Letting the AMG 53 Series loose at Kyalami!

By Farzana Chaumoo

AMG has put its hands into the CLS 53, based on the Mercedes-Benz CLS-class, to increase its levels of performance. The four-door coupé shares a chassis and some interior bits with the E-class but is, however, donning its own exclusive sheet metal. It also has a less expressive statement than its predecessor and the automaker’s current design direction can clearly be seen.

 

Suffixed to the AMG 53 Series, there are two cars competing for your attention. In this “53 Series” are the third-generation Mercedes CLS and the E 53 coupé and cabriolet. Both of these models are fitted with the same hybrid powertrain and have a similar seductive shape with a fast roofline.

 

Design

There is no eight-cylinder 63 derivative in the CLS range anymore. If you’re after a four-door coupé with that amount of power, the next best thing to look at is the new four-door version of the AMG GT.

Unless you know your cars pretty darn well, and by that I mean every design detail difference, you can easily mistake models. The differences sit in the lights and the bumpers. I know that’s something no automaker wants to hear, but the truth is the average shopper doesn’t know what the current/a design language is. They don’t take particular note of how a particular line on a car extends from the front, at a certain angle, all the way to the rear light because it gives the car a more aggressive stance. Yes, most shoppers will acknowledge the beauty and stance, but when us petrolheads start getting into the nitty-gritty details – like how the car features carefully designed aerodynamics meant to reduce drag, and how the purpose and shape of the front splitter reduces lift – let’s admit, that’s where we’ll start losing a lot of you.

So, let’s keep it simple – I’ll say it’s gorgeous and you’ll look at the pictures and agree anyway. The Cabrio even more so. It’s distinct, especially in the colour combo that we drove at the launch. The Mercedes-AMG CLS 53 rides on 19-inch wheels and gets quad oval exhaust tips. On a finer note, model differences can usually be identified from the bumpers and lights. 

Inside the cabin, there’s a new AMG Performance steering wheel that features handy touch-sensitive buttons that respond to swiping movements. This allows the driver full control over the infotainment system without having to remove their hands from the wheel. But if you’re a tad bit old-school, there’s still a console-mounted controller with a touchpad. There’s also a fully digital cockpit whereby the driver can change the display styles and configure the information most relevant to them.

 

Exclusive Edition 1 for the CLS 53 4MATIC+

The CLS 53 gets, even more, distracting with the Edition 1 pack. It “boasts the Copper Art interior design”, meaning it gets copper accents in the finer design details such as in the carbon and on the stitching all around the car. On top of this, it features an IWC analogue clock and an ambient lighting system with 64 colours!

 

What’s it like to drive?

The inline-six engine reappears after Mercedes-Benz abandoned the smooth powerplant in 1999. 

AMG added power to an already great powerplant. An exclusive electric supercharger was added to a new turbocharged straight-six 3.0-litre to produce 320 kW of power and torque of 520 Nm and is supported by Mercedes-Benz’s EQ Boost starter/alternator which adds a little bit of extra power when not feeding the 48-volt electrical system. The EQ Boost starter was also designed to fill in the low-end torque gap left by a turbocharger that hasn’t quite reeled its way up. A nine-speed automatic transmission with a standard all-wheel-drive system manages and supplies all that power accordingly with 50% of the powertrain's grunt going to the front or up to 100% to the rear.

The 53 carries the same thrill as a 43 and 63 and remains poised in most dynamic situations. A 0-100 km/h sprint happens in 4.5 seconds, 4.4 seconds in the E 53 Coupé, and trust me, it’s totally believable! It’s potent on a straight line and there wasn’t any perceptible shortage of traction or hesitancy from the nine-speed gearbox.

The CLS 53 rests on firmer, AMG Ride Control+ air springs with adaptive dampers, and has multi-link suspension at the front and rear. This is a self-levelling set-up that can be manually raised for steep routes and will lower at speed. Pre-sets include the normal, Comfort, Sport and Sport+. However, there’s an individual setting whereby you can tailor the engine, driveline and transmission to a road you want to take it down.

We got to take these cars through a slalom/gymkhana setup, as well as drag race each other on a stretch at Kyalami in its different modes. There’s a good balance of class and sportiness with these models. They have communicative steering and provide surefooted, nimble handling. The CLS 53 is definitely edgier than the AMG E 53.

In terms of fuel figures, I can’t give you anything other than the claimed figures as we were playing hard with these cars on the track. In the CLS 53 4MATIC+, fuel consumption on a combined cycle is 8.7-8.9 l/100km, 8.7-8.8 l/100km on the E 53 4MATIC+ Coupé and 8.8-8.9 l/100km on the E 53 4MATIC+ Cabriolet.

When asked, the Mercedes-Benz spokesmen contend that the new inline-6 engine isn’t a replacement for V8 power. However, its technical build, power and performance suggest otherwise. The CLS 53 is very much credible with its AMG badges despite the lack of a V8 engine.

 

Verdict

Mercedes-Benz started doing very well since the A45, which is partly responsible for reviving the youthful nature of the Benz brand. The CLS-class and E-class look and sounds like a more mature range, but bring the 53 into the spotlight with its sporty design, dynamics and technological superiority and this appeals to a much younger audience. And I have to admit that it does live up to all expectations. With an old idea under the bonnet and the embracing of new technology, the 2019 53 Series is a force to be reckoned with.

 

Pricing

Mercedes-AMG CLS 53 4MATIC+                   R 1,491,600

Mercedes-AMG E 53 4MATIC+ Coupé            R 1,311,700

Mercedes-AMG E 53 4MATIC+ Cabriolet       R 1,430,600