AMG's electrifying journey continues with the all-new E 53 Hybrid, which comes in four-door sedan and five-door wagon choices. The biggest problem of the first plug-in hybrid E 53 is the six-cylinder powerplant, which isn't a bonafide AMG engine.
Codenamed M256, said lump is described by Merc's performance division as being – wait for it – an "AMG-enhanced 3.0-liter inline six-cylinder turbocharged engine." That enhanced bit refers to AMG working its magic on a regular-production motor, whereas the AMG we know and love prides itself on the "one man, one engine" philosophy.
The second most off-putting issue is curb weight, or – better said – the lack of such information for the time being. Mercedes published a whole load of technical specs for the 2025 model year Mercedes-AMG E 53 Hybrid, but for some reason or another, it left out the curb weight. Why? If you ask me, probably because the four-cylinder E 400 e 4MATIC weighs 2,265 kilograms (4,993 pounds).
There's no denying the go-faster E 53 clocks over 2.3 tons, and can you imagine those Yokohama Advan Sport rubber boots in the twisties? The third and final point of criticism is the styling. Marouane Bembli, a.k.a. TheSketchMonkey on social media, is most perplexed by the rear-end lighting, especially the star-shaped rear lighting signature.
At the beginning of the video attached below, Marouane says that he's "going to tweak some of the proportions, but mostly focus on the front and rear graphics" to create "a more structured look." The pixel artist does what he likes most, and – as expected – the result is way, way better than stock.
Photo: TheSketchMonkey / edited
Subtle changes go a long way in automotive styling, and even more so when the subject vehicle is chintzy in many respects. BMW also gets plenty of flak for the ubiquitous oversized kidney grille and the odd front- and rear-bumper styling of the G87-generation M2, but as opposed to the Stuttgart-based manufacturer, the Bavarian rival did not dare dumb down its M cars with non-M powerplants.
As a matter of fact, BMW surprised everyone when it premiered the S68 twin-turbo V8 in the X7 M60i. With the upcoming E 63 expected to downsize from eight pots to six cylinders in a line, M is much obliged to assert dominance over AMG with a V8 in the next-generation M5, that V8 being the S68.
Certain AMGs with hand-assembled AMG engines also miss the mark. The one that comes to mind is the four-cylinder C 63 S E Performance. It's hard to make a case for the SL 43 as well, more so when the starting price is $109,900 in the US market. For that kind of money, why not get something truly special, something like the 8,600-rpm Corvette Z06?
Looking at the glass half full, the E 53 Hybrid is undeniably powerful, torquey, and quick. AMG claims 604 horsepower in Race Start mode, 553 pound-feet (750 Nm), and 3.7 seconds to 60 miles per hour (97 kilometers per hour). Maximum speed? Make that 174 miles per hour (280 kilometers per hour) with the optional AMG Driver's Package.
Similar to curb weight, pricing information has yet to be released. On the other hand, we do know that prospective customers will be presented with the limited-run Edition 1 package in the first year of production. The E 53 Hybrid Edition 1 comes in Manufaktur Moonlight White Magno exclusively.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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