The next-generation Mercedes-AMG GT Coupe is one of the automotive industry’s worst-kept secrets. We’ve spied prototypes of the sports car testing on several occasions and today, we have a 3:20-minute clip showing a yellow test car doing rounds on a frozen lake in Scandinavia. The footage finally seems to confirm a V8 engine is going to be available for the new AMG GT.
What’s under the hood has been the biggest mystery surrounding the new model. We’ve heard everything from an electrified 4.0-liter to a turbo-four with or without hybridization. The latter options are still not excluded but the prototype in this new video sounds a lot like a V8-powered car to us. There’s no mistaking the throaty eight-cylinder roar and we will have to wait and see what other powertrains are going to be offered.
Gallery: Mercedes-AMG GT Coupe PHEV spy photos
A V8 in a performance vehicle from Mercedes isn’t surprising though, even with the new crop of four-cylinder hybrids from the AMG division. The next big question, however, is how many ponies this mill has. We’ve heard speculation about Mercedes-AMG squeezing the 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V8 from the AMG GT 63 S E Performance into the coupe, which could give it an output of more than 800 horsepower. This number is just an assumption based on the maximum power of the said performance four-door and the fact that we’ve spied AMG GTs with charging ports.
Aside from featuring a hardtop, the new AMG GT Coupe will differentiate itself from the SL with a number of design changes. The front fascia is most likely going to receive different headlights and a modified grille compared to the roadster, as well as a tweaked bumper. One big change over its predecessor will be the switch to a 2+2 cabin layout, similar to what the SL offers. The current AMG GT has only two seats.
When will we see the new generation sports car? There’s no official debut date announced yet, though we believe it will arrive in the second or third quarter of this year, likely going on sale in the United States as a 2024 model.
