The 2022 Mercedes-AMG GT73e is an upcoming, hybrid version of the company's range-topping four-door coupe. Set to become the range-topping model, the 2022 AMG GT73e will feature a hybrid drivetrain that brings together the already familiar 4.0-liter V-8 gasoline engine and a rear-mounted electric motor. The hybrid sedan is rumored to generate around 800 horsepower combined and offer an all-electric range of around 25 miles on the WLTP cycle. Will it have what it takes to compete with the mighty Porsche Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid? Let's find out in the speculative review below.

Exterior

The hybrid will arrive some three years after Mercedes-Benz unveiled the AMG GT 4-Door Coupe, but it will look identical to its gasoline-only siblings. Of course, there will be some minor changes to the bumpers, but as a range-topping model it will look a lot like the AMG GT63 version. As seen in the spy shots, it features the same Panamericana grille, big vents in the front, and a sporty diffuser flanked by large exhaust pipes in the rear.

The hybrid version will boast the same sporty yet imposing characteristics thanks to a mix of elegant cues borrowed from the CLS and muscular lines taken from the AMG GT.

But will it actually stand out next to other AMG GT 4-Door Coupe models? Well, you'll be able to tell that this model is a hybrid thanks to the charging port on the rear bumper. It will also sport "73" badging and Mercedes may opt to use some blue highlights to showcase its electrified nature.

Interior

The interior of the GT73e will remain equally familiar, so you'll find the same CLS-based layout with turbine-look A/C vents, flat-bottom steering wheel, and big displays stretching from the driver's side all the way to the center stack. The 12.3-inch displays for the instrument cluster and infotainment display are "glued" together to form a really wide screen. These will feature a few unique menus and functions specific to hybrid vehicles. The instrument cluster will display battery status, electric mileage, and total range, while the infotainment display will give you access to features related to the hybrid drivetrain.

The GT73e will sit at the top of the range, so it will be packed with the finest and most exclusive features that Mercedes has to offer in this niche. Just like the GT63, it will feature soft-touch leather and Alcantara all over the place, as well as contrast stitching, and trim materials like aluminum and carbon-fiber trim. The steering will also feature bits of the lightweight composite material.

The hybrid model should also be fitted with the AMG Track Pace app, which enables you to capture and analyze in detail over 80 vehicle-specific bits of data, as well as record lap times on the race track. It may be a hybrid, but the GT73e will be track capable, even without aid from the electric motor.

Drivetrain

The GT73e won't be the first hybrid model of the range. The GT53 also comes with some sort of electrification, but it's only a mild hybrid fitted with a 48-volt system. The GT73e will be a proper hybrid equipped with an electric motor that will spin the rear axle. The motor will work in conjunction with the same twin-turbo, 4.0-liter V-8 that powers the GT63 and GT63 S versions of the four-door coupe. But this where things get a lot more interesting.

The V-8 fitted in the GT63 is no slouch at 577 horsepower and packs even more oomph in the GT63 S, which comes with 630 horses on tap.

This figure would give it a notable 170-horsepower advantage over the AMG GT63 S. It would also put it well above the Porsche Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid. The German four-door pair a 4.0-liter V-8 and an electric motor for a combined output of 690 horsepower, so at least 100 horses below the AMG model. The GT73e should also deliver more than 750 pound-feet of torque, at least 100 pound-feet more than the gas-only GT63 S.

How quick will it be? Well, it could become the first model from the range capable to hit 60 mph in less than three seconds. The AMG GT63 S needs 3.1 clicks to get there, but the higher output rating of the GT73e should slash at least two tenths of that benchmark. As far as top speed goes, it should be on par with the GT63 S at 196 mph, which would also make it as fast as the Panamera. Electrical top speed should top out at around 90 mph.

The GT73e will offer all-electric range, but don't expect to cover a lot of distance on battery power alone. The four-door will probably be capable of around 25 miles per charge. The Panamera hybrid covers between 22 to 24 miles on electricity only.

How much will the 2022 Mercedes-AMG GT73e cost?

The GT73 will become the most expensive model in the lineup. Pricing will probably start from around $190,000. That's a massive premium over the base GT 4-Door Coupe, priced from $89,900, but only around $30,000 higher than the AMG GT63 S, priced from $161,900 .The Porsche Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid comes in at $187,700, so the Mercedes-AMG model will be competitive in this department.

Competition

Will the 2022 Mercedes-AMG GT73e be better than the Porsche Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid?

The Panamera is currently the most powerful hybrid available out there. Porsche also offers a 4S E-Hybrid version with 552 horsepower combined, but the Turbo S E-Hybrid tops the range thanks to twin-turbo V-8 and electric motor combo that packs a whopping 690 horsepower. That's even more than the Panamera Turbo S, rated at 621 horses. The twin-turbo, 4.0-liter V-8 pumps out 563 horsepower and 568 pound-feet of torque, while the electric motors adds 134 horses and 295 pound-feet. Combined torque comes in at 642 pound-feet. A performance sedan rather than full-fledged hybrid designed to save fuel, this Panamera is also impressively fast. It needs only 3.1 seconds to hit 60 mph from a standing start and it reaches a top speed of 196 mph. There's a good chance that the AMG GT73e will be quicker and more powerful than the Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid, but until that happens, the Porsche remains king. Pricing starts from $187,700 in the U.S.

Read our full story on the Porsche Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid.

Conclusion

The AMG GT73e is more than just a greener, hybrid version of the company's four-door coupe. It's a full-blown performance vehicle that will trump the GT63 S through use of electric power. It wasn't designed to reduce fuel consumption and cut CO2 emissions as much as it was developed to go after the Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid. Official details are still under wraps, but if recent rumors are any indication, Mercedes-Benz will set new benchmarks once the AMG GT73e becomes available.