A plethora of techy features
Sure, a 1,341-horsepower super sedan from one of the most storied brands on Earth is exciting, but there’s more to the cool concept than a slick spec sheet with larger-than-life numbers. Affalterbach says that the Concept AMG GT XX “offers insight into the first series-production model based on AMG.EA high-performance architecture.” Hopefully, some of the coolest features don’t get left on the cutting room floor.
“World first” Aero wheels
Turbofan wheel covers have been around since the 1970s, but Mercedes claims the patented design appearing on the Concept AMG GT XX is a world first. The blades comprising the turbofan cover are repositionable and react to different situations as dictated by the car’s control units. Like a traditional turbofan cover, they can sit flush with the wheel to reduce drag; however, when required for enhanced brake cooling, the blades open to increase airflow. The actuators adjusting the fans are attached to each wheel, fully autonomous, and use the wheel itself as a power source. Benz says the battery on each is good to store enough energy for 200 blade movements.
Mercedes-Benz
Taillights and light bar
Around back, the Concept AMG GT XX continues to put on a masterclass in techno wizardry. The light panel comprises more than 700 individual LEDs and can even display vehicle status info like charging progress. Even the taillights themselves, which are fairly straightforward circular lights in groupings of three, are something we hope to see more of. The panel housing the lights is actually slightly recessed, giving the lights an extra sense of depth. The deceptively simple lights are a nice slice of retro-futurism — and good design — that we would love to see MB include in their upcoming cars.
Mercedes-Benz
Carbon fiber bucket seats
What radical concept car is complete without a set of uber-aggressive carbon fiber-backed bucket seats? The Concept AMG GT XX isn’t the first, nor will it be the last, but we’re still suckers for an excellent pair of thrones. The front two buckets are based on race seats and feature swappable seat pads, similar to driver changes in endurance racing. The seat pads are also 3D printed, which makes us think there’s actually a possibility of production in their future. Perhaps cooler — and less production-ready — are the rear bucket seats, a feature BMW pioneered in the F90 M5 CS. Benz says they’re integrated into the car’s rear bulkhead, cushions, and all. So, no hot swapping there.
Mercedes-Benz
Unique flooring
The Concept AMG GT XX, notably, has no headliner, leaving the carbon fiber roof exposed for all to see. You don’t have to look up to be amazed; you can also look down at the floor. You’ll notice a racing-inspired checkered flag design that’s made of 100 percent recycled materials. I’m a big fan of working in checkered flag designs where you least expect it — like BMW and its F87 M2 CS’s carbon fiber roof — and I’m really hoping Mercedes-Benz pursues this line of design. Name another car with a checkered flag design on the floor. I’ll wait.
Mercedes-Benz
Luminescent paint
The bright orange paint on the Concept AMG GT XX is eye-catching, but even more interestingly, it’s luminescent, essentially translating to glow-in-the-dark. The paint emits light in response to an electrical current, allowing it to glow bright even when the lights go out. MB dubs it “MBUX Fluid Light Paint,” and you may have already seen it in action, since the manufacturer used the same paint on a GT3 race car at the 24 Hours of Nürburgring. Mercedes isn’t the only one working on this, so we expect to see this kind of paint becoming more mainstream over the next decade or so.
Final thoughts
The Concept AMG GT XX is one of the more compelling Mercedes concepts to debut in the last few years. Not because of its horsepower figures or striking overall design, but because it seems to offer a genuine glimpse into the automaker’s future. If it is, we expect some really good-looking cars to roll out of Affalterbach sooner rather than later. While some features, like the aero wheels, are bound to be reserved for high-dollar cars, there are somewhat more reasonable goals for things like luminescent paint and recycled flooring. We’ll have to wait and see.
