A Mercedes-AMG GT facelift prototype expected for the 2027 model year caught fire during a road test in Spain’s Sierra Nevada region, marking an unexpected setback ahead of the model’s anticipated debut. The camouflaged test vehicle sustained significant damage, though no injuries were reportedly linked to the incident.
Prototype Fire Interrupts 2027 Mercedes-AMG GT Testing
The prototype was undergoing road testing when it caught fire while still covered in camouflage. Despite the disguise, its overall shape and design details indicate it was a facelifted version of the two-door Mercedes-AMG GT.
Images from the scene show the front of the vehicle appearing largely intact during the early stages of the fire, while the rear sustained the most severe damage. The exact cause of the blaze has not been determined.
Because the Mercedes-AMG GT E Performance places electrified components at the rear of the vehicle, the damage could draw attention to that area. However, the incident does not establish that the hybrid system caused the fire.
E Performance Plug-In Hybrid System
The Mercedes-AMG GT E Performance combines a lightweight AMG high-performance battery and an electric motor with a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 engine, producing a combined 805 horsepower.
Compared with the equivalent non-E Performance GT 63, the plug-in hybrid system adds approximately 228 horsepower. While additional components can introduce more potential failure points, the available information does not identify the hybrid system as the source of the fire.
The Instagram account kikisnevada_pgarage, which shared the incident, claimed that portable fire extinguishers were unable to stop the blaze.
Prototype Testing Allows Engineers to Investigate
As a development vehicle, the prototype may have been testing different components from various suppliers before production. The incident occurred during the testing phase, giving Mercedes engineers the opportunity to identify and evaluate any potential issues before the vehicle reaches customers.
Most importantly, no one was reportedly injured in the fire.
Four-Door EV Was Not Involved
The vehicle involved was not the new fully electric four-door Mercedes-AMG GT scheduled for the 2027 model year. That model features a 106-kWh battery, substantially larger than the 6.1-kWh battery used in the E Performance variant.
The facelifted two-door Mercedes-AMG GT has not yet been officially unveiled. Mercedes has, however, already revealed the 2027 four-door electric model, which closely resembles the Concept AMG GT XX.
In Germany, the GT 55 starts at €154,700, or about $176,000 at current exchange rates. U.S. pricing has not yet been disclosed.
The fire remains an isolated incident, and the exact cause has not been identified based on the information currently available.
