Yahoo Autos The 2019 Mercedes-AMG E53 Coupe Sings with a High-Tech Inline-Six Engine
The Mercedes-Benz E-class, in its current W213 generation, has evolved from a stronghold of staid opulence to encompass an impressive range of excellence. Our preferences naturally skew to the sportier Mercedes-AMG versions, which for 2019 are highlighted by a trio of new E53 models powered by the equally fresh, high-tech Mercedes straight-six. While sedan and convertible configurations also are available, it is the E53 coupe that excels as the E-class's premier grand tourer.
Mercedes-AMG's new 53 designation supplants the previous four-door-only E43 model, itself a finely balanced machine that initially helped the latest E-class earn 10Best Cars honors as well as a comparison-test victory over the 2017 Audi A6 3.0T, BMW 540i, and Cadillac CTS V-Sport. The moniker also extends to AMG's new-for-2019 GT53 and CLS53 four-doors, which employ the same formula of standard 4Matic+ all-wheel drive, an AMG-tuned nine-speed automatic transmission, and the trick new powerplant: a turbocharged and electrically supercharged 3.0-liter inline-six augmented by a 48-volt hybrid-assist system dubbed EQ Boost.
A Stirring Powertrain
The E53's 0.9-kWh lithium-ion battery feeds both the electrically driven blower and a starter/alternator motor sandwiched between the engine and gearbox. With electrons chipping in 21 horsepower and 184 lb-ft of torque, total system output is 429 horses at 6100 rpm and 384 lb-ft stretching from 1800 to 5800 revs. Mercedes also offers a 362-hp version of the new engine minus the supercharger in the refreshed CLS-class sedan. Along with enhanced fuel economy, the gist of the setup is for the supercharger to provide low-end grunt until the exhaust-driven turbo spools up, thereby sharpening the engine's response and smoothing out the power delivery.
It works, even if it's not the hand-built delicacy that AMG's grander models are known for. The E53's engine responds crisply and with nary a hint of turbo lag, its power building in linear fashion to the 6500-rpm redline as you push the pedal further into the carpet and summon the turbocharger into action. There's a silken smoothness underlying its raspy growl that could only come from an inline-six, with our test car's two-stage AMG Performance exhaust system amplifying the noise pleasingly-enough so that we wish the pipes weren't a $1250 option.
The powertrain's electric bits also contribute to a virtually seamless engine stop-start system that never stumbles when refiring the powerplant. Given the E53 coupe's EPA fuel economy estimates of 21 mpg city, 28 highway, and 23 combined, the 18 mpg we averaged overall is largely a function of the car's being subjected to our extreme-duty 10Best Cars testing cycle.
Pleasantly Flexible
Of the many strengths of the current E-class, its wide range of capabilities, from stately cruiser to back-road bomber, is arguably its greatest. Depending on the drive mode selected (Eco, Comfort, Sport, Sport+, and Individual), the AMG-tuned nine-speed automatic transmission can work through its cogs unobtrusively or with a heightened zeal that delivers a hearty shove with each upshift, as well as clean, rev-matched downshifts. Steering-wheel-mounted paddles return relatively snappy responses to the driver's prods in manual mode, though still not as immediate as a dual-clutch automatic's. The AMG Sport air-spring suspension and driver-adjustable three-mode dampers can provide either impressive ride comfort or tamped-down body control for aggressive cornering. And the electrically assisted steering exudes a natural flow with welcome feedback that gently increases as you step up the drive settings. While the standard 4Matic+ branded all-wheel-drive system defaults to a rear-wheel-biased torque distribution, it is fully variable in shuttling torque fore and aft as traction demands.
Weighing a rather chunky 4519 pounds and riding on $750 20-inch wheels wrapped with Pirelli P Zero PZ4 Run Flat summer tires (19s with all-season rubber are standard), our test car returned a solid 0.91 g of lateral grip around the skidpad and stopped from 70 mph in 166 feet. After building some engine revs against the brakes with slight brake torque, the E53 shot to 60 mph in a fleet 4.1 seconds and through the quarter-mile in 12.6 seconds at 111 mph. However, despite its AMG fortifications, which lend the E coupe a substantial degree of real-world athleticism, the car really doesn’t move the performance bar versus the previous, 396-hp E43 sedan. That car carried 232 fewer pounds, posted slightly better grip and braking figures, and was only a touch slower in a straight line.
Banking on Design
Indulgent grand-touring luxury coupes have long been a hallmark of Mercedes-Benz, and the E53 coupe, at $74,695 to start, fits the mold with the road presence of a scaled-down S-class coupe. It is a pretty thing to behold, even in our example's $720 Obsidian Black Metallic hue, with flowing lines, an arching greenhouse, and a restrained amount of body tinsel. The 53-series models are distinguished by their silver-chrome twin-blade grille design and sharper front air intakes, as well as deeper side sills and quad oval exhaust outlets. One of the coupe's more surprising features is a spacious back seat, which can house a pair of six-footers without their knees being crammed into the front seatback or their heads scrubbing the headliner.
The front of the E coupe's ritzy interior mostly carries over from the sedan and wagon, with the AMG adding plenty of classy details. The prominent ambient lighting accents can seem a bit tacky for more reserved tastes, but the $600 addition of Metal Weave trim across our car's dash did reflect a cool, glittering glow from the E's backlit circular HVAC vents. The E-class has yet to adopt Mercedes-Benz's latest MBUX infotainment system as seen in the new CLA-class. In a car world ever more awash with touchscreens, though, the setup feels decidedly stale.
At an as-tested $95,895, our example had no shortage of optional equipment, including an upgraded $4550 Burmester audio system, $4200 worth of Designo black and dark grey nappa leather with quilted stitching on the seats, and the $2250 Driver Assistance package (adaptive cruise, automated emergency braking, rear-end collision protection, and active blind-spot, lane-changing, and lane-keeping assistants). Also onboard were $1320 multicontour front seats with massage, a $1290 active parking system and surround-view camera, a $990 head-up display, and a host of smaller luxury extras.
While Mercedes-AMG has no plans to produce a fire-breathing E63 coupe powered by its twin-turbo 4.0-liter V-8, the E53 coupe with its snarling straight-six stands as a high-performance touring car with undeniable poise, one that brings an added degree of AMG-tinged sleekness to the E-class lineup.
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