Mercedes-AMG E 53 and the E 63S launched in India
Mercedes-Benz India is going all guns blazing with its performance range and two sweet additions to the AMG family are the E 63S and the E 53, which have been launched at Rs 1.7 crore and Rs 1.02 crore, ex-showroom, respectively. The cars sport minor differentiators externally, but what separates the two is the powertrain.
Exterior
Both the E 63S and the E 53 are distinctly different from the regular E-Class. Both cars get the panamericana grille and a redesigned front bumper. The bonnet is aggressively designed with lines and power bulges on it. Both the cars also receive the lighter, blacked-out AMG wheels that lower the unsprung mass of the car. Around the back, both the AMG cars get a rear spoiler lip, to aid downforce. Both the cars can be fitted with an optional carbonfibre package which further lightens the car and makes it look more aggressive.
Interiors
The interiors of the two cars are similar As is the case with all Mercedes-Benz cars, both cars get a large blacked out panel that houses the digital instrument cluster and the infotainment screen. It comes fitted with the latest MBUX Interior Assistant and connectivity is sorted out with the Mercedes Me software. The two cars also get the AMG seats and the AMG steering wheel which makes the car feel much sportier over the standard models. It is afterall an E-Class and that means quality of materials used is top notch. It gets nappa leather upholstery, touchpad for the infotainment screen, and a new AMG steering wheel with capacitive touch buttons. Mercedes has also come up with over 15000 personalisation choices to allow the customers to make their AMGs bespoke.
Engine and Transmission
The Mercedes AMG E 53 comes with a 3.0-litre, inline six-cylinder engine which generates 429bhp and 520Nm of torque. The car gets an extra 21bhp and 250Nm of torque via the EQBOOST technology. It also comes with the F1-derived electric exhaust gas turbocharger technology. . The electric motor, housed on the exhaust side of the turbo is powered by the on board 48V electrical system and it spins the turbine before it accepts the exhaust gases, enabling a very high rate of airflow and spontaneous responses to throttle input. The engine is mated to a AMG Speedshift TCT 9G gearbox which supplies the power to all four wheels. The nine gears along with the double-clutching functions makes the gears shifts very intuitive and smooth.
The Mercedes-AMG E 63S, on the other hand, comes with a 4-litre twin-turbo V8. It generates 602bhp and 850Nm of torque. It drives the power through the AMG Speedshift MCT 9G gearbox. The engine sits on active dynamic engine mounts which softens the connection or stiffens it up depending upon the driving situation. This engine design has been directly inspired from the Formula 1 engine used by Mercedes. But what makes it stand apart is the electronically controlled limited slip rear differential. This helps the E 63 S put down its power more efficiently and also has the capability to turn the car into a drift monster by sending all the power to the rear wheels. It also comes with carbon ceramic brakes as an optional extra to obtain superior braking power on track days.
Both cars come with the Amg Ride Control+ suspension which allows the customer to switch between stiff and comfortable ride settings. The E 53 comes with four ride settings while the E 63S gets an additional two.
Commenting on the launch, Santosh Iyer, Vice President, sales and marketing, Mercedes-Benz India, “Today we introduce two new AMG performance sedans for the Indian customers which presents scintillating performance associated with the AMG brand promise of ‘Driving Performance’. Both these sedans not only offer exceptional performance and vehicle dynamics, but also increased comfort while retaining the hallmark AMG character. With the AMG E 63 S 4M+ and AMG E 53 4M+, we further rejuvenate our AMG portfolio especially for those performance purists, who always wanted a fine balance between racetrack performance and daily drivability in their performance cars. With both these AMGs we now offer an unmatched product combination in the luxury performance sedan segment in India.”
The E 63S locks horns with the recently launched BMW M5 Competition, which is priced Rs 1.6 crore, ex-showroom, a negligible Rs 10 lakh cheaper than the AMG. The E 53 on the other hand has no direct rivals and is in a league of its own.
