The Driver’s Seat: Henry Catchpole on the New AMG GT, GT Pro, and Mercedes’ Secret Test Track

Henry Catchpole drives the new Mercedes AMG GT 63 S E Performance Coupe-the quickest-accelerating series production car the company has ever built. It even beats the AMG ONE, which, lest we forget, has a Formula 1 engine in it. The hybrid GT will do 0-62 mph in just 2.8 seconds, and it sounds pretty good in the process, thanks to its M177 4-liter, twin-turbo V-8. The GT 63 S E Performance coupe costs £178,800 in the UK and is expected to have a price of around $200,000 in the U.S.

However, it's not the only GT variant in this video, as Catchpole also has a ride in the new AMG GT Pro, with none other than Bernd Schneider behind the wheel. The five-time DTM champion turned 60 this year but shows no signs of slowing down, making the absolute most of the Pro's optional Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R tires during his demo laps. He is also one of very few people who know the track that we're on, because it is based inside the highly secretive Immendingen test facility that belongs to Mercedes.

Back on the beautiful, twisting roads south of Stuttgart, the Mercedes AMG GT 63 E Performance makes its case as the latest high-performance hybrid to enter the market. It has a single e-motor on the rear axle, with a two-speed gearbox attached and a 6.1-kWh battery on top. Combined with the engine, it produces a monstrous 1047 lb-ft of torque and 805 hp, yet the 4MATIC+ all-wheel-drive system does a remarkable job of transmitting the power to the tarmac. Carbon ceramic brakes come as standard (as they do on the Pro).

We hope you enjoy this film. Let us know in the comments whether you think the red and gold look of this particular car works well (and the optional aero kit). And which hybrid would you have: Ferrari 296 GTB, McLaren Artura, Porsche 911 GTS T-Hybrid, or a Lamborghini Revuelto?

***