable capacity of 106 kWh and is based on Mercedes' 800-volt architecture. This should allow for adding about 450 km of range with just 10 minutes of charging at a sufficiently powerful DC fast-charging station, with a total estimated range of around 680 km. The car is equipped with two electric motors, one on each axle; the more powerful GT versions feature a three-motor system.

Not long ago, understanding AMG's performance options was quite simple and tied to engine displacement. A C63 got a hand-built V-8 that matched the badge on the back of the car.

Then came turbocharging technology; the "63" designation indicated a 4.0-liter twin-turbo engine, while "55" signified a turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six hybrid engine under the hood. Things got a bit more complicated when Mercedes launched a high-performance coupe called the AMG GT and then further muddied the waters with this latest AMG GT 4-Door "coupe."

Just as the Taycan Turbo wears a "Turbo" badge but lacks an actual turbocharger, the GT53 4-Door doesn't come with an inline-six engine. At least, not a real one. Instead, Mercedes engineers went to the trouble of using 16 microphones to accurately capture the sound of an inline-six engine and then enabled the playback of that soundtrack in the electric 53. A V8 would undoubtedly sound even better, but who can complain about their electric vehicle sounding a bit like a 300SL Gullwing?

The AMG GT53 4-Door is not the only model in this Mercedes lineup; the range also includes the GT55 and GT63. The former produces 805 hp, while the latter delivers 1,169 hp—comfortably surpassing the most powerful Taycan, the 1,034-hp Turbo GT. The latest move is a direct challenge to the Taycan’s potential sales leader, the 4S, which offers a strong balance of price, power, and speed.

The Taycan 4S and the AMG GT53 4-Door are comparable in length (both around 5 meters) and wheelbase (approximately 3 meters), with the Mercedes holding a slight advantage over the Porsche in both dimensions. Power output is identical at 544 hp, though the Mercedes is heavier (2,450 kg versus the Porsche's 2,245 kg)—a difference due to a specific factor we will examine later. Top speed is 250 km/h for both models, and 0–100 km/h acceleration times are very close: 3.7 seconds for the Taycan 4S and 3.9 seconds for the GT53 4-Door. The Mercedes is heavier because the automaker decided to cater to customer preferences by offering a larger battery (106 kWh usable capacity, compared to the Taycan's 82.3 kWh). It is precisely this enhanced battery capacity—28.8% larger—that allows the Mercedes-AMG to claim a range of 809 km, versus just 560 km for the Porsche; this represents a 44.5% increase in range—a figure few customers would overlook.

Another of Mercedes' key advantages also relates to the battery—specifically, the power intake rate during DC charging. While the Taycan 4S charges at 270 kW, the AMG GT53 4-Door can reach 600 kW—provided it finds a charging station capable of that output. While such stations may not be immediately available, it is certainly only a matter of time. This means the Mercedes not only travels further between charges but can also complete them more quickly; according to Mercedes, it can gain enough energy to cover an additional 534 km in just 10 minutes.

Although buyers of such electric sports sedans may not seem particularly price-sensitive, the reality is that saving 7,000 euros is always welcome, regardless of the size of one's bank account. This works in favor of the Mercedes, which is priced at 115,000 euros in Germany, compared to 122,000 euros for the Taycan. Pricing for the GT53 4-Door has not yet been announced for Portugal, but it will likely be slightly higher than in Germany due to the VAT difference (19% in Germany versus 23% in Portugal); the Taycan 4S is currently offered there at €127,852.

 

by Autonews