Mercedes-AMG has announced pricing for its halfway-house GLE53 SUV.
Pricing kicks off at $166,700 before on-road costs. Sitting below the full-fat GLE63 S, power in the GLE53 comes from a 3.0-litre inline-six petrol engine backed by a 48V mild-hybrid system.
The petrol engine outputs 320kW of power and 520Nm of torque on its own, backed by an extra 16kW and 250Nm from the 48V EQ Boost mild-hybrid system when the driver buries the throttle.
The mild-hybrid system also allows for more sophisticated start/stop in town and coasting with the engine switched off at speed, along with the sharper throttle response allowed by a torquey electric generator down low.
Power is put to all four wheels through a nine-speed automatic transmission. Mercedes-AMG claims the 100km/h sprint takes just 5.3 seconds, while combined fuel economy is 9.4L/100km.
Standard equipment is generous. Externally, you’ll be able to tell the GLE53 from its more mundane siblings by its bold front grille – it’s a proper Panamericana unit this time around, designed to tell the world the 53 is a real AMG.
The diffuser down back is home to four round exhaust pipes, while the bumpers and side skirts are more aggressive than stock. A set of 21-inch alloy wheels are standard, behind which hide 440mm front and 345mm ventilated brake discs.
Inside, the driver and passenger sit in AMG sports seats trimmed in nappa leather, while the steering wheel is a flat-bottomed unit as standard. The dual-screen MBUX infotainment system carries over, but features unique performance gauges for the GLE53.
There’s also a surround-sound audio system, panoramic sunroof, memory seats up front, and wireless phone charging.
A full suite of active safety assistance features will be included. Adaptive cruise control, autonomous emergency braking, lane-keeping assist, blind-spot monitoring, traffic sign monitoring, and pre-safe plus.
The GLE53 4Matic is priced from $166,700 before on-road costs. Order books are open now.
