2019 Mercedes-AMG CLS53 Debuts, Electric (Straight) Six

There’s a certain class of Mercedes nerd who’s been waiting for this exact car for quite some time. We say nerd, solely because it’s been a chorus of the brand’s hard-core aficionados who have cried out for the return of the straight six-cylinder engine ever since M-B abandoned the smooth, torquey powerplant. A 429-hp inline-six in a coupe-like four-door? Well that, friends, seems like a wee spot of heaven. A slice you’ll be able to buy late this year in the form of the Mercedes-AMG CLS53.

The 3.0-liter inline-six also pumps out 384 lb-ft of torque and is backed by Mercedes’ EQ Boost starter-alternator, which adds another 21 horses and 184 lb-ft while feeding the 48-volt electrical system. After a brief driving experience last year, we can say EQ Boost offers seamless stop-start functionality, with none of the juddering many of us have come to associate with such systems. It’s also designed to fill in the low-end torque gap left by a turbocharger that hasn’t quite spooled itself all the way up. And we can’t say that we’d sneeze at the power bump it offers, either. AMG’s Speedshift TCT 9G nine-speed automatic transmission handles the cog-swapping, and the power is routed through the fully variable 4Matic+ all-wheel-drive system. Quoth the Germans: “Alongside traction and lateral dynamics, the all-wheel drive also improves the longitudinal dynamics for even more powerful acceleration.” Longitudinal dynamics! Too right, Detlev. Too right. All that tech together is good for what AMG claims is a 4.4-second sprint to 60 mph.

The E-class–based CLS53 carries a more aggressive front fascia featuring additional side air curtains, designed to reduce drag, while the front splitter reduces lift. Out back, the CLS53 wears quad oval exhaust tips rather than the standard car’s faired-in slashes. Standard wheels are 19-inchers, while 20s are an option for those who’d care to feel every pothole on Chautauqua Boulevard.

Inside, the CLS employs AMG’s new Performance steering wheel, which features touch-sensitive buttons that respond to swiping movements, allowing for full control of the infotainment system without the driver needing to remove his or her hands from the wheel. Alternately, voice commands can control everything from interior lights to the climate control system, and, of course, there’s still a console-mounted controller with a touchpad for those who prefer the old-school methods of infotainment deployment. Standard-issue AMG equipment includes carbon-fiber trim and red seatbelts, but if you’d prefer wood in your sporty Mercedes, that’s an option. Thanks to the embiggening of this latest CLS, the rear seat now offers three-across seating and folds in 40/20/40 fashion, offering as much or as little pass-through as your cargo requires.

MB-Tex leatherette upholstery with microfiber faux suede is standard, and nappa leather is available. Big spenders can opt for the upscale Designo interior. Color options consist of black with red or grey contrast stitching, black/saddle brown, black/white, black/bengal red, black/classic red, espresso/magma gray, macchiato beige/magma gray, titian red/macchiato beige, and titanium gray/black.

Because we’re in a modern era of health-oriented luxury, the CLS53 offers Mercedes’ Energizing Comfort Control, which syncs up the climate control, seat heat/ventilation, steering-wheel heat, lighting, and sound system to “generate a special wellness set-up to enhance well-being and performance.” Better living through smart cabins and all that.

AMG’s Ride Control+ adaptive suspension offers three selectable levels of stiffness, while special, beefier front steering knuckles aid in handling the loads generated during high-g cornering. AMG has dialed in more negative camber both front and rear. Not enough, it seems, to impress the Stance Nation, but we figure those folks would prefer to add their own, anyway. The air-spring suspension also allows the body to be raised when encountering especially steep driveways and speed bumps. Front brake discs measure a healthy 14.6 inches, and the four-piston fixed calipers feature AMG lettering, because you’d be disappointed if they didn’t. Out back the rotors are nearly as large, measuring 14.2 inches, and are grasped by single-piston floating calipers.

At launch, Mercedes will offer an Edition 1 package, featuring copper interior accents and black nappa leather upholstery with copper contrast stitching. Also included is a fancy IWC dash clock, courtesy of the horological obsessives in Schaffhausen, Switzerland. All in all, based on our limited experience behind the wheel and the specs on offer, the CLS53 promises to be a special sort of barn burner: a big, fast, smooth long-distance speed weapon hell-bent on cosseting its occupants. We’re awfully anxious to slip behind the wheel, if only to find out how the Energizing Comfort Control system might respond to Rush’s “By-Tor and the Snow Dog”.