The super-SUV arena is set to welcome a new fully electric contender - this time, by one of the most storied names in the performance world.
Mercedes-AMG has announced that it is developing its first SUV entirely in-house, thus also making this the first time since the division was founded 57 years ago that an AMG-only SUV is set to be produced. Till date, AMG-badged SUVs have been based off existing Mercedes-Benz SUVs, albeit with extensive modifications for heightened performance.
Performance SUVs are no longer surprising in today's automotive world, and Affalterbach's latest move, while unprecedented for the brand, isn't entirely surprising. You'll remember that not too long ago, BMW M also unleashed its first purpose-built SUV to the world: The BMW XM.
Here's the big catch, however: Instead of utilising AMG's V8s and V10s, this incoming SUV is set to be the second model to ride on the AMG.EA platform, crafted specially for high performance electric vehicles (EVs). It will also mark the sixth vehicle to be fully developed in Affalterbach, after the current and previous-generation GT, the SL and the SLS.
Additionally, while specific power details are still unclear, Mercedes-AMG appears to have confirmed that this will take the fight to proper big boys by referring to it as a "full-size SUV".
Ostensibly in response to those who might find an AMG-only SUV model blasphemous, Mercedes-AMG states that high-performance SUVs have "long been a cornerstone of [its] portfolio", and that they continue to be among its most popular models.
The division has also promised that the new AMG.EA architecture adheres closely to an "AMG First, EV Second" philosophy, through which all vehicles built are promised to still embody the core AMG qualities of emotion and performance.
