Supercar Speed Meets Sedan Practicality

The phrase, “2026 Mercedes-AMG GT63 S E Performance 4-Door Coupe”, takes approximately six seconds to say, which is about the same amount of time it takes the Mercedes super sedan to accelerate from zero to 100 mph. What’s more, keep its throttle to the floor for another four seconds, and you’ll do the quarter at 131 miles per hour. Stay on it another five seconds, you’ll be doing 150 miles per hour — on your way to the governed top speed of 195 miles per hour. As for zero to 60, you’ll see that in 2.4 seconds. Now, given the base price of $200,500 and the price as tested of $233,910 for the example I drove, is that something in which you’d be interested?

Base Trim Engine

4L V-8 Hybrid

Base Trim Transmission

9-speed automatic

Base Trim Drivetrain

All-Wheel Drive

Base Trim Horsepower

630 HP @5500 RPM

Base Trim Torque

664 lb.-ft. @ 2500 RPM

Base Trim Battery Type

Lithium ion (Li-ion)

Make

Mercedes-Benz

Model

AMG GT 63 S E Performance

Segment

Sports Car

2026 Mercedes-AMG GT63 S E Performance 4-Door Coupe First Impressions

In production since 2018, the silhouette of the X290 Mercedes is a familiar sight. Adorned with the AMG aerodynamics package and a set of 21-inch forged AMG cross-spoke wheels, the look vociferously announces the capabilities of the four-door coupe. While I wouldn’t exactly refer to the extroversion of its appearance as tasteful — per se — the look does turn heads. Still, should I be inclined to acquire one, I’d go with something more stealthy than the Copper Orange Mango matte finish shown here. I’d also nix the big-a** wing that comes with the aerodynamics package.

Lyndon Conrad Bell – Photo

Exterior Dimensions

Driving Impressions And Performance

Lyndon Conrad Bell – Photo

Generating a total system output of 831 horsepower and 1,032 pound-feet of torque, the all-wheel drive AMG 63 S E Performance powertrain is a miracle of modern engineering, albeit drawing upon a formula dating back to the invention of the hot rod. In this case, a hand-built twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter DOHC V-8 is paired with an electric motor and a nine-speed automatic transmission to endow the sedan with bulbus oculi flattening acceleration. Seriously — the Mercedes pulled so hard I would swear I felt my eyeballs compress.

Lyndon Conrad Bell – Photo

But wait, there’s more. As is seemingly de rigeur in mega-buck performance sedans these days, you can tailor the responses of the car’s propulsion and handling systems in many and varied ways. The AMG Dynamics setting gives you individual control over throttle response, steering, the stability-control system, the all-wheel-drive system, and the electronically controlled limited-slip rear differential. There’s even a drift mode, which uncouples the front wheels from the drive system, for those of you who have no problem transforming $1,500 worth of 315/30ZR21 Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 MO1s into clouds of blue smoke.

Lyndon Conrad Bell – Photo

Turn-in is adroit, the word resolute falls somewhat short of describing the braking performance, and tenacious barely comes close to defining the grip displayed when the electrified GT63 S is asked to corner hard. NASA could save itself a lot of money on G-Force simulators with a fleet of these. Okay, I’m exaggerating – but only by a bit. The dynamic performance of this car is largely unmatched by other sedans. This is a bonafide supercar – period.

Performance Specifications

Mercedes-AMG GT63 S E Performance 4-Door Coupe Fuel Economy

Lyndon Conrad Bell – Photo

However, into each life, a little rain must fall. In this case, that precipitation arrives in the form of less-than-stellar fuel economy. I saw 18 mpg overall, a figure about which I will not be penning a missive home to my mother. While most people think “great fuel economy” when they hear the word “hybrid” applied to an automobile. But, as the Porsche 918 Spyder so brilliantly demonstrated back in 2010, electric motors can also be engaged to amplify performance. Which is exactly the case here.

Interior Design And Comfort

Every aspect of the interior of the Mercedes-AMG GT63 S E Performance 4-Door tells you it is a high-performance car. The aggressively bolstered front seats, the flat-bottomed steering wheel, and the glossy carbon fiber trim all telegraph the AMG 4-Door’s high-performance intentions. What’s more, quality is wholly apparent in both design and execution. The materials employed are commensurate to the spend Mercedes demands.

Lyndon Conrad bell – Photo

Now, with that said, keeping it hundo, that center console treatment is a bit much. On the other hand, there is no faulting the comfort of the interior. Head and legroom up front are exemplary. Rear seat headroom – owing to that sleek coupe-like design – could be better, but it isn’t overly inhibiting. Rear-seat legroom is decent, if not exactly generous.

Lyndon Conrad bell – Photo

A four-place situation, the AMG GT I drove had the Executive Rear Seat Package, which featured folding seat backs, along with heated and cooled rear cupholders and three-zone climate control. Each seating position provides good support, along with all-day comfort. A 400-mile road trip is doable, without being fatiguing.

Interior Dimensions

Lyndon Conrad bell – Photo

Technology And Ease Of Use

Good Lord, this car is full of buttons. Said more precisely, they are mostly touch controls. Either way, the sheer volume of them required more time than the week I had with the car to get proficient with them. However, the controls did permit the tailoring of the Mercedes super sedan to my exact preferences.

Lyndon Conrad bell – Photo

The digital instrument panel and 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment interface crown the top of the dash in a single frame. Here again, the Mercedes exhibits more complication than I’d consider ideal. The displays are crisp, and the software responds quickly, though. In addition to the touchscreen, a touchpad on the center console and voice control provide access to the infotainment features.

Lyndon Conrad Bell – Photo

Wireless CarPlay and Android compatibility are standard, as are a host of driver’s aids. These include automated emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, and rear-cross-traffic alert. Optional driver assistance tech includes lane-keeping assist, adaptive cruise control, and evasive-steering assist.

Cargo And Storage Space

You might be surprised to learn that the X290 Mercedes platform is a hatchback. Electrically operated – of course – you’ll find just under 13 cubic feet of cargo capacity when the hatch rises. ICE-only models offer 16 cubic feet, but they aren’t as fast – so pick your priority. The usual array of in-cabin storage is available, including door pockets, the glove box, and center console storage up front and between the rear seats.

2026 Mercedes-AMG GT63 S E Performance 4-Door Coupe vs. Its Competitors

BMWUSA – Photo

Lyndon Conrad Bell – Photo

Porsche

In terms of powertrain layout, quality, fit, finish, and pedigree, the BMW M5 and the Porsche Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid are closely aligned with the GT63 S E Performance 4-Door. The M5 is the bargain of the group, with a base price of $123,300. Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid pricing starts at $245,200. While this lands the $200,500 base price of the Mercedes right between the two, the BMW’s starting price is just about half of the Panamera’s. Meanwhile, neither the BMW nor the Porsche matches the output of the Mercedes.

Mercedes-AMG GT63 S E Performance 4-Door Coupe vs. BMW M5

Base Trim Engine

4.4L V8 Hybrid

Base Trim Transmission

8-speed automatic

Base Trim Drivetrain

All-Wheel Drive

Base Trim Horsepower

577 HP @5600 RPM

Base Trim Torque

553 lb.-ft. @ 1800 RPM

Base Trim Battery Type

Lead acid battery

Make

BMW

Model

M5 Sedan

Segment

Midsize Luxury Performance Sedan

Like the Mercedes, the 2026 BMW M5 uses an all-wheel drive plug‑in hybrid powertrain. In this case, a 4.4‑liter twin‑turbo V-8 is paired with an electric motor and an eight-speed automatic transmission. Total system output is 717 horsepower and 738pound-feet of torque. Also, like the Mercedes, the BMW offers a vast array of drive models, including one for drifting. Here too, grasping the vast array of settings and adjustments can be somewhat overwhelming, even though they allow you to tailor the BMW’s attributes to your personal preferences. Luxuriously appointed, again, just like the Mercedes, the BMW offers a similar suite of driver’s aids and conveniences. As is to be expected from the numbers the cars post, the Mercedes is both quicker and faster.

Mercedes-AMG GT63 S E Performance 4-Door Coupe vs. Porsche Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid

Base Trim Engine

4.0L Twin-Turbo V8 Gas

Base Trim Transmission

8-Speed Automatic

Base Trim Drivetrain

All-Wheel Drive

Base Trim Horsepower

620 hp

Base Trim Torque

604 lb-ft @ 2300 rpm

Fuel Economy

15/21 MPG

Make

Porsche

Model

Panamera Turbo

Segment

Midsize Luxury Sedan

Infotainment & Features

9 /10

The 2026 Porsche Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid is also a plug-in hybrid. The powertrain combines a 4.0‑liter twin‑turbo V-8 with an electric motor for a total system output of 771 horses and 737pound-feetof torque. The all-wheel drive Porsche drives all four wheels through an eight‑speed dual‑clutch automatic. Faster than the BMW, but slower than the Mercedes, the Porsche falls in the middle of this triumvirate in terms of performance. However, the Porsche exhibits better agility than the others. We’re talking about another premium German super sedan here, so its complication factor, as well as its comfort and convenience feature set, are commensurate with those of the BMW and Mercedes. The Porsche is also a hatchback like the Mercedes.

Our Recommendation For Which Model You Should Buy

Lyndon Conrad Bell – Photo

Truth be told, it would be hard to go wrong with any one of these three. Granted, the AMG Mercedes will outrun the BMW and the Porsche, but all three get similar fuel economy, and the prestige factor is evenly distributed among them. However, it’s hard to ignore the fact that Mercedes and Porsche will require the expenditure of at least a hundred stacks more than the BMW, which makes the M5 a terrific bargain, in this context. On the other hand, bragging rights are bragging rights. If you have to have the most of the most – you’re going to want the Mercedes. The Panamera handles the best, so if you’re looking for the fastest way through a twisty canyon, Stuttgart has you covered.

Lyndon Conrad Bell – Photo

However, given the fact that tenths of seconds matter very little on the street, and keeping an extra hundred Gs in your stash of cash can matter a lot – the Bavarians may well have exactly what you need.