For us, AMG is synonymous with V8… glorious, loud, rumbling and mighty V8. However, the Mercedes-AMG E 53 4Matic+ Coupe that we bring you today comes with an in-line six-cylinder — it can't be a real AMG, can it?
Signs of the times… Nowadays, AMG does not reserve itself for eight cylinders, having in its catalog a four cylinder, the most powerful production in the world, for the noble V12 that can be found in exclusive Pagani. These new AMG 53 — only the 63 come with the most coveted V8 — act as a stepping stone to the AMG universe, somewhat contained in its ferocity, to be sure, but still sprinkled with the magic of Affalterbach's house.
This level of access to the AMG universe is nothing new. The 53 took the place of the previous 43, and with them came a new 3.0 l in-line six-cylinder block, to which a turbo and an electrically driven compressor are coupled.
AMG assisted by electrons
This last item is only possible thanks to the presence of the EQ Boost , a 48 V parallel electrical system, an electric motor-generator of 22 hp and 250 Nm , and a set of batteries, which make this Mercedes-AMG E 53 4Matic+ Coupe a semi-hybrid or mild-hybrid.
Subscribe to our newsletter
It's not the first time we've referred to mild-hybrid in Reason Automobile, so you should know that it's not even a hybrid like a Toyota Prius or a plug-in hybrid like a Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV — in other words, it's not. there is no possibility of purely electrical displacement.
The objective of the semi-hybrid system is essentially to assist and give some “slack” to the internal combustion engine, contributing to a reduction in consumption and emissions. It is responsible for feeding some auxiliary systems, serving as a starter motor, assisting the combustion engine in moments such as acceleration, and also recovering kinetic energy during braking, converting it into electrical energy to charge the batteries.
AMG to be AMG...
…must walk fast — either forward or sideways — and provide the most muscular of soundtracks. Does the E 53 4Matic+ Coupe — the most powerful E-Class Coupe they can buy; there is no E 63 Coupe — does it? No doubt.
The soundtrack isn't as powerful as that of a V8, but as Diogo reveals to us by switching to Sport or Sport+ mode, the six-cylinder in-line has an excellent voice. The performances also do not disappoint despite the almost two tons of car. The 435 hp and 520 Nm allow to dispatch the 100 km/h in just 4.4s, and the top speed is limited to 250 km/h.
With such a mass, will it curve? An affirmative yes, although it is not possible to disguise the almost two tons. The Mercedes-AMG E 53 4Matic+ Coupe is surprisingly agile and easy to insert into corners, and while it doesn't allow for the exuberances of the 63, such as leaving the tarmac marked in long rear drifts, it denotes excellent composure and the ability to do a lot of any journey, but very quickly.
Is it a real AMG?
In the end, the question that serves as a title is answered with a firm yes. A slightly smoother AMG, it's true, more in keeping with the GT universe than a Germanic interpretation of a muscle car. The sound is there, as well as the “stage presence”, the quality, even the sportiness.
The Mercedes-AMG E 53 4Matic+ Coupe has a price starting at 98 thousand euros , but what was tested by Diogo added 20 thousand euros in extras, getting to 118,000 euros. In addition to the coupé, the E 53 is also available in the convertible body, which allows even better access to the soundtrack provided by the new inline six-cylinder block.
To find out more about the Mercedes-AMG E 53 4Matic+ Coupe, I would like to pass the word to Diogo in another video from our YouTube channel.