2021 Mercedes-AMG E53 Cabriolet review: High-tech and handsome
The E53 is a seriously sharp droptop.
Michael Shaffer/Mercedes-Benz
Ordinarily, I’d shy absent from a Mercedes-AMG convertible. AMGs are ordinarily a small as well difficult-edged and maniacal for my tastes, and not genuinely in the spirit of what I’d want in a luxurious convertible. The AMG E53 is diverse, nevertheless. In truth, it is really 1 of my favorite automobiles I’ve driven so much this year.
The coronary heart of the E53 is its AMG-tuned three.-liter turbocharged I6 engine with moderate-hybrid assist. It lacks the guttural weighty-metallic ogre growl of AMG’s 4.-liter twin-turbo V8, certain, but makes up for it with incredible smoothness and a remarkably pleasing yowl in its higher rev variety. The E53 is the most powerful E-Course convertible you can get, by the way there is no E63 readily available.
The I6 engine makes a healthier 429 horsepower and 384 pound-feet of torque with small to no perceptible hold off in energy, mainly thanks to the EQ-Improve moderate-hybrid program. EQ-Improve not only smooths out the start out-halt procedure, but its electric powered motors offer plenty of supplemental improve — 21 hp and 184 lb-ft — to get the E53 relocating right up until the turbochargers are on entire boil. Accelerating to sixty mph takes a scant 4.4 seconds, which is really fantastic for a 4,566-pound convertible.
The E53’s engine is paired with a 9-pace computerized transmission. It functions invisibly when remaining to its very own devices and features crisp upshifts and downshifts when known as upon by way of the steering wheel-mounted paddles.
An additional advantage of this more compact-displacement, electrically assisted engine is fuel overall economy. The EPA costs the 2021 Mercedes-AMG E53 Cabriolet at 21 miles per gallon in the city, 27 mpg freeway and 23 mpg combined, which I have no difficulty matching in regular driving.
Staying a weighty, midsize convertible, the E53 isn’t just sports activities-car or truck sharp, but which is not a undesirable issue. The E53’s suspension does an exceptional career of smoothing out rough roadways, even in its most intense Activity Plus mode, and there is a apparent variance in ride quality concerning the convertible’s Ease and comfort, Activity and Activity Plus suspension settings. The steering is correct and perfectly-weighted, nevertheless in Activity Plus mode, it feels needlessly weighty. The large, multipiston brakes are quick to modulate and element lots of halting energy in most cases, nevertheless they are vulnerable to fading after a spirited travel.
The current E-Class’ interior is 1 of the greatest in the company, and that carries in excess of to the Cabriolet. The fit and finish and materials choices are all leading-notch and befitting of a car or truck in the E53’s selling price variety (much more on that afterwards). The sporty AMG seats are incredibly at ease and element lots of adjustability, so even an individual of my dimension — six feet, 4 inches — can get cozy devoid of a great deal trial and error.
The substantial electronic instrument panel and infotainment display glimpse brilliant, offering up all the info you could want in a way which is clear and reasonable. Both of those screens utterly define the glimpse and experience of the E53’s interior, and which is a fantastic issue. The small screens on the steering-wheel mounted controls are also a amazing touch, permitting you to regulate often employed items like the transmission’s manual mode or the activity exhaust on/off swap. This all makes the E53 experience tech-ahead and present day.
The redesigned steering wheel is a new portion of the 2021 AMG E53’s interior.
Michael Shaffer/Mercedes-Benz
The cornerstone of the E53’s tech is its MBUX infotainment program, which features powerful organic-speech recognition for several of the cabin controls (like heat and stereo volume) as perfectly as should-haves like Apple CarPlay and Android Automobile. Blended with its colourful, crisp imagery, MBUX is between my favorite infotainment units readily available nowadays.
I also are not able to discuss about the E53 Cabriolet’s interior devoid of chatting about Air Scarf. For these who have never expert this element, it is really generally a small house heater that lives in every front headrest, blowing sizzling air on your neck. It makes amazing-climate, leading-down motoring a breeze (pun meant). It is really great, and I locate myself applying it all the time.
Sad to say, all of this goodness won’t appear low-cost. The 2021 Mercedes-AMG E53 Cabriolet starts at $83,845 such as a $995 location payment, and my particularly perfectly-equipped tester comes in just a hair beneath $one hundred and five,000. Let us experience it, which is a ton of revenue. Mercedes’ convertibles have usually carried a significant top quality, and the E53 is no diverse.
With Air Scarf, you can travel with the leading down all year.
Michael Shaffer/Mercedes-Benz
As for the competitive set, the E53 is kind of in a course of its very own. The Audi S5 Convertible is more compact, a lot less powerful and a lot less costly — genuinely, it competes with Merc’s very own AMG C43 Cabriolet. The Lexus LC Convertible starts at $one hundred and one,000 and has a brilliant, normally aspirated V8, but it lacks a ton of the Merc’s tech. The BMW 8 Sequence is a ton larger. And actually, I’d choose the E53 in excess of all of these.
The 2021 Mercedes-AMG E53 Cabriolet is a great luxurious convertible that features fantastic appears, great tech and exceptional highway manners, but it is really costly. Then once more, if you might be buying for a car or truck in this phase, you likely usually are not on the lookout for a great value. Rate tag aside, there is incredibly small to dislike about the charming AMG E53.