To celebrate Roger Federer’s retirement, Mercedes-Benz will auction off an AMG GT 63 S E PERFORMANCE in the color of tennis balls.
Roger Federer, the father of modern tennis, announced in mid-September that he was hanging up his racquet and sneakers. The Swiss player will thus embark on a new facet of his life that begins with a new partnership with Mercedes-Benz. The project that stems from this partnership, named “Neon Legacy,” begins its first phase with the arrival of a special edition of the Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S E PERFORMANCE.
AMG GT 63 S E PERFORMANCE: “Neon Heritage”?
The AMG GT 63 S E PERFORMANCE in question is unique. It earns this title because its bodywork is painted in a yellow that is strongly reminiscent of the color of tennis balls. Moreover, its interior and hood are autographed by Roger Federer, and Mercedes-Benz promises that no other car will feature the same colors as this one in the future.
It is known that the car will be auctioned off towards the end of the year, with the proceeds going to fund a humanitarian tennis project next year. But that’s where the information disclosed by Mercedes-Benz about the “Neon Heritage” project ends, or even about the car wearing a neon yellow paint job. The manufacturer informs us that we will have to wait a few weeks before knowing more.
AMG GT 63 S E PERFORMANCE: Time for electrification
The car on which the tennis ball is based was launched more than a year ago by Mercedes-Benz, and the E PERFORMANCE is aptly named. It features a plug-in hybrid powertrain that produces 831 horsepower and 1,084 pound-feet torque. The 4.0-liter V8 engine produces 630 horsepower, while the electric motor provides the additional 201 horsepower, the latter being placed on the rear axle.
It’s a unique technology new to other, much less expensive models in the lineup, such as the all-new 671-hp C63 S E PERFORMANCE plug-in hybrid. The Mercedes-Benz C63 abandons the V8 and offers a 4-cylinder engine with an electric motor in the back for the first time. This engine is the most powerful production 4-cylinder engine, producing 469 horsepower.