Mercedes has introduced a new all-electric AMG GT SUV, but one of its flashiest features comes at a higher price: fake V8 engine noise.
Buyers who opt for the entry-level version get a different synthetic soundtrack, even though all three trims are fully battery-powered. For anyone already weary of bloated luxury SUVs and added road noise, it is an especially irritating kind of upsell.
Here's what to know
Mercedes created the AMG GT SUV as a dedicated electric vehicle instead of adapting one of its existing SUV platforms. Power starts at 536 horsepower in the GT 53, rises to 805 hp in the GT 55, and peaks at 1,153 hp in the GT 63.
Trim level also decides which fake engine note drivers hear, according to The Drive: the GT 55 and GT 63 receive simulated V8 audio, while the GT 53 gets sounds modeled after an AMG six-cylinder.
Mercedes bundles that effect under the AMGFORCE Sport+ label, effectively turning a fully fabricated feature into a marker of status.
So the exclusivity being sold here is a strange one: paying more for a different artificial roar.
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More background
This is hardly the first time an automaker has invested in manufactured vehicle noise. Renault offered gas-powered Clio drivers selectable sounds loosely based on things like a Nissan GT-R or even a motorcycle.
More broadly, car companies have spent years trying to use sound to supply what some executives appear to see as an emotional missing piece in EVs, even though electric vehicles already offer their own advantages, including quieter driving, no tailpipe pollution, and less dependence on gasoline.
There is a real safety reason for some EV sound when pedestrians are nearby. Beyond that, though, the obsession with synthetic engine theatrics can seem misguided — especially when it is marketed as a luxury benefit.
For communities already dealing with traffic, noise, and ever-larger vehicles on the road, turning a fake V8 note into an expensive branding exercise is a telling choice.
What's being done?
Mercedes' product literature says the system uses reference recordings instead of creating the audio entirely from scratch.
More specifically, the setup relies on more than 100 recorded sound measurements captured with 16 microphones from reference vehicles, including the Mercedes AMG GT R (C 190). The audio then changes in real time based on how the SUV is being driven, including acceleration and simulated gear changes.
Mercedes has put serious engineering effort into making an electric SUV reproduce aspects of the combustion experience. Customers who want that can have it — but only GT 55 and GT 63 buyers get the faux V8 version, while GT 53 buyers do not.
Where can I learn more?
Mercedes isn't the only brand trying to define the next phase of luxury EVs. These stories cover Mercedes-AMG's electric SUV push, Mercedes battery advances, and its charging network.
• Mercedes-AMG is teasing a truly captivating high-performance off-roader as its electric SUV ambitions expand.
• Mercedes-Benz says 750 miles on one charge is possible with solid-state batteries.
• Mercedes-Benz says new cells could push range by hundreds of miles, even as China leads.
• Mercedes says its EV charging network will top Tesla on speed and access.
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