WHAT WE'RE DRIVING

Select “Sport+”, floor the gas pedal, listen to the engine and exhaust notes, and the essence of Mercedes-AMG's latest E 53 sedan is sensationally clear. But shouldn't this combo be V8 sourced from AMG's impressive repertoire rather than a 3.0-L in-line modular six, aided by an electrically-driven auxiliary compressor?

“There are different reasons why we decided to use the six-cylinder inline for the E 53, but particularly because it is very compact,” said Christian Enderle, Director of Drive System Development, Mercedes-AMG. “Also, the six-cylinder inline runs more smoothly, as the primary and secondary inertia forces and torque are balanced.”