Cabin design, Exceptionally long-range, Futuristic looks, Augmented sounds
Massive screens can be distracting, Expensive
Decoding names and numbers have become my second nature with the advent of acronyms such as AMG, M, RS, 63, etc.. You get the drift! So, the name on this boot lid reads EQ signifying all-electric, S being the S-Class of Mercedes car portfolio, and 53 referring to AMG’s 2nd tier performance lineup (not the full fat 63 series). And what it means to us is – it is the first bespoke electric Mercedes, not simply a battery-stuffed version of existing Mercedes underpinnings like the EQC or the upcoming EQB.
An all-new S-Class-sized luxury saloon riding on a new platform big enough to contain a massive 107.8kWh battery between its wheels. It’s Mercedes heaviest (at 2.6 tonnes), fluid-est (a low drag of 0.23 Cd) and luxury-limo (wheelbase of 3210 mm) answer to the sportier alternatives such as the Tesla Model S (which isn’t here yet) and the Porsche Taycan with a claimed range between 529-586km on a full charge as per the WLTP test cycle. The EQS 53 is also Merc’s first performance EV to wear the prized AMG badge, and AMG going electric is a huge step change which I still have to get my head around, probably because the brand has been synonymous with rumbling V8s for so long.
And despite being just a 53, it has more power than any AMG this side of an AMG GT Black Series. 761bhp and 1020Nm of torque that can propel this heavy-weight from standstill to the century mark in just 3.4 seconds with an 80% minimum battery charge! So is the S-Class of EV compromising on the comfort and luxury quotient while getting all performance oriented. Driving it here in India will surely get me all the answers.
The Mercedes-AMG EQS 53 stands at the epitome of Mercedes India’s EV portfolio and is currently only available in this fully imported AMG 53 guise at a mind-boggling Rs 2.45 crore (ex-showroom) at launch; and that’s super-car rivalling prices but with space, performance & practicality of a gran-tourer. The locally assembled model in India – the EQS580 – is due to be launched in September ‘22. which should really take S-class luxury electric motoring to a wider audience with slightly more sensible pricing, but still would be closer to the 2 crore rupees mark.
Having said that, the EQS 53 just blows the competition out of the park when it comes to technology. The| gorgeous hyper screen combined with lounge-y Interior styling inspired by some of the world’s best-designed homes – and this sense of wow & desirability will simply impress your friends and yourself alike. It’s very different in nature to a Porsche Taycan and the closest we would get to a Tesla Model S in performance on our roads. Mercedes also will provide attractively priced service packages, a 30k kms or 2-year service interval, as well as an 8+2 year battery warranty. There’s free of cost charging as well at their own showrooms for the first year! Still, it’s hard to predict – if this will be the world’s best luxury sedan yet – like its fossil-fuelled counterpart – the mighty S-Class, but it definitely is Mercedes’s most powerful and sexiest charge (you get it right) forward in that direction!
