AMG's Electric Future Is Coming To Malaysia With 1,169 HP And V8 Sound

Mercedes-AMG brought two very different interpretations of performance together in Malaysia this week. One is exactly the sort of AMG enthusiasts know: a two-door GT powered by a thumping 4.0-litre biturbo V8. The other gives us a glimpse at what happens when Affalterbach takes its performance philosophy and removes the combustion engine altogether.

And apparently, going electric hasn't made AMG any less ridiculous. The new electric Mercedes-AMG GT 63 4-Door Coupé packs a staggering 1,169 hp and 2,000 Nm, can hit 100 km/h in just 2.4 seconds, and carries an estimated Malaysian starting price of RM1.29 million.

But perhaps the most interesting part isn't how fast it is. It's that after building a 1,169 hp EV, AMG still wants it to sound and feel a little like a V8.

First, The AMG We Already Know

Sharing the spotlight was the new Mercedes-AMG GT 63 PRO 4MATIC+ Coupé. This is AMG performance in a much more familiar form. Under the bonnet sits a 4.0-litre biturbo V8 producing 612 hp and 850 Nm, paired with an AMG SPEEDSHIFT MCT 9G transmission and fully variable AMG Performance 4MATIC+ all-wheel drive. It'll do 0-100 km/h in 3.2 seconds before continuing to a top speed of 317 km/h.

For context, Malaysia already received the regular second-generation Mercedes-AMG GT 63 4MATIC+ Coupé. The PRO takes that recipe and makes it considerably more serious.

But the PRO isn't simply a GT 63 with more power. Mercedes-AMG has concentrated on making it better at sustaining performance on track, with additional drivetrain cooling and revised aerodynamics among the upgrades.

The engine itself gains another 27 hp and 50 Nm, while two additional radiators sit in the front wheel arches and the differentials and transfer case receive active cooling.

We've previously looked at the GT 63 PRO's track-focused upgrades in detail when the model first broke cover internationally.

Normally, a 612 hp V8 AMG costing more than RM2 million would have absolutely no trouble being the outrageous car in the room.

Except Mercedes also brought along a preview of what comes next.

Plot Twist: The Electric AMG We Saw Was The GT 55

There's one important distinction before we go any further.

The electric GT 4-Door physically displayed at the Malaysian event was actually badged GT 55, as observed by Carz at the event.

So while the GT 55 gave us our first physical look at this new electric AMG era, the GT 63 is where the really outrageous numbers begin.

The GT 63 Has 1,169 HP. Yes, Really.

The new electric GT 4-Door is based on AMG.EA, Mercedes-AMG's dedicated high-performance electric architecture.

At the heart of the GT 63 are three axial-flux electric motors.

Mercedes-Benz Malaysia quotes a maximum output of 860 kW or 1,169 hp, accompanied by a colossal 2,000 Nm. It'll do 0-100 km/h in 2.4 seconds, according to Mercedes' Malaysian figures.

For perspective, that's almost twice the peak power of the 612 hp V8-powered GT 63 PRO sitting on the other side of this story.

So AMG clearly hasn't responded to electrification by turning down the insanity. If anything, it has gone the other way.

Three Motors, 106 kWh And An 800V System

The headline output might grab your attention, but there's considerably more going on underneath. AMG.EA was developed specifically around high-performance electric propulsion, pairing those axial-flux motors with a high-performance battery and 800-volt electrical architecture.

The GT 63 gets a 106 kWh usable-capacity battery, with Mercedes-Benz Malaysia claiming up to 697 km of WLTP range.

For charging, Mercedes-Benz Malaysia's material lists a maximum 350 kW DC rate, with 10-80% taking 16 minutes under the stated conditions.

High-voltage EV architecture isn't completely unfamiliar territory for Mercedes buyers here either. The Mercedes-Benz CLA 250+ already brought 800V technology to Malaysia, albeit in a very different sort of car.

But AMG apparently still had another problem to solve. Electric motors don't sound like V8s.

So AMG Still Wants Its EV To Sound Like A V8

This might be the most fascinating part of the whole car. Outright performance clearly isn't difficult for AMG's new electric architecture. The GT 63 already has four-figure horsepower and 2,000 Nm.

But performance has never been the only reason people buy an AMG. There's also the theatre. That's where AMGFORCE S+ comes in.

In other words, AMG has developed an entirely new high-performance electric architecture with three axial-flux motors and an 800V electrical system...

and it still wants the thing to give you some V8 drama.

That contradiction is actually rather revealing. Perhaps AMG's biggest challenge in the electric era isn't figuring out how to make an EV fast. With 1,169 hp and 2,000 Nm, that part seems comprehensively dealt with. Making it emotional might be harder.

And Then There's The RM1.29 Million Estimate

Here's where the numbers get even more interesting for Malaysia. Mercedes-Benz Malaysia estimates the electric GT 63 4-Door Coupé from RM1,290,000 for Peninsular Malaysia.

Put that beside the RM2,088,888 estimated price of the V8-powered GT 63 PRO and you're looking at a difference of RM798,888.

So calling the EV simply a "cheaper and more powerful GT 63 PRO" would be misleading. But seeing the numbers together is still fascinating.

One gives you 612 hp from a 4.0-litre biturbo V8. The other promises 1,169 hp from three electric motors. The comparison isn't really about deciding which one is "better". It's about showing just how dramatically the definition of a high-performance AMG is changing.

Maybe This Is What AMG's Transition Actually Looks Like

It would be easy to frame AMG's electric future as the replacement for its V8 past. But what Mercedes showed us in Malaysia makes the situation considerably more interesting.

On one side is the GT 63 PRO, doubling down on everything traditionally associated with AMG: a V8, noise, mechanical complexity and track-focused engineering. On the other is the new electric GT 4-Door family, where three electric motors and AMG.EA can deliver four-figure horsepower.

And yet AMG is still trying to preserve some of the sensations associated with the combustion cars that built its reputation.

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