Mercedes-AMG has expanded its GT 4-Door Coupé line-up with the 53, a lower-powered and more affordable version of the new electric super-saloon to rival the Porsche Taycan 4S.
The biggest difference from the GT 63 lies in the drivetrain: it has one fewer motor (for a total of two, giving four-wheel drive), so its combined outputs drop from 1180bhp and 1033lb ft to 544bhp and 590lb ft.
This trims straight-line performance, the new GT 53 accelerating from 0-62mph in a claimed 3.5sec compared with 2.4sec for its more powerful sibling.
Top speed is electronically limited to 143mph as standard or 155mph with the optional AMG Driver's Package, whereas the GT 63 can be specified to reach a limited 186mph.
Although it retains the GT 63’s simulated engine and gearbox, it trades that variant’s fake V8 sound and power delivery for one based on a turbocharged 3.0-litre straight six.
AMG said it sampled the six-cylinder powerplant’s sound to reproduce the aural character of a traditional AMG drivetrain.
The GT 53 utilises the same 800V electrical architecture and 106kWh liquid-cooled battery as the GT 63, but dropping one motor has boosted its official range from 424 miles to 503 miles.
DC charging at up to 600kW is claimed to recover up to 332 miles of range in just 10 minutes under ideal conditions.
Compared with the Taycan 4S, the GT 53 offers identical combined power but an additional 66lb ft of torque, a 0.2sec quicker 0-62mph time, almost double the maximum DC charging capability and between 102 and 156 miles more WLTP range, depending on whether the Porsche is equipped with its standard Performance Battery or optional Performance Battery Plus.
The GT 53 also shares the GT 63's air suspension with adaptive damping and torque vectoring. It likewise receives active aerodynamics, including a rear spoiler that varies its angle according to speed and driving conditions, while an optional active rear diffuser is designed to reduce drag and improve high-speed stability.
The first right-hand-drive customer deliveries are expected to begin later this year.
UK pricing has yet to be confirmed but is expected to start just above £100,000. In Germany, it will be priced from €115,430 (£99,000).
The GT 53 will form the new entry point to AMG's electric GT range ahead of additional models planned over the coming years.
