Mercedes-AMG unveils new plug-in hybrid E53

The age of mild hybrid performance cars may be slowly fading away at Affalterbach, as more plug-in hybrids increasingly make their presence on the turf. The latest entrant? Merc-AMG's freshly unveiled, all-new E53, packing more punch and power than its predecessor. Best of all, the brand has given fans of the wagon reason to rejoice - the model is still being offered in both Sedan and Estate body styles.

The new E53 is powered by a combination of a 3.0-litre inline-six engine, alongside an 'E-synchronous' electric motor. This mix generates a maximum system output of 577bhp, and peak torque of a whopping 750Nm. In RACE START mode (which we'll get to in just a bit), Merc says that the E53 Sedan can accelerate from 0 to 100km/h in just 3.8 seconds.

Mercedes-AMG has retained both the Sedan and Estate body styles for the new plug-in hybrid E53

The car will then go on to hit an electronically limited top speed of 280km/h. Impressively, Merc-AMG also says that it can already reach speeds of up to 140km/h purely on electric power.

As the E53 inches closer than ever to performance levels one would have previously expected only from the E63, the significant power bump that it has gotten can be attributed to enhancements on both fronts. For starters, its turbocharged AMG 3.0-litre inline-six engine now delivers 442bhp - an increase of 13bhp over the W213 E53's engine.

More importantly, however, the car's electric motor is now rated at 120kW (161bhp), while giving it 480Nm of instant torque. Interestingly, Merc-AMG says that it has managed to save space by meshing the motor into the AMG SPEEDSHIFT TCT nine-speed transmission that the car's powertrain is mated to.

This electric motor, in turn, is powered by a 28.6kWh (gross) battery, which also gives the car a pure electric range of more than 100km. As an option, this battery can support DC fast charging at up to 60kW for a 10 to 80% recharge in just 20 minutes, although AC charging at up to 11kW is offered as standard.

The new E53's new 3.0-litre inline-six is more powerful than before - although the lion's share of its performance boost this time round has come from a significantly more powerful electric motor 

For all that firepower awaiting underneath, the car also promises to be able to confidently shed speed - and in a manner that's specific to its hybrid drivetrain too.

The AMG high-performance sports brake system consists of internally ventilated brake discs with four-piston fixed callipers on the front axle, and single-piston floating callipers on the rear axle. 

Additionally, the vehicle is also fitted with an electromechanical brake booster, which ensures that the braking system efficiently combines electrical recuperation with the hydraulic brakes. This ensures maximum recuperation performance can be achieved more often over a longer period of time. 

As for the E53's looks, the W214 generation already looks markedly different from the outgoing one, but differentiating between the E53 and standard E-Classes shouldn't be a challenge. 

The front fenders of the E53 are 11mm wider on each side compared to the standard E-Class

Beyond the stiffening measures of the exterior, the new E53 will maintain the AMG-specific radiator trim with vertical slats. The front fenders are also 11mm wider on each side as compared to the E-Class, resulting in a larger track width on the front axle. The AMG front apron can be identified through the outer air inlets with two vertical fins alongside the central A-wing. 

To indicate the electrified drive, hybrid-specific badges will be placed on the front fenders and the rear. 

As standard, the E53 also comes with 19-inch light-alloy wheels, although customers also have the option to opt for 20-inchers, and forged wheels with a 21-inch diameter. 

Internally, the cockpit contains a E53 HYBRID-specific, illuminated trim in grey open-pore ash wood with an AMG logo.

To hold the driver and their passenger in place, the vehicle is also fitted with electrically adjustable AMG sports seats as standard, although electrically adjustable AMG performance seats can be ordered as an option. The upholstery you'll find on the latter comprises a mixture of ARTICO man-made leather and MICROCUT microfibre, with red contrasting topstitching and a unique AMG seat graphic.

The iconic AMG logo can be seen on the open-pore ashwood in the cockpit

As you'd expect, the driver will also get an AMG performance steering wheel in Nappa leather as standard, replete with AMG steering wheel buttons. 

Par for the AMG-course, the E53 Sedan and Estate come with AMG 4MATIC+ all wheel drive for optimal traction, with an electro-mechanically controlled clutch helping to distribute drive force variably to the front and rear axles, depending on specific driving modes. Merc-AMG says that this ensures both superlative driving dynamics and safety under all driving conditions.

Impressively, rear-axle steering also features as part of the standard equipment. At speeds of up to 100km/h, the rear wheel steers in the opposite direction as the front wheel to a maximum of 2.5 degrees. Conversely, they steer in the same direction at up to 0.7 degrees when the vehicle is over speeds of 100km/h.

Standard rear axle steering ensures that the E53 feels more stable at higher speeds 

Merc says it has tuned the car for versatility too, with the adaptive adjustable damping on AMG RIDE CONTROL steel spring suspension developed to specifically meet the requirements of the new E53. Merc says this gives the car a balanced combination a sporty AMG character, and adequate acoustic insulation for purely electric driving.

Specifically, the damping on each wheel is able to adapt to current driving situation and road conditions. The damper characteristic curve can also be preselected with a choice of Comfort, Sport and Sport+, for a noticeable difference between setups for high long-distance comfort and sporty driving dynamics. 

Merc says that its AMG DYNAMIC SELECT driving programmes were crafted to harness the unique technologies of the E53's plug-in hybrid setup. Specifically, beyond the well-known programmes, two hybrid-specific driving programmes, "Electric" and "Battery Hold" have been added to the E53.

The E53 comes with various driving programmes including two which were crafted specially for the plug-in hybrid

By default, the E53 starts in the "Electric" driving programme when the electric motor is switched on. In this driving programme, pure electric driving takes place. If the charge level of the battery is too low or the driver requests more power, the intelligent operating strategy switches over automatically to car's engine, which takes over the drive power. 

The "Battery Hold" programme, on the other hand, lets the combustion engine and electric motor run in a coordinated manner. This keeps the battery charge level almost constant. The use of the electric motor is limited and optimised only for low energy consumption.

To round things off, here's where we return to the 'RACE START' mode we mentioned earlier. 

If the E53 isn't manic enough out of the box, Mercedes-AMG is also offering an optional AMG DYNAMIC PLUS package, which consists of a host of performance upgrades to sharpen the car further. This, of course, includes a 'RACE START' mode - with which a special software draws the full power of the electric motor and combustion engine to help the driver achieve the best possible acceleration. 

Other enhancements include an electronically controlled rear locking differential - for even better traction out of corners - and larger brake discs at the front with six-piston callipers, painted over in red.