Skip advert
Advertisement

Mercedes-AMG CLS53 – first drive of new 429bhp mild-hybrid coupe-saloon

The new AMG CLS 53 may not have the grunt of a hot-vee V8, but it suits the CLS’ more refined nature, if not our penchant for drama

Evo rating
Price
from £65,000
  • Engine, chassis balance and overall performance
  • Not as distinctive as previous models, lacks ultimate involvement

Should a conventional four-door saloon or five-door estate body not suit your fast Mercedes-AMG needs, the Affalterbach engineers have this for you to try: its new CLS53 4Matic+. As the name suggests, it’s the company’s third generation of its four-door saloon-coupe, of which 375,000 of the previous generations have been sold since its 2004 introduction.

Advertisement - Article continues below

Available with a choice of two six-cylinder diesel and two petrol engines (a 2-litre four-cylinder diesel is also coming), it’s the range-topping AMG motor that interests us here for a couple of reasons. For one, the 3-litre in-line turbocharged six replaces the twin-turbocharged V8 of old, and secondly, it’s replaced two of those cylinders with a 22bhp/183lb ft electric motor.

> Click here for our 2018 Geneva motor show review 

Those of you holding out for a new CLS63 or 63S will be holding on for some time, because currently Mercedes has no plans to fit the new car with the 4-litre ‘hot-vee’ twin-turbo V8. It also doesn’t have any plans to offer the new CLS as a Shooting Brake, either, because the design of the new E-class estate covers this option, according to a spokesman.

I don’t know about you, but I think this third-gen CLS has lost some of that distinctive style of the original cars, its face and rear-end treatment more generic Mercedes than standout CLS. From the rear there’s more C-class in it than I was expecting. Inside, however, it’s a delight as it mixes E-class  and S-class tech and design to produce Mercedes’ finest interior – one that matches Audi for quality and knocks it for six in terms of design flair. This is also the first ‘five-seat’ CLS, with room for three in the rear. Although not three adults, or three large teenagers. Or three people who don’t like touching knees with others.

Technical highlights

AMG Ride Control + air suspension is standard on the CLS53 and is paired with continuously adjustable damping. The front axle is uprated over regular CLS models with its own special steering knuckles and load-bearing joints, with every other component optimised for rigidity. There’s also more negative camber on both front and rear axles – multi-link at the rear – and the whole chassis, including the three-chamber air suspension that has been set up to be as dynamic as possible.

Advertisement - Article continues below
Skip advert
Advertisement
Advertisement - Article continues below

Discs measuring 370mm sit behind 19-inch wheels at the front along with four-piston callipers, with rotors 10mm smaller in diameter fitted at the rear with a single-piston calliper.

Away from the grubby bits, the new CLS53 features a number of the safety and driver assistance systems that were first introduced on the S-class, with packages such as Premium Plus (keyless go, comfort package, memory package, Burmester radio) and Driving Assistance Plus, all available at extra cost.

Engine, transmission and 0-62mph time

Continuing with its reintroduction of in-line six-cylinder engines, the new CLS53 features both a conventional exhaust gas-driven turbocharger as well as an electric compressor. The latter is powered by Mercedes’ EQ Boost starter-alternator (this also provides the energy for the car’s 48V electrical system) and it also powers the electric motor installed between the engine and the nine-speed automatic gearbox.

The 22bhp and 183lb ft produced by the electric motor adds to the petrol engine’s 429bhp and 383lb ft during short bursts when the car’s ECU thinks you need it. This still leaves the new CLS AMG over 170bhp and nearly 60lb ft short of the V8 it replaces, but it is considerably cleaner and more efficient as a result. 

Mercedes’ latest 9G AMG Speedshift transmission is fitted along with its latest 4Matic+ all-wheel-drive system as per the E63, but without the E63S’s drift mode option. AMG Dynamic Select is also present, offering four pre-determined modes, along with an individual mode that allows you to select your chosen throttle response, engine characteristics, gear shift speeds, suspension setting and steering.

In terms of performance, the new CLS will reach 62mph from zero in 4.4 seconds and is electronically limited to 155mph, or 167mph if you opt for the AMG driver’s package.

What’s it like to drive?

Imagine a sleeker, more premium feeling E63 and you won’t be far off the CLS53. The engine is an intriguing one, as it improves on the shortfalls of the E43’s turbocharged V6 engine in that not only is it far more refined, but its power and torque delivery is much better suited to this size of car. In Eco or Comfort mode the engine note is barely noticeable, and only when you open the throttle does it take on a harsher, more excited tone. Switch to Sport mode and the aggression is upped and the responses are pure AMG, something the E43 often struggles to achieve.

Advertisement - Article continues below
Skip advert
Advertisement
Advertisement - Article continues below

The more refined nature of the CLS means the performance of the electric motor doesn’t arrive in an aggressive burst, rather it subtly and confidently fills in any lag from the exhaust-driven turbo when that’s spooling up from low revs in a high gear. It also makes for instant responses when you ask the gearbox to kick down and the engine to get on with it.

However, to experience the very best performance from Mercedes’ new engine, it’s best to leave the engine mapping in Sport. Not only does it hold on to a lower gear for longer, it’s also not in such a hurry to reach top gear. It means everything is primed and ready for the off whenever you are. With peak torque arriving at less than 2000rpm the shove is pretty relentless, and you never feel it’s going to end. It’s not quite as thumping as the 63’s turbo V8’s torque feed, but this new 53 engine feels closer to these than it does to the 43’s V6. In lower gears it enjoys being revved, and as the ratios get higher its performance becomes both more sophisticated and stronger as it reaches its peak.

Feeling a more precise instrument than an E63, the CLS53’s ride, even on winter tyres, is suppler and better controlled by its air suspension than that of an E-class. It also feels more C-class in size when you’re positioning it on the road. The speed-sensitive steering lacks old-school feel but is very precise, and despite the 1905kg kerb weight the CLS53 always feels agile and on its toes, rather than bloated and flat-footed. 

Advertisement - Article continues below
Skip advert
Advertisement
Advertisement - Article continues below

Without the grunt of the V8 there’s not as much on offer in terms of thrills from the chassis when you start to push, the 4Matic drivetrain proportioning the engine’s torque to the axle and wheel that can deal with it most efficiently. The stability and grip it musters in quicker, sweeping corners is especially impressive, though, making for a confidence-inspiring cross-country machine.  

There’s no denying that a CLS63 would be a hugely desirable AMG, mixing the CLS’s interior quality and design flair, and its unique external looks, with that stonking powertrain would make for an irresistible package. But that’s not to be, and the new CLS53 is still a hugely desirable, neatly packaged, well-honed AMG. Yet, while the CLS’s remit is to be a more refined offering than an E-class, you come away wishing AMG had uncorked more effervesces from it and let its engine work the chassis harder, because beneath those sleeker lines are some talented underpinnings. Perhaps a CLS53S could be the answer.

Price and rivals

With deliveries not due to start until later this autumn, Mercedes has yet to set a price, but expect it to start around £65,000. As for rivals, the CLS has always been pretty unique, with Audi’s new A7 in a class above, along with Porsche’s Panamera. And with Jaguar offering no performance derivative of its coupe-like XF, Mercedes still enjoys sitting in a niche all on its own.

Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement

More on CLS

Mercedes CLS 63 AMG Shooting Brake (X218, 2012 - 2017): review, history and buying guide
Mercedes CLS 63 AMG Shooting Brake
Features

Mercedes CLS 63 AMG Shooting Brake (X218, 2012 - 2017): review, history and buying guide

A leftfield Mercedes with oodles of AMG appeal, the CLS 63 Shooting Brake is an attractive used buy in 2024
12 Mar 2024
Mercedes-Benz CLS 400d review
Mercedes-Benz CLS 400d front three quarters
Reviews

Mercedes-Benz CLS 400d review

Swift, desirable and luxurious, the latest CLS gives its rivals plenty to think about
11 Apr 2018
New 2018 Mercedes CLS – prices start at £57,510
Mercedes-Benz CLS AMG Line – front
News

New 2018 Mercedes CLS – prices start at £57,510

The forthcoming Mercedes-Benz CLS will go toe-to-toe with Audi’s A7 and the entry-level Porsche Panamera when it goes on sale in 2018
12 Dec 2017
Skip advert
Advertisement
Mercedes CLS63 AMG S review, price and specs
Mercedes CLS63 AMG S
Reviews

Mercedes CLS63 AMG S review, price and specs

We try the facelifted Mercedes CLS63 AMG, which is now sold in more potent, 577bhp S form
31 Jul 2014
Mercedes CLA180 review, price and specs
Mercedes CLA180
Reviews

Mercedes CLA180 review, price and specs

The entry-level Mercedes CLA180 model offers coupe styling without the price tag. Review, price and specs here
28 Aug 2013
Mercedes CLA45 AMG Edition 1
Mercedes CLA45 AMG Edition 1 front grey
News

Mercedes CLA45 AMG Edition 1

Specs and details of the Mercedes CLA45 AMG Edition 1, a launch special of the AWD sports saloon
28 Jun 2013
Brabus Mercedes CLA
Brabus Mercedes CLA silver front
News

Brabus Mercedes CLA

The Mercedes CLA saloon gets the Brabus styling treatment and a hike to 242bhp
7 May 2013
Mercedes CLA45 AMG
Mercedes-Benz CLA45 AMG white on track
News

Mercedes CLA45 AMG

The Mercedes CLA45 AMG sports saloon is revealed in full at the 2013 New York motor show
27 Mar 2013
2013 Mercedes-Benz CLA250 review and pictures
2013 Mercedes-Benz CLA250
Reviews

2013 Mercedes-Benz CLA250 review and pictures

The new Mercedes CLA is a mini-me CLS four-door coupe, driven here in CLA250 turbo petrol form
12 Mar 2013
Skip advert
Advertisement
Mercedes CLA45 AMG first pic
Mercedes CLA45 AMG saloon first picture silver Driveclub PS4
News

Mercedes CLA45 AMG first pic

The first picture of the new Mercedes CLA45 AMG sports saloon has been revealed
21 Feb 2013
Mercedes CLA revealed
Mercedes-Benz CLA
News

Mercedes CLA revealed

Official pictures and details of the Mercedes-Benz CLA, an A-class saloon with a super low drag coefficient
14 Jan 2013
Skip advert
Advertisement
CLS 63 AMG power boost
Mercedes CLS 63 AMG power boost
News

CLS 63 AMG power boost

Along with the new E63, Mercedes-Benz has announced a power increase and new 'S' performance pack for the CLS 63 AMG
11 Jan 2013
Mercedes CLS AMG Shooting Brake
Mercedes-Benz CLS 63 AMG Shooting Brake unveiled
News

Mercedes CLS AMG Shooting Brake

The AMG version of the new CLS Shooting Brake has been revealed - with a November launch date expected in the UK.
9 Jul 2012
Mercedes CLS Shooting Brake
2012 Mercedes-Benz CLS Shooting Brake white
News

Mercedes CLS Shooting Brake

Mercedes-Benz pulls the wraps of its Audi A7 rivaling 'coupe estate', its long rumoured CLS Shooting Brake
29 Jun 2012
Mercedes-Benz CSC Concept
Mercedes-Benz CLC Concept
News

Mercedes-Benz CSC Concept

Images of the new Mercedes Concept Style Coupe have been released ahead of the car's official unveiling at the Beijing motor show
19 Apr 2012
Skip advert
Advertisement
Mercedes-Benz CLS63 AMG
Mercedes CLS 63 AMG
Reviews

Mercedes-Benz CLS63 AMG

New CLS gets twin-turbo V8 in AMG form, 549bhp and £87k with 'performance pack'
1 Jan 2011
Mercedes-Benz CLS500 review
Mercedes CLS
Reviews

Mercedes-Benz CLS500 review

Debut for second-generation CLS, new 402bhp twin-turbo V8, contentious exterior styling, improved cabin
1 Dec 2010
Merc unveils the CLS 63 AMG
Mercedes CLS 63 AMG
News

Merc unveils the CLS 63 AMG

AMG has gone to work on the new CLS saloon. Meet Mercedes' new 518bhp, 186mph CLS 63 AMG.
17 Nov 2010
Mercedes-Benz CLS500 review
Mercedes CLS500
Reviews

Mercedes-Benz CLS500 review

The second generation CLS is here. Can it repeat the success of its predecessor? Review and full hi-res gallery here.
11 Oct 2010
New Mercedes CLS revealed
New Mercedes-Benz CLS
News

New Mercedes CLS revealed

The all-new Mercedes-Benz coupe saloon is here, as the 2nd-gen CLS is revealed. Details and pictures
23 Aug 2010
Video: Merc F800
Mercedes F800 Style
News

Video: Merc F800

evo's Chris Harris reviews the Geneva motor show highlights. Mercedes F800
4 Mar 2010
Skip advert
Advertisement
Mercedes update
News

Mercedes update

News from Mercedes Benz on the Gullwing, AMG E-class and all-new hatchback CLS
26 Feb 2009
Mercedes CLS
Spy shots

Mercedes CLS

Clearest shots yet of the second generation Mercedes CLS
4 Feb 2009