It's less powerful than the 1153-hp GT63, but this new entry-level variant will still be plenty quick. When Mercedes-Benz launched the electric AMG GT63 and GT55 4-Door models earlier this year, it was just the latest salvo in the cross-Stuttgart grudge match of speed. Once, Porsche and Mercedes cooperated on supersedans, producing the wonderfully polished 500E. Now, the pair seem determined to scrap it out with a four-figure-horsepower EV version of West Side Story—without the songs.
However, not everyone needs this level of theater in a performance sedan. So Mercedes-AMG is expanding its GT range with the new GT53 4-Door EV, which is about half as powerful as the full-strength GT63, but it will offer a more attractive entry price. Exactly what that price point is, Mercedes isn't yet saying, but it should come in well under the 1153-hp GT's estimated $140,000 starting price.
View Price on AmazonNot that the 53 will be much slower; with 536 hp and 590 lb-ft of torque, it's claimed to sprint to 60 mph in the mid-three-second range. The 53's battery pack is rated at 106 kWh of usable capacity, and it's based on Mercedes' 800-volt architecture. This should enable adding about 280 miles of range in 10 minutes of charging at a powerful enough DC fast-charging station, with total range estimated at around 423 miles. The car is equipped with two electric drive motors, one mounted on each axle; the more powerful GTs feature a triple-motor setup.
Not all that long ago, parsing AMG's performance options was pretty straightforward, and tied to engine displacement. A C63 got a hand-built V-8 that corresponded to the badge on the back of the car. Then, turbocharging showed up, and a 63 designation indicated a twin-turbo 4.0-liter powerplant, while a 55 meant there was a hybrid turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six under the hood.
So, just as the Taycan Turbo has a "Turbo" badge but no actual turbocharger on board, the GT53 4-Door doesn't come with an inline-six. At least not a real one. Instead, Mercedes' engineers have gone to the trouble of using 16 microphones to accurately capture the sound of a straight-six engine, then enable playback of that soundtrack in the battery-powered 53. Arguably, a V-8 would have sounded even better, but who can complain about your EV sounding a bit like a 300SL Gullwing?
Source: caranddriver.com
