The Mercedes-AMG Performance Hybrid weighs 2305 kg, a Porsche Taycan 10 kg less. Is the electric Porsche with more nimble all-wheel drive and no heavy V8 already the better concept? A comparison based on currently known data.
At the IAA 2021, Mercedes-AMG presented the GT 63 S E Performance (see picture gallery). Its complex plug-in hybrid concept gives it the performance crown in the segment: a whopping 843 hp and more than 1400 Nm (allegedly 1470 Nm) brings the combination of V8 biturbo with just 14 hp belt starter machine plus 204 hp electric Machine on the rear axle that sends its power to its own two-speed gearbox, while the 9-speed gearbox sorts the 639 hp of the V8 and sends it to all four wheels.,Sounds complicated, it is and comes at a price : the heavy weight. The overall package weighs 185 kilos more than the AMG GT 63 S without electric support at the rear.
PHEV heavier than e-car
As it became known in January 2022, the AMG power hybrid weighs 2305 kilograms according to DIN, while Porsche names a whopping 45 kilograms more for the Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid for the Taycan Turbo S but 2295 kg and thus 10 kg less. The weight has always been considered the major dynamic disadvantage of e-cars - of course, the battery of the Taycan weighs 650 kg, the hybrid battery of the AMG weighs only 89 kg despite its enormous power (not energy) density, its 66-liter tank should stay underneath.,
What also speaks in favor of the Taycan: the deeply installed battery lowers the center of gravity - 2 centimeters lower than on the 911. What does that mean? "In lateral acceleration, in country road bends, the car, which is almost five meters long and 2.14 meters wide including mirrors, feels half a ton lighter," writes Andreas Haupt about the Taycan in comparison with BMW's M8 Competition . The AMG shouldn't even come close to that. It's also the larger car with the longer overhangs: at 5.05 meters it accommodates a wheelbase of 2.95 meters, the Taycan is a good 9 centimeters shorter, but only has 5 centimeters less wheelbase to offer.,
More power than that Nobody has an AMG performance hybrid
But the hybrid easily wins the performance comparison: The Taycan Turbo S only manages its 761 hp boost performance for 2.5 seconds (otherwise 625 hp) and is thus a good 80 hp ahead of the AMG, at The Taycan has a maximum torque of 1050 Nm. Although the power development is considered the domain of electric cars, the hybrid is a good 400 over it - the difference alone corresponds to the maximum value of a very well made 2.0-liter turbo diesel.
But although the boost duration of the Taycan Turbo S doesn't even last for an entire acceleration process from standstill to 100 km/h, it's faster there: In 2.8 seconds it snaps to 100 km/h if it has to also 10 times in a row, Mercedes-AMG promises 2.9 seconds. Perhaps the electric car will benefit here from the up to 10 times faster control interventions of the traction control .
Of course, the top speed is different: The Taycan buys its good acceleration with the appropriate ratio of its 2-speed gearbox and stops at 260 km/h, the AMG is allowed to run at 316 km/h. In practice, you will rarely need both. A decent range at high speeds would be more of a requirement for a large GT.
E-car many times more economical
The AMG GT 4-door even has the big journey in its name, the Taycan is ultimately positioned in the same segment. If you travel far and at high speed, you need a lot of energy. The Porsche’s energy storage has a capacity of 93.4 kWh – a decent amount for an electric car, but that’s the equivalent of just 11 liters of petrol. In practice, the AMG would not travel 100 kilometers with this, but the electric Taycan achieves a range of 390 to 416 km according to WLTP – this includes a consumption of around 25 kWh, the equivalent of only a good 3 l/100 km. However, the maximum speed for the WLTP is 120 km/h and is only available for a short time during the cycle - so this does not correspond to the profile of a brisk journey.
What is possible with the Taycan in this regard is illustrated by the record run by auto motor und sport with the E-Porsche : The colleagues managed a good 3000 purely electric kilometers in 24 hours, at an average speed of around 127 km/h - in consumption-boosting rain. Despite speeds of up to 200 km/h, consumption remained below 40 kWh, the equivalent of 4.9 liters. Problem: The Taycan needed 30 charging stops - also because its charging speed drops sharply from a battery level of 49 percent and "refueling" also takes significantly longer - bad for the duration of the journey.
Range? Doesn't matter! - Refueling is faster than charging
The battery of the AMG Super Hybrid only has 6.1 kWh, which is enough for an electric range of only 12 to 14 kilometers. But the four-door from Affalterbach also has a 66-liter tank on board - that's 14 liters less than in the GT without a hybrid, but that's secondary in view of the tank speed (regardless of the level), just like the fact that the V8 in case of doubt, not very energy-saving, sometimes uses part of its power to ensure that the charge level of the battery does not fall below a certain level.
Even according to WLTP, the AMG (assuming a full battery) consumes 8.6 liters per 100 kilometers, with a heavy foot on the accelerator it is quite conceivable that the V8 will remind you to refuel after 200 kilometers - a Taycan driven at high speed could also cover such a distance create. Then, however, it needs at best 5.5 minutes to recharge the electricity for 100 kilometers (WLTP range), in order to bring the battery from 5 to 80 percent, at least 22.5 minutes are necessary - but only under ideal conditions. And that means that a really fast charging station is always available at the right time of the journey in the real world (not just during record attempts on the circuit). GT probably more likely to serve trips with two people. Nevertheless, the packaging advantages of the e-car should not go unmentioned. With the Taycan, Porsche has created a decent amount of legroom in the rear with an elaborately designed battery (foot garage) despite an external height that is 6 centimeters lower. At 0.25, it also has a significantly better drag coefficient than the Mercedes with its airy V8 (0.32). And the Porsche has a good 30 liter larger trunk in the back and 81 liter in the front (Frunk). In total, the Porsche offers 122 liters more trunk volume than the 9 centimeters longer Mercedes-AMG GT, whose 335 liters are more reminiscent of the compact class and are 120 liters smaller at the rear than the AMG GT 63 S without an electric motor.
Conclusion
With the GT 63 S E-Performance, Mercedes-AMG deliberately got the maximum performance out of the hybrid concept, it can hardly drive purely electrically. This allows for surprisingly few objective advantages over the electric Porsche: the AMG can drive faster and longer, and it allows energy to be refueled quickly and easily. He will probably also put the Taycan in his pocket on the race track, at least that is what the previously known lap times of the Taycan and AMG GT 63 S suggest, although the tires are still important.
Emotionally, the Mercedes can also inspire with its biturbo V8 and its sound and perhaps with the free choice of gears, even if no manual transmission is on offer.
The electric Porsche, on the other hand, accelerates more effortlessly and slightly faster from a standing start, is considerably quieter for travelers and the environment, consumes much less energy and drives with zero local emissions. It also has good prerequisites for more agile handling and, despite the shorter body, offers more space for luggage. Its biggest disadvantage: In practice, charging/refueling is still cumbersome and slower than with a combustion engine.
