MUNICH - Mercedes-AMG’s new boss Philipp Schiemer told media at the IAA Munich motor show this week that the performance division would likely have to scale down its model range, Autocar reports.
This comes as the company accelerates its electrification strategy, with Mercedes-AMG having pulled the covers off of its first all-electric model at the German show.
According to Autocar, Mercedes-AMG will concentrate on its higher-end models in future, while reducing its presence at the lower end of the market. All of which means we can probably look forward to some extremely fast battery cars as well as insanely powerful hybrids such as the new Mercedes-AMG GT 63 SE.
Of course, the German carmaker has not confirmed which models face the chop, but the move away from lower-end models will probably put an end to the Mercedes-AMG A35, and perhaps the C43 models too.
Those making the shift to more expensive electric models can at least look forward to more distinctive products as Autocar says future AMG models will be more widely differentiated from the ‘regular’ Mercedes variants, thanks to the new performance EV platform that’s being developed. The company will also work more closely with its F1 team based in Britain.
As mentioned, Mercedes-AMG on Monday revealed its first all-electric product. The new EQS 53 4Matic (whose name certainly implies that a more potent ‘63’ is on the way) is powered by a dual-motor powertrain that offers 560kW and 1020Nm. That however applies to models fitted with the AMG Dynamic Plus package, regular 53 models will offer 484kW and 950Nm.
According to Mercedes-AMG the new EQS 53 4Matic can accelerate from 0-100km/h in 3.4 seconds and reach a top speed of 250km/h. The base version takes 3.8 seconds to 100, and its top speed is limited to 220km/h.
The Mercedes-AMG EQS 53 4Matic is fitted with a 107.8kWh battery and offers a claimed WLTP range of up to 580km. It is a heavy car though, with the kerb weight listed at 2655kg.