- In the 2025 Mercedes-AMG E53, a 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6 electric motor produces 576 horsepower.
- The large 21.2 kWh battery targets a 62-mile range for EVs, but that's within generous European WLTP standards.
- The optional Dynamic Plus package adds even more performance and improved brakes to this new member of the E-Class family.
We've grown accustomed to the idea of cars getting more powerful over successive generations, but the shift to electrification has dramatically increased this trend. The latest Mercedes-AMG E53 sedan in the U.S. boasts a respectable 429 horsepower from its turbocharged six-cylinder engine. The new 2025 version will use a plug-in hybrid powertrain to deliver an improved 576 hp – or 603 hp when using the optional Race Start mode. These numbers mean the new E53 produces more power than the previous-generation Mercedes-AMG E63 S. That's the kind of inflation we can all get behind.
The new E53 Hybrid uses the same engine as the GLE53 Hybrid we told you about last October, but gains a more powerful electric motor. The E53's 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged engine makes 443 horsepower and works in conjunction with an electric motor sandwiched between it and the nine-speed transmission inside the gearbox. It's capable of delivering up to 161 hp and 352 lb-ft on its own, with a short-term power boost in Race Start mode that comes as part of the optional AMG Dynamic Plus package. Combined peak torque is 553 lb-ft. AMG claims a 3.8-second to 62 mph time for the E53 Hybrid sedan in Race Start, and two-tenths slower without it. We were able to hit 60mph in four seconds in the previous E53 Coupe and we can safely expect that the new car will improve on its official figures.
Electrical power comes from a 21.2 kWh 400-volt battery located under the rear floor, which is large enough to provide meaningful electric range. In Europe, AMG says it is targeting a WLTP rating of 62 miles (or 100 km), which will open up tax benefits for EVs for owners in various countries. The EPA numbers will certainly be lower than that, but the E53 Hybrid should still be able to offer more than 40 miles of EV range, and can drive up to 87 mph under electric power. Top speed is limited in Europe to 155 mph for the standard car, and 174 mph with the Dynamic Plus package.
The E53 Hybrid will also be easier to recharge than most plug-ins, with a 60kW fast charging option that will allow the battery's state of charge to be taken from 10 to 80 percent in less than 20 minutes. minutes. Even without a DC charger specified, the onboard AC charger operates at up to 11 kW. The hybrid system brings two new driving modes, namely electric mode, which runs the car as an electric vehicle until the battery runs out, and battery mode, which will maintain the charge level for later deployment. When driving electric, the E53 Hybrid has a tactile throttle pedal that will harden to indicate the point at which maximum performance is achieved; Pushing beyond that will start the engine and switch to hybrid operation.
While the E53 Hybrid looks more aggressive than the standard E-Class, there's still plenty of visual headroom left over for the E63 that we expect it to follow with confidence. The E53 gets a new radiator grille featuring the familiar AMG vertical lines with illuminated surrounds, a deeper front bumper and widened front fenders (0.4 inches wider on each side). Unfortunately, the fenders also get what appear to be air vents placed at the trailing edge, but these turn out to be empty on closer inspection. The smaller false vent grille on the rear bumper is also contoured and not real. At the back there are quad exhaust pipes, a new spoiler on the trunk lid, and a red E53 badge indicating the engine is a hybrid.
Interior changes are subtle. Aside from the subtle AMG branding on the steering wheel base and new dashboard graphics, the E53 feels little changed from any other top-equipped E-Class. European buyers will be able to choose between the Super Display, which adds a passenger-side display to the UX system, or the standard configuration with an open-pore gray wood panel featuring the backlight innovation. However, US specifications have not been finalized yet, and it is possible that the premium display will be standard here.
AMG still uses a steering column gear selector rather than falling back to a separate shifter in the center console as AMG models did until recently. The gearshift paddles behind the steering wheel now have a dual function. In more aggressive Dynamic modes, it will actually offer the driver the ability to shift to select ratios, but when electrically operated, it will vary the levels of regenerative braking. AMG says the most aggressive of these will operate as a single-pedal mode.
Hardware improvements for the E53 include dual-valve active dampers capable of adjusting rebound and compression separately. Rear-wheel steering will also be standard, and the body structure gets additional reinforcement to improve rigidity. These changes include a cross brace between the front strut towers and additional bracing for the rear axle mounts. Four-pot brake calipers gripping 14.5-inch diameter ventilated front discs will be standard, with optional Dynamic Plus upgrading those to six-pot calipers and larger 15.3-inch rotors.
Deliveries to the US won't begin until the third quarter of 2024, and we don't have prices yet. AMG says the new E53 Hybrid in Europe is a little more expensive than the old version, so hopefully that'll be true when it reaches us too. For reference, the previous E53 sedan was priced at $82,450 in 2022.
Our man across the pond, Mike Duff, lives in Britain but reports from all over Europe, and sometimes beyond. He has previously held staff roles on UK titles including car, And evobut his automotive tastes lean toward the Germanic: he owns a troublesome 987-generation Porsche Cayman S and a Mercedes 190E 2.5-16.
“Analyst. Web buff. Wannabe beer trailblazer. Certified music expert. Zombie lover. Explorer. Pop culture fanatic.”
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