This is not the first time you are reading about the Mercedes EQS on carandbike. We’ve driven the EQS in Germany and told you all about it, and you can watch that comprehensive review here. But the one we’ve got our hands on in India is a little different. How different? Well look at the badge. It says AMG! It’s Mercedes’ first ever electric AMG and it’s this version of the EQS that we get in India before the 580 lands on our shores. No wonder then that I was excited to get behind the wheel and drive it.
The AMG EQS 53 is Mercedes' first electric AMG, and it arrives in India ahead of the EQS 580.
It’s an AMG, so yes, there’s more power on offer than the normal EQS 580. The 107.8 kWh battery pack, is good enough for 751 bhp and there’s 1020 Nm of torque and that is available from the word ‘go’ which is something that all electric cars have. But this one is just quicker. 0-100 kmph is done in just 3.4 seconds and top speed is limited to 250 kmph. Of course, you can choose from different drive modes as well and you can shift to Sport or Sport+ mode as well and that’s exactly what I did, because well, I was behind the wheel of an AMG. The Sport+ mode just changes the entire behaviour of the car and that’s because, everything becomes a bit sportier. The steering too is on the heavier side and the suspension too just a bit more firm, so you can carve through those corners with ease. Yes, we would certainly like to take it out on the race track in this mode, but whatever fun I could have, I did! The fact that it remains true to the AMG pedigree is commendable and it is every bit as sporty as expected. You miss the sound though, a bit and that’s where Mercedes-Benz has provided this additional soundtrack, which has a bit of an exhaust note, which does justice to an EV, but it’s all artificial at the end of the day. You do miss the grunt and growl of raw power, because the AMG EQS certainly deserves it.
The fact that it remains true to the AMG pedigree is commendable and it is every bit as sporty as expected.
I did cover some of this in the earlier sub-heading. It’s every bit a sports car that you’d expect an AMG to be. The EQS with its bulk and luxuries, absolutely nails it in the ride and handling department. The ride is plaint and the suspension travel soaks in all the bumps on the road and even the bigger bumps don’t throw the passengers inside off gear. However, those 20-inch wheels do get thinner sidewalls and that’s a bit of a concern for me. Given that Indian roads have so much debris on them, a thinner side-walled tyre could allow the wheel to get damaged easily and I am a little wary of that.
The 20-inch wheels get thin sidewalls, which is a bit of a concern.
It is the most aerodynamic car, according to Mercedes-Benz. 0.23 is what the coefficient drag is and you can see it all in the design. The digital lights, the AMG-specific black panel grille and the vertical struts in chrome, all give it that uber luxury feel, while the flics and fins on the air intakes with air curtains. The rear too gets six fins and the large rear spoiler reduces rear lift without increasing drag.
The AMG-specific black panel grille gets vertical struts in chrome.
It’s as sophisticated on the inside as well. The 56-inch Hyperscreen dominates the dashboard. Three screens are what you are provided with and two are for the driver and one for the passenger. It’s looks surreal and operational wise it’s a treat because, it’s just so intuitive. The minimal use of buttons absolutely dominates the centre console but the steering wheel is quite busy. It gets all the buttons that you can think of - cruise control, voice commands, controls for infotainment system and more. The AMG EQS is a connected car of course, and keeps you updated with the latest news. In fact, there are games too that you can play on it and Siddharth had taken you through that last time around. The only trouble I faced was with the seats. The lack of lateral support is something that I found particularly annoying and this you expect from an AMG model.
The 56-inch Hyperscreen looks surreal and is just so intuitive to operate.
But there are plenty of sporty bits inside to remind you that it’s an AMG. This includes the sporty steering wheel, the aluminium paddle shifters and the AMG sports pedals. They’re all funky and though you won’t sit in the back seat of this one, it is very luxurious. The massive glass area, makes it very airy and adds to the sense of space. The under thigh support and head room too is good.
Though you won’t sit in the back seat of this one, it is very luxurious.
The big thing that Mercedes is working on is charging network and by the end of 2022 it plans to set up the largest ultra-fast charging network in the country. It will cover 80 per cent of the country but that will be exclusively for Mercedes-Benz users. Rs. 2.45 crore (ex-showroom India) is that the AMG EQS 53 is priced at. So there’s an exclusive club you need to be in to own one, but this one is the CBU. The 580 will be launched very soon as well because it is locally assembled, so expect a dip in price for that one. The EQS is the pinnacle of electric cars and like the S-Class, it certainly has set the bar very high!
