2018 Geneva - Mercedes-AMG GT 4-Door Coupe makes its debut

It was exactly a year back, at the same event to be specific, the Mercedes-AMG GT Concept was unveiled. At the 2018 Geneva Motor Show that's ending this Sunday, the car returned, this time in production form, as the Mercedes-AMG GT 4-Door Coupe. Developed completely by the team at Affalterbach who make fast cars go faster, this 4-Door Coupe is being pitched as a more roomy and practical sibling to the manic Mercedes-AMG GT. In other words, this is Mercedes' challenger to the Porsche Panamera.

Mercedes-Benz has always been smart enough to identify and fill non-existent niches in the market and the AMG GT 4-Door Coupe is one such effort. In an ideal scenario, there is no reason for the GT 4-Door to exist with the CLS taking up the role of a quasi-coupe in the lineup. But then, we aren't living in an ideal world and the demand for faster, more expensive cars shows no signs of slowing down. The AMG GT 4-Door Coupe, as we understand, would sit above the CLS with the most-affordable version expected to retail at prices higher than the most-expensive CLS.

Up front, the aggressive Pan Americana grille with bold vertical slats takes center stage. Regardless of the variant or trim level, the car gets a slick aero package that includes an air panel in the front bumper and a retractable spoiler at the rear. While the CLS stays true to the original CLS that pioneered the segment, the AMG GT 4-Door Coupe gets a swoopy greenhouse that's inspired by the AMG GT halo coupe. Having said that, the silhouette also bears more than a passing resemblance to the Porsche Panamera, likely to be the car's arch rival when it goes on sale.

While it looks similar, the AMG GT 4-Door Coupe does not share its underpinnings with the trans-axle setup of the 2-Door GT. Instead, it shares the midsize rear wheel drive platform that underpins the E-Class, the CLS and their many variations. Under that classic long hood lies two power monsters. The range-toppers get a 4.0-liter bi-turbo V8 that churns out 630 horsepower in the GT 63 S and 577 horsepower in the GT 63 while the entry-level GT 53 gets the familiar 3.0-liter inline six making 429 horsepower. All three engines are mated to an AMG Speedshift 9-speed automatic transmission that transmits power to all four wheels with AMG's 4Matic All Wheel Drive system. There's more, the GT 63 variants can be had with a Drift Mode as well. 

Depending on the variant, the AMG GT 4-Door Coupe sprints from 0 to 100 km/h anywhere between 3.1 to 4.4 seconds with top speeds ranging between 280 to 314 km/h. 

The interiors share a lot more with the E-Class and the CLS, at least in the way it looks. That's no bad thing as the E-Class pioneered an interior design that's classy, plush and desirable. Be it the illuminated air-conditioner vents that look like mini turbines or the dual 12.3-inch screens housing the instrument cluster and the infotainment system or the AMG Performance Steering Wheel featuring Touch Control pads, the cabin is a work of art that leaves no room to complain. Top notch tech and safety are a given, given the expected prices the AMG GT 4-Door Coupe would retail in. 

Prices have not been announced yet but expect the AMG GT 4-Door Coupes to sit atop the line up when it goes on sale early 2019. Those with deep pockets and a family to tow on cross-continental tours ought to take notice!