Mercedes-AMG CLS 53 Sedan (C257) 2018-2021 Photos, engines & full specs

With the introduction of the inline-six AMG engine in the 2018 CLS lineup, the four-door premium coupe achieved a new level of performance.

There are more vehicles in the AMG lineup that offered the advanced 3.0-liter six-cylinder engine. The E-Class, E-Class Coupe, and E-Class cabriolet were just a few examples. It was truly the kind of engine that it worth built a car around it. It was that good.

The first generation of the Mercedes-Benz CLS was the heart of the four-door coupe revival. It wasn't a brand new idea but it was forgotten and the Germans successfully brought it back to life. When the second generation came on the market, there were already some other car-manufacturers that had something in the segment. In 2018, the CLS had to come up with something more attractive. A different approach. And so, the AMG 53 was born with the twin-blade grille, the A-wing design on the apron, and the specific AMG side panels.

The six-cylinder engine was helped by an EQ booster-generator that played the starter-generator role. Unlike some other belt-driven systems, this one was mounted between the engine and the transmission. It didn't have too much torque but it had enough to compensate the turbo-lag. Thus, the engine had three “helpers”: an EQ to cut the lag, an electric compressor, and an exhaust gas turbocharger. These features were possible due to a 48-volt architecture of the car. And the instant response of the power helped the car sprint from 0 to 100 kph (0-62 mph) in 4.5 seconds.

To keep the 435 car on the road in any surface conditions, an all-wheel-drive was fitted. A 9-speed AMG SPEEDSHIFT TCT transmission was fitted as standard.