Until now, horsepower and fun have usually been sacrificed for efficiency. But Mercedes-Benz has literally shocked us with a press release this morning. The new E53 AMG uses a 48-volt electrical system to power an “EQ Boost” supercharger. Electric blowers are not a new concept, but they are inefficient at 12 volts, requiring more from the alternator than the power they added to the engine.
Now the game has changed. The E53 sedan uses a 3.0 liter straight six and a conventional turbo to make 429 horsepower and 384 lb-ft of torque. In addition to the 48-volt blower, the EQ boost generator also serves as the starter. It also performs hybrid functions like regenerative braking and adding torque in certain situations. This allows it to run 0-60 in 4.3 seconds with a computer-limited top speed of 130 mph. It will also be one of the few gas-powered luxury sedans to offer the fuel mileage of a hybrid.
Don’t be scared, the interior and all accessories are still 12v powered, from a solid-state MOSFET transformer. They must have reverse-engineered a Koenigsegg to see what makes it so efficient and reliable at the same time. The hybrid boost feature has the ability to add 21 horsepower and 184 lb-ft of torque when needed, and it will make this AWD sedan the ultimate sleeper. The only way it could be better is with plug-in charging and an HV battery, but Mercedes-Benz is saving that for their full electric future. Production will begin soon in Affalterbach, and they will arrive by the end of summer. Until then, take a look at these great deals on the E63 AMG from our dealers.
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