A hybrid V8 saloon rated at 843 PS, a battery SUV built in the United States, and the revived Maybach that sold about 3000 cars before Daimler pulled the plug.
Mercedes-AMG launched its five-door GT in 2018 as a sibling to the two-door AMG GT, while the EQE SUV is the electric crossover on sale since late 2022. Maybach's 57 and 62 limousines came first, in 2002, and ended with the brand's closure after poor sales.
Before Daimler pulled the plug on Maybach, it had sold only about 3000 cars, and one estimate put the loss at 330,000 euros on every single one. Today the same company sells a four-door coupe with a combined 843 PS and a battery SUV built in the United States. Three Mercedes products, three quite different ideas of luxury.
What are the Mercedes-AMG GT 4-Door Coupe, EQE SUV and Maybach 57 and 62?
The AMG GT 4-Door Coupe is a performance saloon from Mercedes-AMG, introduced in 2018. The EQE SUV is a battery-electric luxury crossover built since December 2022. The Maybach 57 and 62 were ultra-luxury limousines that revived a historic marque in 2002 and stopped production around the end of 2012.
Only 3000 Maybachs were sold, at an estimated loss of 330,000 euros on each one.
What is the Mercedes-AMG GT 4-Door Coupe?
It is an executive car sold as the five-door sibling of the two-door AMG GT sports car. Despite the badge, it has more in common with the AMG E 63, sharing its performance chassis. AMG gave it its own rear frame and a different front axle to improve the way the suspension moves.
Its shape owes most to the AMG GT Concept, which appeared a few years before the car reached showrooms. The layout is a front engine driving the rear wheels, or all four through the 4MATIC+ system, which is fully variable and biased to the rear. Two engines are on offer: a 3.0-litre M256 inline-six, and the 4.0-litre M177 twin-turbo V8.
The six-cylinder car carries a mild-hybrid set-up Mercedes calls EQ Boost. Think of it as a helper bolted on beside the engine. An electrically driven supercharger and a 48-volt motor contribute 21 hp (16 kW), along with 184 lb ft (249 N.m) of torque, whenever the petrol engine is not busy powering the car's electrical system. The idea goes back to the Mercedes CLS 53.
The aerodynamics are active. An electronic rear spoiler and electronically operated louvres in the front grille adjust the flow of air through the radiator, a trick that comes from the AMG GT R.
AMG GT 4-Door Coupe Variants
| Variant | Engine | Power | Torque | 0-100 km/h | Top speed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GT 43 / GT 50 | 3.0L inline-six | 270 kW (362 hp; 367 PS) | 500 N.m (369 lbf.ft) | 4.9 s | 270 km/h (168 mph) |
| GT 53 | 3.0L inline-six | 320 kW (429 hp; 435 PS) | 520 N.m (384 lbf.ft) | 4.5 s | 285 km/h (177 mph) |
| GT 63 | 4.0L twin-turbo V8 | 430 kW (577 hp; 585 PS) | 800 N.m (590 lbf.ft) | 3.4 s | 311 km/h (193 mph) |
| GT 63 S | 4.0L twin-turbo V8 | 470 kW (630 hp; 639 PS) | 900 N.m (664 lbf.ft) | 3.2 s (claimed) | 315 km/h (196 mph) |
| GT 63 S E-Performance | 4.0L twin-turbo V8 plus rear motor | 620 kW (843 PS; 831 hp) combined | 1,400 N.m (1,033 lbf.ft) | Under 3 s (0-97 km/h) | - |
What separates the GT 43, GT 50 and GT 53?
The GT 43 and GT 50 are the entry cars, using the same inline-six and all-wheel drive, with the GT 50 being the China-only name for the car sold elsewhere as the GT 43. The GT 53 is the stronger six, riding on steel springs with adaptive dampers and a nine-speed automatic with a conventional torque converter. In all three, EQ Boost adds a short-term 16 kW (21 hp) and 250 N.m (184 lbf.ft) on top of the engine's own output.
How quick is the AMG GT 63 and GT 63 S?
The V8 cars are where the numbers get serious. The 63 S is reported to reach 100 km/h in 3.2 seconds, but the German magazine Auto Bild recorded better than the claim: 3.0 seconds to 100 km/h, 6.6 seconds to 160 km/h (99 mph) and 10.2 seconds to 200 km/h (124 mph).
Both have a limited-slip rear differential under electronic control, plus steering on the rear wheels. A wet-clutch MCT gearbox handles the torque, AMG's multi-chamber air suspension keeps the ride adaptive, and cylinder deactivation saves fuel when the engine is lightly loaded. A selectable Drift Mode sends power only to the rear wheels, and the 63 S gets everything the 63 has, Drift Mode included.
What is the GT 63 S E-Performance?
This is the flagship of the range and the first car launched under Mercedes' new E Performance brand. It pairs the same 4.0-litre V8 as the 63 S with the electric powertrain of the AMG GT Concept, and the system is named V8 Biturbo E-Performance.
The V8 on its own gives 470 kW between 5,500 and 6,500 rpm, plus 900 N.m between 2,500 and 4,500 rpm. A rear-mounted electric motor adds up to 204 PS for bursts of 10 seconds, or 95 PS continuously, along with 320 N.m (236 lbf.ft). Together they make the most powerful AMG GT 4-Door yet.
A car this fast needs its battery to work hard in short bursts, and the 6.1 kWh pack is modest in size. Its purpose is not range: it can run in pure electric mode for 12 km (7.5 mi) at up to 130 km/h (81 mph).
What is the second-generation AMG GT 4-door coupe?
The second generation, code C590, was set to debut on 19 May 2026 as the production version of the 2025 AMG GT XX concept. It is the first model built on the new AMG Electric Architecture. Its interior, revealed in March, takes inspiration from the CLA, with a fully digital 10.2-inch instrument cluster, a 14-inch multimedia screen facing the driver and an optional 14-inch passenger display.
What were the Maybach 57 and 62?
They were the first cars of the revived Maybach brand under Mercedes-Benz Group, derived from a Mercedes-Benz Maybach concept shown at the 1997 Tokyo Motor Show. The platform was a heavily reengineered W140 S-Class, and the cars sat above the S-Class as flagships, with the stress on rear-seat comfort.
In 2008 the Luxury Brand Status Index placed Maybach first, ahead of Rolls-Royce and Bentley. The brand marked the return of a top-of-the-range model after more than two decades without one, since the Mercedes-Benz 600.
Where did the Maybach name come from?
Wilhelm Maybach was an engineer who partnered Gottlieb Daimler on combustion engines, and the first Daimler-Maybach automobile appeared in 1889. The name came to stand for very large, powerful and luxurious cars. One example was the Zeppelin DS 8 Cabriolet of 1929, whose side sections lowered completely so that it could serve as a parade car.
The revival had a rival in its sights. In 1998 BMW bought the Rolls-Royce brand, and in 2002 DaimlerChrysler reintroduced Maybach as a direct challenger to the Rolls-Royce Phantom, although Maybach aimed at an even higher price bracket. The 57 and 62 took over the role of the Mercedes-Benz 600.
What do 57 and 62 mean?
The two numbers are the lengths of the cars in decimetres. Both are variants of one ultra-luxury design. The shorter 57 is more likely to be driven by its owner, while the longer 62 was designed with a chauffeur in mind.
The equipment list read like a hotel suite: massage for front and rear seats, a 21-speaker Bose sound system, heated cupholders, a refrigerator in the back, folding rear tables and pneumatic soft-close doors. The front seats had 18-way adjustment and the rear seats 14-way. There were two climate systems, one for the front and one for the rear, giving four zones, and the air suspension was an upgraded AirMatic Dual Control with adaptive damping.
What engine did the Maybach 57 and 62 have?
The base cars used a 5.5-litre twin-turbo V12 called the M285, which Mercedes-Benz developed for Maybach alone. It produced 405 kW (550 PS; 542 hp) at 5250 rpm and 664 lb ft (900 N.m) of torque between 2300 and 3000 rpm. A slightly de-tuned form, the M275, went into the W220 S600 and CL600 from 2003 to 2006, replacing the naturally aspirated M137 V12 of the earlier cars.
Acceleration from 0 to 60 mph (97 km/h) took about 5.1 seconds in the 57, about 4.8 seconds in the 62 and 57 S, and 4.5 seconds in the 62 S and the Landaulet. The 57 S and 62 S raised output to 450 kW (612 PS; 604 hp), and the Zeppelin went to 471 kW (640 PS; 631 hp).
How did Maybach launch the 62?
On 26 June 2002 a Maybach 62, sealed inside a glass case, left Southampton on the Queen Elizabeth 2 bound for New York. Media and company officials travelled in the ship's luxury suites. The liner reached New York on 2 July, greeted by fireboats, and a helicopter lifted the car off the deck onto a dock before it was driven to a hotel on Wall Street.
What Maybach variants were built?
The Maybach 57 was the base car, with 1,104 built. The 57 S, where S stands for Spezial, was revealed at the 2005 Geneva Motor Show with a 6.0-litre V12 made by Mercedes-AMG and 1,000 N.m (738 lb ft). It sat 0.5 in (13 mm) lower on 20-inch wheels. Production totalled 503 before the facelift and 164 of the 2010 update, which made 630 PS (463 kW; 621 hp).
A total of 1,058 Maybach 62 cars were made. Options carried serious price tags: a panoramic glass sunroof at $11,670, a loudspeaker and microphone system for talking to people outside the car at $1,780, an electrotransparent partition screen at $23,780, and a GUARD B4 high-protection package at an extra $151,810.
The 62 S arrived at the Auto China 2006 show in Beijing in November 2006, with the same twin-turbo V12 as the 57 S. Production was 236 of the original and 256 of the model-year 2010 car.
The 62 S Landaulet revived a body style that was popular in the 1920s and 30s, with the front seats fully enclosed and separated from the rear by a power divider window whose opacity could be changed electronically. The rear compartment had a power-retractable sliding soft roof. Only 22 were made, 18 before the facelift and four after, and owners have included the rapper Birdman, DJ Khaled and Samsung's former chairman Lee Kun-hee.
How much did a Maybach cost?
In early 2008 the European and United States prices were as follows.
- Maybach 57: $366,934 or 341,750 euros
- Maybach 57 S: $417,402 or 381,250 euros
- Maybach 62: $431,055 or 392,750 euros
- Maybach 62 S: $492,602 or 432,250 euros
- Maybach Landaulet: $1,350,000 or 900,000 euros
Why did Maybach fail?
Daimler-Chrysler had predicted annual sales of 2,000 cars worldwide, half of them in the United States. They never came. In 2007 Mercedes bought back 29 of its US dealers, cutting the total from 71 to 42, and after the 2008 financial crisis Daimler reviewed the whole division, even talking to Aston Martin about engineering the next Maybach and the next Lagonda.
On 25 November 2011 Daimler announced that sales of every Maybach, and the brand itself, would end in 2013. Only 3000 had been sold, at an estimated loss of 330,000 euros per car. Slow sales brought the end forward, and the last car left the Sindelfingen line on 17 December 2012. S-Class Pullman models took over from the line.
One suggestion for the struggles was that Daimler never separated Maybach clearly from its own Mercedes-Benz brand. Maybachs were built alongside the S-Class, whereas Rolls-Royce and Bentley cars come from England, which makes them feel more exclusive. Maybach's history was also barely known outside Germany. In October 2013 Top Gear put the 57 and 62 on a list of the 13 worst cars of the previous 20 years.
What is the Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV?
Mercedes-Benz Group has built the EQE SUV, a battery-electric luxury crossover of mid size, since December 2022. It was revealed on 16 October 2022 alongside the AMG performance variant, at an event where the whole EQ range was displayed in the gardens of the Musee Rodin in Paris.
It sits between the D-segment EQC and the F-segment EQS SUV, and is essentially the sport utility version of the EQE saloon. It is also the electric counterpart of the slightly larger GLE.
How is the EQE SUV built?
Internally the car is the X294, built on the EVA platform, which also underpins the EQE, EQS and EQS SUV. Production takes place at the Mercedes-Benz U.S. International plant, which also makes the GLE and GLS petrol models. The body measures 4,860 mm (191 in) end to end, giving away about 60 mm (2.4 in) to the GLE. Mayya Markova designed the exterior.
Four models were offered: the EQE 300, 350+, 350 4MATIC and 500. The AMG EQE 43 4MATIC makes 350 kW (469 hp), which is 50 kW (67 hp) more than the 500, and the AMG EQE 53 4MATIC+ makes 460 kW (617 hp) thanks to AMG-specific motors and cooling. All were launched in 2023.
The launch battery was a 328-volt, 90.6 kWh lithium-ion pack. The battery has ten modules, laid out under the floor. The car seats five in two rows, with no third-row option, and the base models are rear-wheel drive, with 4MATIC all-wheel drive on higher-end versions. The EQE 500 reached a drag coefficient of 0.25 Cd.
What is the EQE SUV like inside?
A 12.8-inch touchscreen runs the latest MBUX software, which understands voice commands and takes over-the-air updates through an embedded SIM card. A second 12.3-inch screen serves as the instrument panel, and a head-up display with augmented-reality navigation is available. Rear-axle steering with a maximum angle of 10 degrees is optional. A panoramic sunroof is standard, and a Strong Recuperation mode lets the driver use one pedal for most driving.
Luggage space with all seats up is 580 litres (20 cu ft), against 630 litres (22 cu ft) in the W167 GLE, which is a good result for a shorter car. With the second row folded, the figure is 1,690 litres (60 cu ft), compared with 2,121 litres (74.9 cu ft) in its petrol counterpart.
How does the EQE SUV charge?
On a wallbox the EQE SUV can take 7.4 kW and needs around 14 hours for a full charge. A Type 2 AC connection at 11 kW takes 9 hours and 45 minutes. Fast charging on a CCS Combo 2 connector, at up to 173 kW, takes 28 minutes.
What changed for the 2024 EQE SUV?
On dual-motor 4MATIC cars a new disconnect unit lets the front motor drop out of the drivetrain when it is not needed, which lowers energy use and stretches range. The brakes were retuned for better pedal feel, addressing earlier concerns about how the regenerative braking responded.
Battery capacity rose slightly. The EQE 350+ and EQE 500 4MATIC step up to a 96.0 kWh pack from 90.6 kWh, and the EQE 350 4MATIC gets a 90.6 kWh pack. All 2024 cars have a powered charging port door.
Where is the EQE SUV sold and what does it cost?
In Australia, Mercedes-Benz confirmed pricing and the SUV reached showrooms in the third quarter of 2023. Four versions were listed: the EQE300, EQE350 4MATIC, EQE500 4MATIC and AMG EQE53. The EQE 500 was offered for a limited time only, with Mercedes saying it would be highly sought after.
The United States received the SUV in spring 2023. By early 2026 the only models available there were the EQE320+ and EQE320+ 4MATIC, which have 27 horsepower more than the EQE350 yet a lower number. Car and Driver recommended the rear-wheel-drive EQE350+ Premium, which has the longest range at 590 km (370 mi).
In the United Kingdom the line-up is the 350 4MATIC and 500 4MATIC, with prices from 90,560 to 121,760 pounds. French prices run from 93,150 to 146,400 euros. India saw the launch on 15 September 2023, making the EQE SUV the third Mercedes-EQ model on sale there.
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