Electrification has become so widespread in the ranges of the different manufacturers that they have come to adopt the same strategies and the same reflexes as when managing their thermal segments. Even if zero-emissions vehicles mostly develop around major growth segments, particularly SUVs and compacts, premium manufacturers are eager to switch their high-end and very high-end customers to electric, particularly of large sedans. sport cars.
Mercedes was one of the first to occupy the field by certainly launching electric SUVs in the most dynamic segments, the EQA and EQB. The EQE wanted to set a new benchmark for electric road sedans, in the face of the aging Tesla Model S and despite the arrival of a feature-packed BMW i4. It remained to occupy the field of the high and exceptional range. The EQS, the electric S-Class and even its huge SUV version play this role, with even Maybach versions being planned (the SUV has just been released).
A height and weight challenge.
What’s going on “poor relation” of this progressive electrification, sport? Let’s be clear, in terms of pure performance, nothing could be simpler than equipping any big car with a huge battery and super powerful electric motors to make it accelerate like a supercar. But giving a high-performance electric vehicle a truly sporty and dynamic character to satisfy high-end and highly demanding customers is not a challenge for everyone. Especially for Mercedes, which has a brand image to maintain, especially when it comes to its AMG sports division.
And in this the EQS AMG 53 did not necessarily start winning, with all the limitations of electrification, and above all a considerable mass to move. 2.7 tons on the scale. In addition to a line that intrigued a lot with the launch of the classic, futuristic, fluid but disconcerting EQE and EQS for lovers of large, solid sedans with large star-shaped grills… it should be noted in this regard that the EQS, which included in its AMG, is the most aerodynamic production car in the world, with a CX of just 0.2.
The highlight: a very comfortable and very naughty limousine.
This is where AMG comes into play. And frankly the aesthetic treatment, to begin with, is especially successful. Aggressive baleen grill, rear spoiler, huge spoked wheels “efficient” 21 inches, tuned suspension… The awesome basic EQS suddenly turns beastly and menacing, especially in its (very) dark gray color. We guess if Darth Vader had a company car in this galaxy, the EQS 53 AMG would fit the bill.
The interior is treated with impressive care. White and beige leather, carpets, brushed metal, seats with a design that is both futuristic and sporty with its excellent support, rear seats with real comfort, multiple LCD screens on the dashboard, Burgmeister hi-fi, a sign for a meeting room. concerts with all possible connectivity, interior ambient lighting with multiple configurations, massaging seats, impeccable soundproofing.
We navigate between sport, the highest luxury and the avant-garde, with a completely preserved Mercedes-AMG identity. The large 580-litre rear boot guarantees a large luggage load capacity.
A colossal power… but usable
Give way to mechanical sensations. Because yes, given the technical sheet, you have to be curious and demanding. 2 electric motors with a combined power of 474kW (the equivalent of 658 horsepower), a 107.8 kWh battery and 4Matic+ all-wheel drive, useful to manage the 950Nm of torque. You can even pass the 1,000 Nm bar and hit 761 horsepower with the dedicated Dynamic Plus Pack.
So yes, this deluge of power has reason to be skeptical, even if it involves once again fast-moving a 2.7-ton limousine. And yet… the confusing aerodynamics of the bodywork literally make you feel like you’re cutting through ambient air when you accelerate. And then this is where the famous 4Matic+ transmission works wonders.
Four wheel drive, but mostly four wheel steer. And these are particularly effective on the EQS AMG 53 (or seeing them move with the naked eye in the rear view mirror), making it manoeuvrable and practical at low speeds for maneuvering, and agile and dynamic at high speeds. Short of comparing it to bona fide supercars made for the ropes of the car track, the colossal power level is perfectly usable with just the right amount of dynamism and agility, helped greatly by the very well calibrated steering. So we can accelerate, brake and turn with amazing speeds, almost forgetting the considerable mass of the machine.
The downside: often high consumption
In addition to the somewhat messy interior of this version, as well as an uninspired rolling noise (that of the classic EQE was more successful), it is the autonomy that remains the somewhat disappointing parameter of this sporty EQS. This AMG 53 version, being performance-oriented, is logically inferior to the classic EQS (600 kilometers compared to 700), but it is still impressive and even one of the highest in world electrical production.
Charging speeds are relatively fast given the massive battery, including a remarkable 19 minutes to recover 300km of range, thanks to Ionity network terminals (the EQS AMG 53 can handle charges up to 200kW).
Even so, with real averages that are around 20-24 kWh per 100 kilometres, and even more so taking the express roads or using a lot of air conditioning, we will probably be quite far from the theoretical WLTP averages, not counting the irresistible desire to use all the capabilities of the exceptional traction chain.
A sporty limousine with no real competition
The marches are also lightning, with less than 4 seconds to go from 0 to 100km/h. 3.8 seconds and even 3.4 with the Dynamic Plus Pack (curious detail, the AMG super sports functions, in particular the controlled launch, can only be activated on the circuit… data verified by the on-board GPS). Enough to leave behind a Porsche 911 and many famous sports cars.
Only the Porsche Taycan Turbo, the Audi E-Tron GT, and the Performance or Plaid versions of the Tesla Model 3 and Model S will be allowed to keep you. But certainly not with this level of luxury, comfort, perceived quality… and ease of handling. Given all these elements, the only real competitors for the EQS 53 AMG can only be the future BMW i7 M70 or the Rolls Royce Spectre.
But at what price? That of an exceptional car
Before the trial, his servant warned those around him, saying: “I am going to test a luxury limousine, a car that can be used every day, a supercar and a 4×4. All in the same car, without ecological penalty”. It is clear that this Mercedes EQS 53 AMG can handle absolutely everything, with a sensation of power, control and comfort that is difficult to match.
Its extremely high price (169,250 euros base price) is at the height of the feat achieved by Mercedes, and will not retain customers who want a limousine of law, with the little extra in terms of high performance. The manufacturer achieves here an exceptional machine in itself, but also capable of constituting a quite possible practical alternative for fans of large thermal limousines, without boring malus. All this with added sporting value that goes far beyond simple marketing, giving it a unique and exciting personality. A true must see.
Source: BFM TV
