How Did the Mercedes-AMG® GT 63 S E Performance Do Against the Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray?​

Two different electrified performance cars. Two different philosophies. Two different traditions. Yet, only one result can come of this challenge.

Edmunds.com threw down the gauntlet between two vehicles – the Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray and the Mercedes-AMG® GT 63 S E Performance. They put both of these electrified coupes on the “U-Drag” strip to see which one is faster.

The argument we would make for the AMG® GT 63 S E Performance on the “U-Drag” strip – or on any given motorsport venue – is the approach to building each one of these performance machines. The engines are engineered and hand-crafted in Affalterbach, Germany. The hybrid components were crafted to match the benchmarks set for this specific sports coupe.

The result is a front-mid-mounted twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V8 with a 150-kilowatt electric motor placed at the rear. The power band is staggering at 805 horsepower and 1,047 pound-feet of torque. That power is funneled through an AMG® SPEEDSHIFT® MCT nine-speed automatic transmission and onward to the AMG® Performance 4MATIC® all-wheel drive system. The hybrid driveline is a plug-in type that recoups energy into the battery. Based on tests by AMG®, it can go from 0-60 MPH in just 2.7 seconds.

Even though this is being tested on a linear coupe, you can certainly run the AMG® GT 63 S E Performance coupe through a tight course – including Eagles Canyon Raceway or the interior road course inside Texas Motor Speedway. It can do so, thanks to its four-wheel independent suspension with AMG® ACTIVE RIDE CONTROL and front-axle lift system. Both the front and rear suspensions use a five-arm multilink setup. This enables flat cornering and extraordinary balance through the turns.

Using a former airfield, the “U-Drag” starts with a quarter-mile run with a braking zone, before turning around and going back to the start line. This test is not just about flat-out speed, but also tests its stopping power and steering response to a sharp maneuver. Track conditions include a 3 MPH wind with 9 MPH gusts, with the ambient temperature of 86.3 degrees Fahrenheit. They ran two laps with each sports coupe, swapping drivers between them.

The result was quite clear. The AMG® GT 63 S E Performance had the fastest 0-60 MPH and quarter-mile time. It also did well under the max cornering test at 1.19 g. Overall, it was the AMG® GT 63 S E Performance that won with a 31.3-second run of the complete “U-Drag” course at 148 MPH. That beat the Corvette E-Ray by 0.3 seconds and just less than 10 MPH over.

The best reaction to all of this is “this thing’s fast!” Also, “it is hard to contend with the Mercedes’ power.”

These results should convince you that the AMG® GT 63 S E Performance is a superior electrified performance coupe. Why not check one out at Mercedes-Benz of Plano? Contact us to see one soon!