2021 MERCEDES AMG GT 53

AMG GT 53 TAKES LUXURY, PERFORMANCE TO HIGH LEVEL

On the market for about five years now, the Mercedes AMG GT 53 is a luxury vehicle with the haughty attitude of a high-performance sports car.

It certainly has the luxury price with a starting MSRP just under $100,000, and it has the chops when it comes to get-up-and-go with a 3.0-liter, inline 6-cylinder engine it zips from zero to 60 mph in a 4.4 seconds. Spec numbers are 429 horsepower and 384 pound-feet of torque.

With a 9-speed automatic transmission and Mercedes’ 4-MATIC all-wheel-drive system, the GT 53 checks in with fuel mileage figures of 20 miles-per-gallon city, 25 highway, and 22 combined, which is not going to make the green crowd all that happy but is far from the thirstiest in its class, not the highest on today’s market but good enough.

The 2021 Mercedes AMG GT 53 has the look of a sedan as a 4-door vehicle in the style of a hatchback, but the Germans insist on referring to it as a coupe. Mercedes was not the first to come forth with the idea of a 4-door coupe, but so far only its fellow Teutonic countrymen at BMW and Audi have followed suit, though others are trumpeting 4-door “sports cars” as well.

But I digress.

A full console in the rear reduces passenger capacity in the GT 53 to four, so it wouldn’t be the most ideal vehicle for family transportation, but those who do get inside are surrounded by an elegant interior full of premium materials. 

Front seat-riders (including the driver, of course) can take advantage of a multi-setting massage function to ease away the day’s weariness, and available packages include heating and ventilating systems for the front seats. Heated back seats also are an option in a package that also includes heated and cool cupholders and 3-zone climate control.

Standard in the startomg MSRP are such features as navigation, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, voice control for infotainment functions, wireless charging, dual-zone climate control, Burmeister sound system, and a touchpad for operating infotainment systems to save you from stretching for the 12.3-inch touchscreen.

Safety systems include blind-spot assist, driver attention assist, and brake assist in addition to the usual assortment of airbags and seatbelts.

Also standard are LED headlamps, daytime running lights, and taillights.

Numerous options and packages also are offered. My test vehicle came with AMG forged cross-spoke wheels, AMG performance exhaust, a surround-view camera, a driver assistant package (active steering assist, active lane-change assist, active lane warning, and more), and the rear-seat package mentioned earlier.

The Pre-Safe Plus system included in the driver’s assist package includes rear-end collision protection and route-base speed adaptation to add to safety features.

All that with the $1,050 destination and delivery fee ran the total to $126,320.

High territory, but you can spend even more and get more performance by going for the GT 63 with its biturbo V8 engine (577 hp, 590 lb.-ft.) that starts at $!36,500 or the GT 63 S that ups the power numbers to 630/664. respectively, and starts at $170,000.

Or you can ratchet down to the new for 2021 AMG GT 43 that starts at $89,900 before extras like destination and delivery are added on. It still packs a pretty impressive punch at 362 hp and 369 lb.-ft. with a zero-to-60 clocking of 4.8 seconds.

Hard to see going wrong with any of the GT models.

What I liked about the 2021 Mercedes AMG GT 53: Obviously, the performance is the big thing with the GT 53. But it doesn’t overwhelm you and is comfortable as a daily driver, at home on city streets as well as the track. (Though, unfortunately, I never got any time on the track to check that out.) The trunk capacity of 12.3 cubic feet doesn’t seem like all that huge, but the hatchback configuration makes good use of the space.

What I didn’t like about the 2021 Mercedes AMG GT 53:  The rear console reduces passenger capacity to four, which can be an inconvenience, but my No. 1 complaint with the GT 53 is the same fussy infotainment system I first experienced in earlier Mercedes models. You either flip through the various functions by either using the touchscreen monitor or a laptop-like touchpad on the center console.It requires too much driver attention for my liket and the touchpad is sensitive enough you can accidentally swipe it and change function. Also, it’s not the quietest vehicle on the road.

Would I buy the Mercedes AMG GT 53? If you’re in the the market for a second “personal” car, want performance, and budget is no object, the GT 53 must be on your list. But the four-passenger capacity limits its appeal for family transportation.