Mercedes-AMG E 53 Hybrid Performance Sedan Breaks Cover: Top 5 Highlights

A new generation of the Mercedes-Benz E-Class performance saloon is here and it is hybrid! Following the footsteps of the AMG GLE 53 hybrid, Mercedes has AMG-fied the E-Class with a plug-in hybrid powertrain, giving it supercar output and sportscar performance. It is called the Mercedes-AMG E 53 hybrid and here are its top 5 highlights:

Design

It follows a typical AMG vehicle design language. While the headlights are similar to the standard E-Class, most of the bits around it aren’t. The AMG-spec vertical slats make up the grille and are illuminated as standard to grab your eyeballs. The bumper design has been tweaked, made more aggressive by the huge gaping inlets flanking the air dam in between. As a result, the track width at the front has been further widened. 

The profile sports AMG-specific skirts and light alloy wheels, while the rear, too, sports a stance made aggressive. The taillights are similar with the dual tri-pointed star shaped motifs within it, but the trunk gets a spoiler lip. The bumper has been changed, and incorporates a diffuser and two round double tailpipes on both sides. In comparison to the sedate design of the standard car, these styling changes do make the E-Class look fancier and sportier at the same time.

Cabin

The cabin design of the AMG E 53 hybrid is similar to the standard car, and that’s no bad thing. The dashboard mainly comprises the digital screens, while the third passenger-side screen is an optional extra. The difference here is that these screens get hybrid-specific info and exclusive AMG-specific displays as well for a racier look.

The seats are AMG sport-spec and are electrically adjustable. The upholstery uses man-made leather and features AMG-seat graphics. The AMG-spec steering wheel makes use of Nappa leather and you also get a carbon fibre finish for the central console.

Specifications

The combustion part of the AMG E 53 hybrid makes use of a 3.0-litre in-line six-cylinder engine. Combined with the electric motor, the system has an output of 585PS and 750Nm. Activate launch control and that power output goes up to 612PS! The electric motor is integrated within the 9-speed dual-clutch transmission.  All the power is delivered to all four wheels. 

The combination of petrol and electric power makes the AMG E 53 hybrid a rather quick car. The sprint from nought to 100kmph comes up in 3.8 seconds, and the top speed has been limited to 280kmph.

Now, Mercedes hasn’t revealed the bonkers E 63 AMG, which in its previous iteration, came with a brute twin-turbo V8. We hope that is retained for the latest version, which is expected to break cover down the road. 

All-electric drive

The hybrid nature and the 28.6kWh battery pack of the AMG E 53 hybrid allows for an all-electric drive of up to 100km. You can do speeds of up to 140kmph in pure electricity mode, but of course, you won't get the full 100km all-electric range. But do note that in a performance car such as this, the hybrid system focuses on performance rather than efficiency. As for the battery pack, it is based on a 400 V charging infrastructure, so using a 60kW DC fast charger will take around 20 minutes to charge the battery from 10% to 80%. There are multiple regen modes as well, including one-pedal drive. 

Revised suspension geometry

The folks at AMG developed a new suspension system, featuring adaptive damping adjustment, specifically for the AMG E 53 hybrid. It helps the car offer an insulated ride in all-electric mode, while offering poised dynamic abilities while throwing the car around a corner. The damping can be controlled via the three pre-selected levels and it also gets rear-wheel steering. 

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Even the body shell has been stiffened up to reduce lateral roll and improve stability along with driving precision. So the AMG E 53 hybrid won’t just blast off into the horizon in a straight line, but also holds the ability to carve some corners.

It could make its way to India sometime after the launch of the new LWB E-class, which is due in the second half of the year. Prices for this one could be set somewhere around the Rs 2 crore mark and it’ll rival the likes of the BMW M5, Porsche Panamera and Audi RS7.