Think AMG is all about big V8s? Think again.

Tuesday, 23 April 2019

**MERCEDES-AMG E 53 COUPE

Base price:** $180,200

Powertrain and performance: 3.0-litre turbo-petrol inline 6, 320kW/520Nm, 9-speed automatic, AWD, Combined economy 8.8 litres per 100km.

Big, fast and comfortable, the E 53 coupe is everything a Merc coupe should be, but is it really an AMG?

Vital statistics: 4826mm long, 1430mm high, 2873mm wheelbase, luggage capacity 425 litres, 20-inch alloy wheels with 245/35 tyres front, 275/30 rear.

We like: Sleekly stylish. Packed with tech. Super smooth and comfortable.

We don't like: Very big. Not all that engaging.

The V6-powered E 43 AMG is no more, with the new E 53 model being powered by Mercedes' new twin-turbo 3.0-litre inline six. But what makes it 10 better than an E 43? That will be the 48-volt mild-hybrid system that Mercedes calls EQ Boost jammed in there for an extra kick in the back.

So is this really a hybrid AMG?

The superbly detailed interior is a highlight of the E 53.

Yes and no. Mercedes refers to the EQ Boost 48-volt system as a mild hybrid and, as such, it is vastly different in its operation to a full hybrid system like you would find in a Toyota Prius. And the AMG version takes it even further.

**READ MORE:

High-tech and high power, the electrically-boosted inline six in the E 53 is good for a hefty 320kW of power.

* AMG charges up the inline six

* NZ's best-selling luxury car gets a jolt

It may be sleek and sensational-looking, but it is also deceptively large.

* The E 43 is the Mercedes-AMG with Q-ship quality**

In an ordinary Mercedes the 48-volt system is discretely tucked between the engine and transmission (also handily eliminating the need for a starter motor or alternator) and provides mild-hybrid assistance to the inline six, allowing it to 'sail' (ie; automatically coast with the engine off at open road speeds) and also kicks in an extra 16kW and 200Nm of torque when needed.

AMG winds this up a notch by cranking out 50Nm more torque and chucking in an electric turbine also powered by the 48-volt system. This means that below 2500rpm you get instant electric punch from the EQ Boost system, closely followed by the electric turbine cranking things up beyond 3000rpm where the conventional exhaust gas-driven turbo takes up the furious charge that will see you hit 100km/h in just 4.4 seconds.

And just as it should be, it is seamless and impossible to tell what is doing what and when - it's just a relentless charge towards the horizon accompanied by a hard-edged and distinctly inline six cylinder bellow.

Is it as much of a proper hard man as the belligerent E 63?

Oh, most certainly not.

While the 'proper' AMG cars powered by the fantastic 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 are unashamedly aggressive and frankly brutal, the E 53 is more concerned about being a proper luxury car, albeit one that can also get rowdy when required.

The E 53's engine isn't a specifically AMG-developed and hand-built one like the V8, rather it is an AMG-tweaked version (admittedly it is some quite extensive tweaking, involving that electric turbine) of the standard Mercedes-Benz unit and while it can get impressively noisy with Sport mode selected and the sports exhaust turned up to 11, it is also capable of the remarkable civility you would expect from a standard E-class coupe.

In Comfort the ride is superbly, well, comfortable, with a slightly firmer edge than a standard car. Dropping it into Sport or Sport+ firms things up noticeably, but never approaches the bone-shaking race track-firmness of the E 63 S.

However, it also lacks the athletic, engaging and ferally mad appeal of the hardened 63, with a smoother, more civilised approach that actually makes it a bit, well, dull in comparison.

Any other cars I should consider?

Big coupes like the E 53 are quite thin on the ground these days, with the Lexus LC 500 and BMW M850i being its closest competition.

But even they aren't that close with both not only being more showy, but also considerably more expensive, with the Lexus costing $215,000 in either hybrid or V8 guise, while the brawny M850i starts at $259,400, but is more powerful than the AMG.

Which actually makes the E 53 something of a bargain, if you are after a large, stylish coupe with plenty of power. Just don't expect the full 'traditional' AMG experience - this is a new-age AMG.