High-performance automakers are fiercely competitive when it comes to their top-tier cars. Rarely do you hear an executive concede that another brand’s product is better than theirs. But in the case of Mercedes-AMG, the parent-company’s head honcho has admitted that the Porsche Taycan will probably be better than the division’s first electric model.
The Porsche Taycan made its first auto-show appearance at the 2019 Frankfurt motor show, arriving with all-wheel drive, up to 750 horsepower and a 0-60-mph time of just 2.6 seconds. Those stats are impressive, and Daimler boss Ola Kallenius is unsure if AMG will be able to best them with its first electric model.
"Taycan sets the bar, that's for sure,” he told Australia’s Car Sales.
When pressed if AMG’s electric would outpace the Taycan, Kallenius responded with "I don't know.”
Although it remains to be seen if AMG will be able to come up with an electric drivetrain to rival that of the Porsche Taycan, the performance division is determined to build a better handling EV than its cross-country rival.
“The biggest differentiator, as of now…(are) the driving dynamics, the behavior, the interaction between driver and car,” Kallenius said. “That makes the difference in my perspective.”
AMG has yet to provide a timeframe for its first electric product. However, the brand is expected to launch its first plug-in hybrid model sometime next year.
Although Mercedes views the Porsche Taycan as the benchmark in the electric segment, Tesla might beg to differ. The nearly 8-year-old Tesla Model S can rocket from 0-60 mph in 2.28 seconds (albeit with a rolling start) and has a longer range than the Taycan. The Model S also just set a lap record for a four-door vehicle at the Laguna Seca racing circuit.