2021 AMG E53 Coupe Gets Aggressive Styling, New Drift Mode
Nearly every part of the 2021 AMG E53 has been reimagined, down to the steering wheel.
Mercedes-AMG’s work with E-Class cars is the stuff of legend. The E63 Wagon, the E55 sedan from the early 2000s, the Hammer – the factory-backed tuning shop has turned out some truly great cars over the years. If their latest, the 2021 E53 Coupe, has performance to match its good looks and brutal sounds, we’ll be in for a real treat. YouTuber Mr. Benz63 recently posted a video walk around of the new car, and let’s just say it’s impressive. Let’s take a look at the updates.
Aggressive New Styling
New touches make the car look much more aggressive than it did before. The E53 features AMG’s new 12-slat grille, all-new headlights with single stripe LED running lights, and new bumpers front and rear. The new car features a pillar-less design that allows all windows to be rolled down without a pesky B-pillar cutting into the view.
New Drift Mode
The pre-production car in the video comes with a dynamic package that has a drift mode for the first time. The system should decouple the front wheels to allow the car to go full-on rear-wheel drive. The presenter says the package also features a race mode, red brake calipers, AMG split five-spoke wheels, and carbon details all around.
Tech-heavy Interior
The most dramatic updates have taken place inside, where a brand-new three-spoke steering wheel sits in front of a long, curved LED display screen that splits between a digital gauge cluster and a large infotainment touchscreen. Those massive displays, which should remain at 12.3 inches apiece, will run the latest version of MBUX infotainment software, which the presenter says is very easy to use with either the touchscreen or control pad in the center console.
Same Great AMG Engine
The sound could be a story all on its own. As the car’s drive modes are cycled through, the exhaust notes change noticeably. This is even more pronounced in Sport and Sport + modes, where the E53 churns out satisfying pops and burbles when revved. That noise comes from one of the only parts of the new car not to get an overhaul: the turbocharged 3.0-liter inline six. It still makes 429 horsepower and 384 pound-feet of torque, which reaches all four wheels through a nine-speed automatic.
Pricing and release date details are scarce at the moment, but we expect to see the E53 Coupe later this year with a starting price close to that of its predecessor. The 2020 E53 Coupe started around $75,000.
Photos: Mr. Benz63