2018 Mercedes-AMG GT 53 4MATIC+ (X290 3.0 L6 4MATIC 9AT AWD (435 HP)

Vehicle Overview

After successfully launching the AMG brand, the German carmaker attacked the best of the best on the market and, with the GT lineup, hit the Porsche Panamera’s customers.

When Porsche introduced the Panamera, it was alone on the market. It had no competitors, and the Mercedes-Benz CLS was completely different. But so was the Mercedes-AMG, a different brand with different products than its parent company. The GT53 4Matic+ was not even the most powerful or the most extreme version from its family, but it still was a true competitor for the Panamera.

It was the four-door version of the AMG GT coupe, and the additional doors and seats in the back didn’t make it slower. Its longer roofline and sloped rear end confirmed the four-door coupe status, while the carmaker did not place the aerodynamic touches randomly to make the car look better. They were all functional, from the wide scoops in the front bumper to the rear vents in the rear bumper. To confirm the Panamera-competitor status, the carmaker made the AMG GT in a five-door configuration, with an extended tailgate over the trunk.

Inside, the carmaker installed a pair of sport-bucket seats at the front with high-bolstering and integrated headrests. There was room for three adults in the back if someone would sacrifice to sit on the center tunnel. Only the outboard seats featured a profiled area to help the occupants stay in place during hard cornering.

Under the hood, the AMG GT 53 4Matic+ featured an inline-six engine that provided 435 hp. AMG granted an additional boost thanks to the electric starter-alternator that drove the engine via a transmission belt.