Quick Take: 2022 Mercedes-Benz AMG GT 53
Mercedes-Benz has long been known for luxury cars, though not as much for its performance vehicles. Much of that has changed over the last ten to twenty years through the company’s involvement in Formula 1 and the release of dedicated sports cars like the SLR McLaren, SLS AMG, and the AMG GT Coupe. With the AMG GT 53, Mercedes has combined the nature of the aforementioned sports cars with the usability of a typical Mercedes passenger car, with the results becoming a package we enjoyed very much.
We’ll start with the performance. The GT 53 has a turbocharged 3-liter inline-six engine generating 429 horsepower paired with a 9-speed automatic transmission. 4Matic all-wheel-drive comes standard along with AMG Ride Control sport suspension which help make handling exceptionally tight. As we drove the GT 53 on the winding back roads of Half Moon Bay, the car had no qualms sticking to the road even on the twistiest of turns and could provide plenty of acceleration coming out of a corner without losing any traction. In addition, our test vehicle had the optional AMG performance exhaust which provided wonderfully sonorous notes from the inline-six engine.
Despite being focused more towards the sport end, the GT 53 was pleasantly docile even in normal driving conditions. Though the car we drove had the AMG performance seats in front, the ride was comfortable and we can only imagine how much more restful the standard seats are. Our GT 53 also had the Acoustic Comfort Package which brought increased cabin insulation as well as windows with an acoustic and heat absorbing membrane. Numerous features came standard, such as dual 12.3-inch displays for the instrument panel and infotainment system, a Burmester surround sound system, and Car-to-X communication.
With a base price of $102,600 (our test vehicle stickered at $122,155), the GT 53 is not cheap, but those who manage to get their hands on one will undoubtedly have a smile at some point after getting behind the wheel. Cars that could do that used to be hopelessly impractical, but the GT 53 demonstrates that one can have all the characteristics of a dedicated sports car in a practical four-door combination of parts.
