In the automotive world, few things come close to the sight of a beautiful cabriolet, and with the launch of Mercedes-AMG the Mercedes-AMG E53 4MATIC+, the performance car maker has finally launched their first cabriolet in India. Prices for the E-Class cabriolet start at Rs 1.3 crore and the drop-top sibling to the E-Class luxury sedan will be brought to India in CBU form.
When viewed head-on, the E53 cabriolet looks identical to its sedan counterpart, sporting an AMG front grille with vertical fins and high performance LED headlamps. Move over to the side and that is where the similarities to the sedan end, with the silhouette resembling that of the E-Class coupe’s, albeit with a fabric top. 19-inch AMG alloy wheels are standard on the E53 cabrio though you can also spec your model with the 20-inch alloy wheels as an option. Over at the rear, the cabrio gets quad-pipe exhausts, along with vents in the bumper to help channel the air flow better.
The interior of the E53 4MATIC+ cabriolet is identical to that of the sedan, with high quality materials being used all over the cabin. You get a slab of digital real estate with two 12.3-inch screens for the infotainment system and the digital instrument cluster. The upholstery has been done up in Nappa leather, and with this being an AMG, there are plenty of carbonfibre inserts present all around the cabin. You get an AMG Performance steering wheel finished in Nappa leather, with touch sensitive controls on the wheel, and the E53 also gets a 13-speaker Burmester sound system.
Powering the E53 4MATIC+ cabrio is a 3-litre in-line six engine with mild-hybrid assist. Power from the engine stands at 429bhp and 520Nm, with the EQ boost from the electric motor bumping those outputs to 450bhp and 770Nm. 0-100kmph comes up in a claimed 4.5 seconds, with top speed being 250kmph. The E53 gets a 9-speed automatic transmission that sends power to all four wheels via the 4MATIC+ variable all-wheel-drive system that can send up to 100 per cent of the torque to the rear wheels.
The E53 4MATIC+ cabriolet is part of Mercedes’ 10 new product launches for our market this year, and the prices for the cabrio start from Rs 1.3 crore. At this point, there’s no direct rival to the E53 4MATIC+ as such, and considering that it offers the performance of an AMG in an oh-so-pretty package, one might find it very desirable.