Why one ride in the Mercedes-AMG GT SUV will make you swear it's not electric

Ask many car enthusiasts and it’s clear that sound is a big barrier to EV adoption. Without the noise of an engine to connect car and driver, many enthusiasts argue that EVs have no soul. But Mercedes-Benz’s AMG division thinks it can win over skeptics with its new AMGFORCE S+ artificial sound system that replicates a V8 soundtrack.

WhichCar by Wheels got to hear it firsthand while riding in a prototype of the upcoming AMG GT electric SUV during Monterey Car Week, and we were left impressed by just how successful AMG has been in giving an EV the sound of an internal combustion car.

The 2024 Wheels COTY-winning Hyundai Ioniq 5 N is currently a benchmark for how sound can enhance an EV’s sensory experience. But with the GT EV SUV, Mercedes-AMG has taken it to another level of realism. 

Rather than using a purely synthetic soundtrack, the AMG GT’s noise combines audio samples from more than 1600 recordings of various Mercedes-Benz V8 models, like the legendary AMG GT R. The noise isn’t just pumped through the stereo speakers; the SUV has rockers in its seats and kickers under the floor that add an extra dimension to being able to ‘feel’ the noise.

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As in the Hyundai Ioniq 5, the AMGFORCE S+ tech works alongside drive motor programming that gives you the sensation of being able to shift gears via steering wheel paddles. It’s scarily realistic. Power delivery lags and surges as you make your way through virtual ‘gears’, and the rockers in the seats give a jolt for an extra layer of realism, like a petrol car with a dual-clutch gearbox firing off rapid shifts.

During ‘downshifts’, the speakers in the floor give off crackles and pops, mimicking an ICE car on overrun. Of course, you can turn the AMGFORCE S+ system off and just run the SUV quietly like a normal EV. But since this is clearly an enthusiast product, why would you?

Driving us around Pebble Beach is Mercedes-AMG’s head of vehicle dynamics, Rene Szczepek. He can’t confirm concrete details about the new GT EV SUV just yet – even the name isn’t finalised – but we expect it to have the same drivetrain as the recently revealed AMG GT EV 4-Door. That car rides on AMG-specific EV architecture with a 106kWh battery and three drive motors that produce a combined 860kW in GT 63 spec.

The SUV should have the same 600kW peak charge rate as the sedan, allowing its battery to replenish from 10 to 80 per cent in just 11 minutes. Range will also be a strong suit; Mercedes claims 686km for the sedan, but the less-aerodynamic and thus less-efficient SUV should do a bit worse at around 650km or so.

The roads around Monterey and Pebble Beach are tight, and that gives Szczepek a great chance to show off the GT SUV’s agility. From the passenger seat, the way it changes direction is impressive. The prototype rides on large 22-inch wheels, but even while driving in S+ mode with the adaptive dampers tuned to their firmest setting, it rides fairly smoothly on California’s dotted roads.

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AMG claims a 0-100km/h time of 2.4 seconds for the quickest version of the electric GT sedan and we have no reason to believe that the SUV will be any slower. Szczepek gives the SUV’s throttle a few punts through its simulated gears and it actually hurts after a few goes. It’s that bloody quick. 

Thanks to clever camouflage, the GT looks smaller than you might expect in person. However, the sedan measures 5094mm in length, and considering that the SUV uses the same platform, that makes it roughly 130mm longer than a GLE . It’s also difficult to gauge the SUV’s styling, but the overall shape is sort of like a larger GLA, and we expect lighting elements similar to those on the AMG GT EVsedan.

What we can tell you about in detail is the SUV’s interior. It follows the design of the GT sedan’s cabin, meaning there’s a driver-focused layout with the centre screen aimed towards the pilot. Mercedes’ seamless Hyperscreen display that debuted in the electric GLC has not been fitted to the GT SUV. Instead, there’s a large 14-inch central display running the company’s MB.OS software, plus a separate 14-inch screen for the passenger. The prototype’s upholstery also looks great – we need more blue interiors in the world.

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Three circular switches on the centre console allow the driver to adjust things like the SUV’s stability control and agility settings. They’re made of metal and feel great in hand, and the steering wheel has a knob to click through different drive modes. It’s clear AMG wants to offer a plethora of adjustments so GT EV drivers can tailor the experience to their individual liking.

The SUV’s rear seat is very spacious. A six-foot adult will have more than enough room, and the panoramic glass roof adds a lot of light and atmosphere. The prototype’s boot was full of testing equipment so it’s difficult to gauge the actual size, but we guesstimate it’ll offer around 550-600 litres of capacity.

Overall, from the excellent V8-like sound tuning to the ride quality and interior trimmings, our first taste of the new AMG GT EV SUV left us wanting more. The model will likely make its full debut later in 2026 with Australian sales yet to be confirmed. If this is what the future of AMG looks – and sounds – like, enthusiasts needn’t worry about the company’s EVs lacking soul.

Mercedes-AMG GT SUV estimated specifications: