Mercedes-AMG has hit the ground running in seven days. With its GT XX prototype, the German brand covered the equivalent of the earth’s circumference, i.e. 40,075 km, on the Nardò ring in Italy. In the process, the car set 25 world records, including the longest distance in 24 hours. A spectacular demonstration that illustrates the technological endurance of the future electric AMG.
An electric hypercar ahead of its time
Officially, the GT XX is still a concept. Yet its characteristics already place it among the ranks of hypercars. Three axial-flow engines deliver 1,360 bhp, an unprecedented level of power for an electric road car. Its high-performance battery can take a charge of 850 kW. It features direct cooling inspired by Formula E. In concrete terms, it takes just five minutes to recover 400 km of range, a figure that ridicules the current competition. On the track, the engineers chose to maintain a stabilised speed of 300 km/h, a crazy speed which is not the vehicle’s maximum (360 km/h), but which represented the ideal compromise between performance and energy efficiency.
Breathtaking records
For eight days, two prototypes took it in turns to keep up the pace. Meanwhile, seventeen drivers from F1, GT and rally racing, including George Russell and France’s Doriane Pin, completed a series of two-hour stints in extreme conditions, sometimes at temperatures in excess of 35°C. The result: a new record for distance covered in 24 hours, with 5,479 km, almost 1,500 km more than Xpeng’s previous feat. On average, each day saw more than 5,300 km covered without any major incident, which clearly underlines the reliability of a machine that is still at the experimental stage.
A message to the competition
Over and above the sporting performance, Mercedes has a clear objective. Specifically, it aims to regain the upper hand against Chinese manufacturers. The latter, such as Xiaomi, BYD and Nio, are stepping up their electric power. With this in mind, Mercedes-AMG has reaffirmed its position as a global benchmark and its commitment to endurance and performance. Furthermore, the GT XX is not just a technological showcase. Indeed, it foreshadows a new generation of AMG electric cars, expected at the Munich Motor Show in September. Later, in 2026, an SUV based on the same AMG.EA platform will also arrive.
A feat… subject to conditions
One important point remains. Indeed, this feat was only possible in a totally controlled environment. A private ring, a team of engineers mobilised day and night, and customised charging points delivered a level of power inaccessible to the general public. As a result, the average motorist will not see 850 kW chargers in Europe for a long time. Therefore, this performance is above all a marketing tool and a message of power sent to the competition. Nevertheless, Mercedes has demonstrated impressive technological know-how. Moreover, this expertise could soon be reflected in production models. Ultimately, the real revolution will come when this prowess hits the streets and finally becomes accessible to AMG customers.
