Mercedes-Benz and AMG are already well into their electrification plan, recently announcing the AMG GT 63 S E Performance (AMG’s first PHEV) and the EQS 53 4Matic+ (its first performance EV).
Yes, the world will see fewer AMGs with the shouty V8, an engine with deep roots in Affalterbach’s history. Mercedes-AMG boss Philipp Schiemer said “part of the success of AMG is the noise and emotions you get from the engine sound,” and we know that much to be true.
How then, will AMG keep its emotive flames alight? Well, Schiemer told Top Gear that AMG will be developing its own brand sound in the electric era, one that is “familiar from science fiction films.”
“We don’t want to copy the V8 sound – it will be a different sound. Some of our customers of today do not like it because they will miss what they have today. But we have to recognise there are also new customers coming who will love this new sound,” he said.
Future AMG customers may also have to settle for cars with a slightly lower range, because battery weight continues to be an issue for EVs. Until a new, lightweight battery technology such as solid-state batteries become a reality, the best workaround to maximise the potential of a performance EV is to install smaller battery packs.
As people get more accustomed to living with an EV in the future, they might even have a wallbox charger installed at home, Schiemer said. Perhaps then they would be willing to trade range for performance.
But fret not, there will still be one more generation of combustion-engined AMG cars slated for launch, such as the W206 AMG C 63. It’s tipped to run an electrified 2.0 litre four-cylinder engine that’s capable of producing 449 PS, and that’s before combining the output from the electric motors. The engine will be longitudinally mounted, of course.
The automaker will also trim its line-up of cars, choosing instead to focus on its high-end offerings. Schiemer didn’t reveal which models are headed for the chopping block, but said entry-level versions may be culled during the streamlining process.
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