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Emotion is the biggest hurdle for any automaker releasing a new electric car. For a brand like Mercedes‑AMG, whose ethos is historically one of excitement and smiles-per-gallon, that’s doubly true. It’s also probably why Tuesday night’s launch of Mercedes‑AMG’s new electric GT 4‑Door Coupé was literally a rock show, complete with smoking tires, pyrotechnics, A-listers, and a performance by Blink-182.
The event transformed L.A.’s iconic Sixth Street Bridge into “an Autobahn,” where roughly 600 guests gathered in a grandstand to watch the proceedings.
The 600-person event took place on L.A.’s Sixth Street
Bridge, which was transformed into “an Autobahn.” Guests, who included stars like Jacob Elordi, Mercedes F1 driver Kimi Antonelli, and some of the car world’s most recognizable faces, entered by walking past a collection of AMG classics. On grandstands erected in the middle of the bridge, they watched a trio of GT 4‑Door Coupés fly out, tires smoking, and race across the bridge into the sunset.
Maybe more notably, guests also heard the new cars tearing up the makeshift Autobahn. In AMGFORCE Sport+ drive mode, the car emits a recording of AMG internal-combustion V-8 engines that adapts, in real time, to driving situations. That means you’ll hear idle rumble, revving, and roaring at red line.
The cars returned to the grandstands, and F1 driver George Russell and Brad Pitt stepped out. Pitt will serve as the ambassador of the GT 4‑Door Coupé campaign. Speaking with Russell about the new car’s driving experience, Mercedes-AMG boss Michael Schiebe remarked that it makes the driver wonder, “what’s my age again?” This was (obviously) followed by a surprise performance by Blink-182.
Mark Hoppus, Tom DeLonge, and Travis Barker emerged from the wings, kicking off the show with the teased song. The nine-song, 30-minute show covered other hits like Feeling This, I Miss You, The Rock Show, and Dammit to wrap up. And real fans needn’t have worried: Despite it being a corporate event, the band delivered their usual vulgarity, from dick jokes to stories about handjobs in Mercedes.
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