We like:Strong performance, spacious cabin, handsome looks
We don’t like:Ride too firm to be deemed"luxurious", chassis not particularly playful, more road noise than expected.
Model Tested:Mercedes-AMG E53 Coupe 4Matic+Price:R1 630 600 (May 2021)Engine:3.0-litre turbocharged in-line 6-cylinder, with EQ Boost systemPower/Torque:320 kW and 520 NmTransmission:9-speed TCT automaticFuel efficiency: 8.8 L/100 kmLoad space:425 litres
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Sleek and muscular, there aren't many big coupes left on the market for the E53 Coupe to compete with.
The recently updatedMercedes-Benz E-Class (all body shapes) appeals to a dwindling customer base, the former members of which havebecome obsessed with powerful, brash SUVs. This Mercedes-AMG E53 Coupe 4Matic+ is aimed at buyers who can't (or don't want/need to) stretch to the hardcore E63 S, which is only available in sedan form in Mzansi. It also fills the chasmthat exists between the 4-cylinder E300 Coupeand the aforementioned V8-engined E63 S;the idealcustomer is likely to be someone who demands agenerous helping of performance served with good portions of luxury and style!
That this is a declining market segment is evidencedby the absence of rivals to the E-Class Coupe. BMW no longer offers the 6 Series in coupe guise, instead opting to challenge more hallowed marques with the pricier 8 Series. There is no similarly sized and priced coupe from Audi either, but you can have the smaller RS5 Coupe and Lexus RC F for around R200k less than the E53Coupe.
Performance and efficiency
The E53 offers fivedifferent driving modes, with throttle response in Sport+ being electrifying!
The Mercedes-AMG E53 Coupe is powered by a turbocharged 3.0-litrestraight-6 petrol engine that develops peak outputs of 320 kW and 520 Nm, which sounds pretty healthy already. However, the powertrain also features the marque's EQ Boost system, which avails an additional 16 kW, as well as a substantial 250 Nm of torque. Mercedes-AMG claims a 0-100-kph time of 4.4 secand an electronically limited top speed of 250 kph. If you opt for the AMG Driver's Package (at extra cost, of course), the top speed goes up to 270 kph.
As good as those reported performance numbers look to the naked eye, it has to be noted that the hefty E53 Coupe's headline numbers are eclipsedby the similarly powerful (but lighter) Audi RS5 and Lexus RC F coupes – and both those cars cost around R200k lessthan the Mercedes-AMG.
Gearshift paddles are nicely positioned, but the 9-speed Speedshift transmission could be faster-acting still.
That said,this "junior" AMG is no slouch – it feels responsive (and is surprisingly sonorous) from the get-go. Coupled with a generally slick-shifting 9-speed Speedshift TCT automatic transmission, as well asan all-wheel-drive system that can shift torque to the wheels where it's needed most, the E53 Coupe appears to have all the ingredients to be an entertaining driver's car. Most of the time, thatis.
The electrically-assisted enginerevs briskly and strongly right up to its6 700-rpm redline – and it emits aglorious exhaust note while doing so (if you remember to press the exhaust pipes button), but when you wring the Benz's neck on a challenging piece of road you begin to notice chinks in its armour…The biggest of which is that you can end up stumbling into the limiter when you tryto shift up justbefore the redline – it's a pitybecause the E53 Coupe sounds wonderful in itsupper rev range. The transmission's responses to flicks of those lovely steering-wheel-mounted paddles aren't immediate either.
In terms of fuel efficiency, you're going to struggle to match Mercedes-AMG's claim of 8.8 L/100 km, but in theory,the big Benz is more frugal than its smaller rivals from Audi and Lexus. In the real world, however, you're looking at an average consumption figure of around 11.5 L/100 km.
Ride and handling
In its most hardcore setting the E53 Coupe is virtually free of body roll, which is great, but it might be too stiff in its softer settings.
The E53 Coupe does a good job of feeling smaller than it actually is when you're driving it, but make no mistake, this is a near 2-tonne car– that weight will always have an impact, no matter how clever the self-levelling suspension and all-wheel-drive system are. And, when pottering around town, the ride quality is somewhatcrashy, whichcan be partly attributed to the fitment of 20-inchwheels with only slivers of rubber wrapped around them. The ride does improvesignificantly at higher speeds, but then, if the road surfaceis coarse, the level of cabin noise is disappointingly high for a luxury car of this calibre.
If you probe the Mercedes-AMG'shandling limits in the twisties, the E53 Coupe will reward you withimpressively little body roll and reasonably precise and quick steering, but this weighty Benz simply cannotbe described as "chuckable". Also, unlike the aforementioned E63 S, the E53 doesn't offer a rear-wheel-drive-only mode. The fun of driving this car fast comes from mastering the engine/gearbox combination and extracting the (surprisingly generous) pace that it can carry into – and out of – corners. The brakes are superb;they stand up well to hard use and instil confidence.
Interior execution and features
With its large infotainment screen, slick graphics, sporty 'wheel and a multitude of ambient lighting options, the E53's cabin oozes tech.
The attractive fascia design and high-tech features remain highlights of the current (W213) generation E-Class'spacious cabin. The interior updates applied to this facelifted model are minor, but when it comes to an AMG derivative such as the E53 Coupe, the highlight is arguably the new AMG Performance steering wheel. It's a nice-to-hold, flat-bottomed item that features a 2-tiered control layout, which admittedly takes some time to become familiarised with, as well as a pair of rotary dials with digital screens to control driving and drivetrain modes. Best of all? It looks the business!
Mercedes-Benz's latest MBUX multimedia system incorporates 2 large screens that flank one another,replete with crisp graphics and marvellously precise responses to touch inputs. As this is the E53 Coupe, you also get AMG-specific menus and readouts. The digital nature of the E53's cabin makes it appear almost futuristic, with the "sci-fi theme" further enhanced by spectacular ambient lighting.
Sporty front seats offer a good mix of comfort and support, while there's plenty of space for rear passengers.
Seeing as it rideson a lengthy (2 873-mm) wheelbase, the E53 Coupe offers significantly more cabin space than its aforementioned (markedly smaller) rivals from Audi and Lexus. There's stretch-out space in the front, with good head- and shoulder-room to boot, but it's in the back where the Benz really holds a significant advantage over its rivals. Rear leg- and headroom are excellent for a coupe; during the Benz's tenure in ourtest fleet, several aft passengers commented that the big AMG was one of the few coupes in which they didn't feel claustrophobic when seated behind the front seats.
Combine the generous occupant space with a large boot capacity (a claimed 425 litres) and you have a genuinely useful grand tour (GT).
The Mercedes-AMG E53 Coupe 4Matic+ costs R1 630 300 (May 2021) before options, and the price includes a 2-year/unlimited km warranty and 5-year/100 000 km maintenance plan.
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While some don't regard the E53 as being true enough to AMG's hardcore character, it's nevertheless a very attractive offering.
The Mercedes-AMG E53 Coupe 4Matic+ is a very charming machine;it successfully combinesexhilarating performance, a sonorous engine, a spacious and luxurious cabin, high-tech infotainment and safety features in adistinctly attractive package. In short, it's a head-turner. On some road surfaces, the Benz's ride quality may be a bit crashyand, ultimately, the coupe'snot as "showy" as we've come to expect AMG models to be, but we have no doubt that Mercedes-Benz diehards will fall hook, line and sinker for the E53 Coupe's multiple charms.
For buyers who want a powerful coupe, but aren't deadset on havingaThree-pointed Star on its nose, the decision is probablyfar more complicated. The smaller Audi RS5 Coupe and Lexus RC F are faster and more overtly sporty, while offering purchase price savings of aboutR200k. The E53 Coupe's advantage over those "rivals" is really limited to the area of cabin space, and we doubt that's enough of a USP in this day and age. But that's not a criticism of the car, merely a comment on the state of the market. If thisAMG's particular skillset appeals to you on paper, the reality is unlikely to disappoint.
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