A “four-door sports car” may seem like an oxymoron. After all, in the normal universe, sports cars are supposed to have only two doors, because adding extra doors, while giving more space, adds weight, which is not good for performance. So why did Mercedes decide to change things up and introduce the AMG GT four-door coupe?
It seems the answer to that question can be summed up in two words: Porsche Panamera. Basically this new Mercedes sports car is a direct response to the four-door Porsche.
Rumor had it that Mercedes was losing customers who lusted after the big, sexy and powerful four-door Panamera. While two-door sports cars may be pretty standard, they really aren’t that practical as everyday drivers — in most GTs all you could get in the backseat was a set of golf clubs. The Panamera offered a performance vehicle with more room that was still fun to drive, and a new market segment was born.
It’s not surprising that the new GT four-door represents exactly what we’ve come to expect from Mercedes-AMG. While the vehicle might not please everybody looking for a powerful and practical car, it’s pretty close to perfect and is a well-made thing of beauty. The GT four-door is fast and wonderfully engineered.
And in case you don’t know what the moniker AMG stands for, it’s the high-performance brand used by Mercedes-Benz. AMG independently hires engineers and contracts with manufacturers to customize Mercedes-Benz AMG vehicles.
AMG was originally founded by an ex–Mercedes-Benz engineer who saw that there was a market for upgraded vehicles. All AMG modified automobiles come with most performance upgrades as standard. And because of that, AMG vehicles are much more expensive than stock versions of standard Mercedes-Benz vehicles.
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This new car takes everything that’s great about the standard Mercedes-AMG GT Coupe and ups the game with robust power and more space, so that even your family can come along for the ride. The architecture that makes up this beefy four-door sports car is the same as what’s used in the latest Mercedes E-Class cars. Mercedes has cleverly created a platform that uses parts from the E 220 Saloon right up to the Mercedes-AMG E 63 S Estate.
Rest assured, even though they share common parts, this new motorcar is no E-Class or Estate. Mercedes-AMG designers and engineers have created a deeply desirable automobile that drives as well on the track as it does on city streets.
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In Singapore the sports car is offered in two versions: the Mercedes-AMG GT 4-door 53 Coupe and the Mercedes-AMG GT 4-door 63 S Coupe. The difference between the models is the engine. On the 53 you get an inline six-cylinder that pumps out a very respectable 435 horses, while the 63 S has a whopping 639hp with its performance twin-turbo AMG V-8 engine.
Both coupes are fast and will move from zero to 100kph in 4.5 seconds for the six-cylinder with the V-8 rocketing at a blazing 3.2 seconds. In addition to numerous improvements and modifications, such as new pistons, optimized air intake, and intercooling, the V8 engines now feature the AMG Cylinder Management cylinder shutoff system, which reduces fuel consumption significantly.
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No matter which model you select, they both have AMG’s nine-speed automatic gearbox, four-wheel steering and four-wheel drive. The Dynamic Select drive modes are boosted by AMG Dynamics, which continuously monitors and adjusts the suspension, the engine’s responsiveness and the four-wheel steering.
As you cycle through the modes the more belligerent the car becomes. The “Race” setting is the most aggressive and even has a warning that lights up telling you that in this setting the car should only be used on the track. There’s a wonderful throaty growl underneath while the car is idling, and when you put your pedal to the metal, the accelerator slaps the engine to create an earth-shattering roar.
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Inside, you’re met by updated Mercedes luxury electronics with two high-resolution 12.3-inch display screens across the dash. Eight new display buttons have also been integrated into the center console.
The interior is created with hides of luxurious leather, as you’d expect. Accents are fitted out in select synthetic, metallic and natural materials.
And the ambient interior lighting system seems to offer limitless ways to configure colors and brightness. The new AMG Performance seats are guaranteed to provide you with a particularly intense driving experience. The sportily shaped seats feature an optimum seating position and are supportive yet surprisingly comfortable.
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Sadly, the car’s stature is low. Like most sports cars you do have to bend down and maneuver a bit to get in.
In the back there’s less headroom than you’ll find in a Mercedes estate, but thankfully you don’t feel crammed in like you do on some sports cars. As standard, both four-door models get two separate seats in the rear.
Like the Porsche Panamera, this vehicle is more than 5m long. It’s a heavy car coming in around 2,100kg or more, depending on engines and upgrades.
The car drives very similarly to an AMG GT and S-Class but with a lot more power. It’s a handsome automobile, with greater street presence than its main competitor, the Panamera.
In front there is a 20-fin Air Panel grille that livens the front end like a roaring lion. At the rear, there’s a multi-stage rear spoiler that move up to increase stability under braking and driving.
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So what’s the final conclusion for this new offering from Mercedes-AMG? Well, the car features the elegant lines of a sedan, offers the road manners of a sports car and has the utility of a hatchback.
If you can’t decide between a mid-size SUV, an AMG GT or an E-Class, then the Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S 4Matic 4-Door Coupe might be the right car for you. But all this flexibility does come at a rather steep price as the Mercedes-AMG GT 4-Door 53 Coupe comes in around $556,888, while its bigger brother the 63 S costs in the neighborhood of $751,888. Still it’s not a bad price for a good-looking and practical supercar.
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