The new Mercedes-AMG GLE 53 4MATIC+ Coupé merges the concept of SUVs and sportscars

There’s a marked distinction between SUVs and sportscars – not only in their appearance, but also in their performance. Merging the notion of the two, one cylinder at a time, has been AMG which has always put performance metrics including speed, power and lap timings at the core of what it does.

We’ve seen that AMG magic with the GLE 43 Coupé back in 2015, and now replacing that model is this Mercedes-AMG GLE 53 4MATIC+ Coupé which recently made its UAE debut.

The fastback silhouette of the frame is a strong indicator that this is an AMG machine, which although built on a full-sized SUV platform, was designed to be an aerodynamic wind-cheating machine.

There are more AMG touches including the large air intakes in the front, a splitter in silver chrome, and muscled wheel arches that can house wheels between 20-22 inches.

At the rear, the AMG exhaust twin-tailpipe are in chrome, but opt for the AMG Night package and you’ll have those four pipes in black. For aural drama, choose the AMG Performance exhaust system where at the touch of a button you can shift from discreet, muted sounds to full-throated howls.

Inside the car, you’re reminded that this is an AMG not only by way of the lettering found across the interiors including on the seats and floor mats, but also by the presence of carbon fibre on the dashboard, aluminium shift paddles behind the Nappa leather-wrapped steering wheel, and a socially-responsible Artico man-made leather used on the seats held together with red stitching.

The voice-operated MBUX infotainment system is available via the screen which includes the instrument cluster and multimedia display. Together, they occupy nearly half the length of the dashboard.

But the calling card of any AMG is always its engine. With this car, you’ll find a track-primed 3-litre twin-turbocharged six-cylinder in-line engine. Each AMG engine is handcrafted, with a dedicated engineer assigned to it from start to finish while building it in Affalterbach.

The engine produces 320kW (435hp) of power and a maximum torque of 520Nm. Its EQ Boost starter-alternator mechanism pushes an additional 16kW (22hp) of power and 250Nm of torque for short bursts of instant power while the combustion engine prepares to launch itself.

The result is that the car is capable of barrelling from 0-100kph in 5.3 seconds, helped by a nine-speed transmission, while it climbs to a limited top speed of 250kph.

As with all AMG machines, vehicle dynamics are of paramount importance too. The GLE 53 has seven drive programmes: Slippery, Comfort, Sport, Sport+, Individual, Trail and Sand – the latter of which is vital in this region.

While Comfort and Slippery will be gene­rally employed during everyday city commutes, Sport and Sport+ modes lower the cars by 15mm (alternatively, the car can also be raised by up to 55mm while stationary or driving at speeds of up to 70kph).

More seasoned drivers can, however, select the Individual mode where they can manually tweak the settings to specify engine response, steering, transmission, engine sound and suspension damping.

To ensure that the mechanics override foolhardy choices behind the wheel, the AMG Active Ride Control can automatically toggle through over 1,000 settings a second to, for example, reduce body roll. There’s always the large 400mm ventilated brakes discs upfront (and 345mm at the rear) to decisively bring proceedings to a halt.

To anyone who asks a customer to choose between an SUV and a sportscar – the GLE 53 Coupé is a keen reminder that, in reality, they can have both.

To learn more visit mercedes-benz-mena.com