2023 Mercedes-AMG EQE First Drive: Whispering Assassin
The 2023 Mercedes-AMG EQE isn't the first all-electric car from AMG. That honor goes to the wild gullwing SLS AMG Electric Drive coupe unveiled at the 2012 Paris Show. Now a largely forgotten curio, the SLS AMG Electric Drive was at the time the most powerful AMG production car ever built, boasting 740 hp and 738 lb-ft of torque, courtesy of four e-motors powered by a 60 kWh lithium-ion battery. Only nine were said to have been produced.
The AMG EQE also follows in the wheel tracks of the larger, plusher AMG EQS sedan we drove late in 2021. But it's perhaps the most important AMG electric car so far, not the least of which because it will be the most affordable AMG electric car so far. Though U.S. pricing has yet to be finalized, back-of-the-envelope calculations suggest the AMG EQE should retail for about the same money as a Tesla Model S Dual Motor.
Though two versions of the AMG EQE are offered in Europe—the 470-hp EQE 43 4Matic and the 617-hp EQE 53 4Matic+—the U.S. will only get the latter, and it will simply be badged Mercedes-AMG EQE.
And in case you're wondering, there isn't an EQE 63 waiting in the wings. Well, not yet anyway: AMG engineers confirm the AMG EQE we're getting is the most powerful variant they will build on the Mercedes-Benz EVA2 electric vehicle platform that underpins the regular EQE and EQS sedans. Truly tarmac-melting AMG electric cars will be built on a new, dedicated performance EV platform currently under development in Affalterbach.
That's not to say the AMG EQE is slow. Far from it. But first, the tech highlights.
AMG EQE Power and Torque
The dual-motor AMG EQE has a 221-hp e-motor driving the front wheels and a 396-hp e-motor powering the rears, the pair delivering a total system output of 617 hp and 701 lb-ft of torque. That's almost twice the power—and nearly twice the torque—of the entry-level, rear-drive EQE 350+. And in cars fitted with the optional AMG Dynamic Plus package the boost mode function unleashes 677 hp and 738 lb-ft.
The AMG-specific permanently excited synchronous e-motors feature improved cooling to allow repeated acceleration without performance degradation, and unique windings with thicker wires that carry higher currents with greater stability, enabling higher motor rpm and increased power. The rear e-motor is a six phase design rather than the normal three phase, to further increase its power output.
The five drive modes—Slippery, Comfort, Sport, Sport+, and Individual—not only change the AMG EQE's chassis settings, but also significantly vary the powertrain output. Slippery mode restricts the powertrain to 308hp, Comfort to 493 hp, and Sport to 555 hp. Only in Sport+ are you able to access the full 617hp or more.
The e-motors are fed by a 90.6-kWh battery pack that AMG says will deliver from 275 miles to 321 miles of range on the WLTP test cycle. That suggests a range of somewhere between 210 miles and 240 miles on the tougher EPA test.
Chassis upgrades include AMG-specific wheel carriers, suspension links and stiffer stabilizer bars. The bushes between the body shell and rear axle subframe are 50 percent stiffer than those of the regular EQE, and the AMG Ride Control+ air suspension has unique mapping for the spring and shock rates. The system will instantly lower the ride height by six-tenths of an inch in Sport and Sport+ modes and keep it there; in Comfort mode that only happens when you hit 78 mph. Drop down to 50 mph, and the car will raise itself back to its standard ride height.
Rear-wheel steering is standard, the wheels turning up to 3.6 degrees in the opposite direction to the fronts at speeds up to 37 mph to improve low speed maneuverability and agility, and in the same direction as the fronts at higher speeds to increase stability.
Though the AMG EQE will recoup up to 260 kilowatts with the regen system set in its most aggressive mode, AMG's high performance steel brake setup is standard, with 16.3-inch rotors and six piston calipers on the front axle, and 14.9-inch units with single piston calipers at the rear. Carbon ceramic brakes are available as an option, but only with the optional 21-inch wheels. Standard wheels are 20-inch. Despite their aggressive styling, all the wheels have been carefully designed to reduce aerodynamic drag.
The EQE Has Digital Sound Effects—If You Want Them
AMG engineers claim the EQE is only marginally less slippery than the regular model, despite its wider tires and more aggressively styled front and rear fascias. That contributes to one of the car's standout characteristics—its quietude, especially at freeway cruising speeds. But for a brand that's long been celebrated for powertrains that when you mash the gas pedal assault your ears like you're in the mosh pit at an AC/DC concert, that's potentially an existential problem.
AMG's solution has been to create special electronic soundscapes that play through the audio speakers when you select either Sport or Sport+ drive modes. It may be a generational thing— gamers who've spent years listening to digital effects might think they're cool—but to our ears in Sport mode at full acceleration it sounded like an Airbus A380 on takeoff, while the Sport+ mode soundscape sounded as if Captain Kirk had just ordered the Enterprise to warp speed.
Fortunately, you can switch the fancy effects off, either by accessing the menu on the center touch screen or using the shortcut on the steering wheel. Embrace the relative silence, and you'll start noticing subtle aural cues that are usually drowned by the raucous mayhem of combustion and mechanics; things like changes in tire noise as you approach the limits of adhesion through corners or under brakes, for example.
Our test car was fitted with the optional Dynamic Plus package, which meant it had the full-strength, high-caffeine 677-hp, 738-lb-ft powertrain. Worth the extra money? Let's just say the way it delivers is right on brand.
This EQE Is Definitely An AMG
The acceleration in Sport+ mode is neck-snapping, more instantly ferocious, more gut-punchingly violent, than in any internal combustion engine AMG car. Mat the accelerator and the AMG EQE launches like a fighter jet catapulted off an aircraft carrier. The traction is astonishing, and while the AMG EQE is limited to a mere—by AMG standards—137 mph (149 mph in Dynamic Plus-equipped cars) it gets there riding an endless torrent of weapons grade thrust. Like Porsche's Taycan, it has top end response few other EVs can match.
AMG claims a 0-60 mph acceleration time of 3.2 seconds for Dynamic Plus-equipped cars, and 3.4 seconds for standard AMG EQEs. That's impressive, especially for a car that's claimed to weigh about 5,500 pounds. For context, Tesla claims its 670-hp Model S Dual Motor, which it says weighs about 1,000-pounds less than the Mercedes, is only 0.1 to 0.3 seconds quicker to 60 mph.
Even more impressive, perhaps, is the chassis. While the regular EQE can feel a little floaty and detached when pushed, the AMG EQE remains resolutely planted, even when hammered over bumpy, tight, and twisting roads. The body control is excellent, and even in Sport+ mode there's a syrupy coating to the ride you rarely feel in an AMG car.
Our test car was on the optional 21-inch wheels, with 265/35 Michelin Pilot Sport EV tires up front and 295/30 items at the rear, but in Comfort mode at slow speeds, the AMG EQE still rode more like a modern luxury sport sedan on low profile tires than a hair-on-fire muscle car, the impacts from potholes and random road acne well suppressed.
Astounding Power and One-Pedal Driving
It doesn't exactly shrink around you, the AMG EQE, though. It's still a big, very heavy sedan, and the high cowl and cab-forward stance means you can't see its front corners from the driver's seat, which makes it difficult to place on tight, narrow roads. But once you get a sense of its physicality, you can push it as hard and fast along any canyon road as any AMG sedan, exploiting the confidence of the chassis to make the most of its astounding instant-on power and torque.
There's not much nuance to the weighty steering, though the front axle responds as soon as you pull the wheel off center, and the rear steer system helps snap the Mercedes into the tighter, slower corners.
The asymmetric powertrain means that there's a bias to the rear axle when you go to power. Under full acceleration, 64 percent of the torque goes to the rear wheels and 36 percent to the front, and you can feel the front wheels helping pull the car out of a corner as the rears punch it hard past the apex.
You can switch between three levels of lift-off regen using the paddles either side of the steering wheel. High regen allows almost one-pedal driving around town, while normal gives a similar lift-off effect to an internal combustion engine car with an automatic transmission. You can also switch regen off completely and allow the AMG EQE to coast.
The coast setting is great for freeway driving, as it allows the car to make the most of its available kinetic energy, especially on long downhill stretches or with a tail wind. Normal is the best all-round setting for when you're hustling along a fun road, as it induces the gentle lift-off weight transfer to the front axle that's often so useful when setting up a car for a corner.
AMG engineers say the regenerative braking system will recoup up to 260 kilowatts in the highest setting. We saw a peak of 171 kilowatts recouped in the normal mode while pushing the AMG EQE down a quiet mountain road, on a run that gave the brakes a real workout.
The brake-by-wire system felt more natural than in the regular EQE, the transition between regenerative and mechanical braking almost seamless. As the steel rotors got hot, however, the pedal became longer in travel and a little less linear in feel. Not that the braking performance seemed affected; we could still get right to the point of ABS intervention on the inside front wheel on the entry to some of the tighter, dropaway turns.
The AMG EQE's mass means you can't toss it around like a sports car, but if you're smooth and tidy with your inputs, it will cover ground with imperious, ground-crushing pace. And when you're not chasing ultimate pace, the AMG EQE is an oasis of grace.
High Style and Hyperscreen
The low noise levels, good rolling ride, and comfortable seats make it a superb highway cruiser. With the silly fake powertrain noises switched off, you can enjoy your favorite sounds on the excellent Burmester audio system, have a quiet conversation with your passengers, or just admire the scenery and enjoy the sunshine through the standard panorama roof.
Like all modern Mercedes, you'll need to spend time hunting and pecking around the vast MBUX interface to find the settings and shortcuts you want, but at least you can turn off the annoying stuff like lane keep assist and tweak the powertrain and suspension settings independently, even within the main drive modes. Our cars were all fitted with the optional Hyperscreen that hides three smaller screens behind a dramatic sweep of glass across the dash.
It's a fingerprint magnet, the Hyperscreen, but the third screen allows the front seat passenger to access all manner of menus, including the cool AMG-specific ones that show how hard the driver is working the car.
The AMG EQE might be a new sort of AMG performance car, but the interior ambience—the sports seats and contrast stitching, the steering wheel with the control pods under the horizontal spokes and aluminum paddles behind it—as well as the exterior detailing—the more aggressive front and rear fascias, the big wheels, the wing on the trunk lid—is all familiar fare from the folks at Affalterbach.
The chrome bars on the AMG EQE's 'grille' might seem a pointless affectation, but in truth they give the front end a distinctive visual signature that can be hard to achieve in an EV. But you'll just have to accept that this is an AMG car that won't have four bazooka-caliber exhausts peeking out from under the rear bumper.
Which E AMG?
AMG EQE versus AMG E 63 S? The E 63 S has the better power-to-weight ratio, packing 603 hp in a car that's 1,000-pounds lighter than the AMG EQE, and sizzling top end bite. But the electric AMG car punches harder out of corners, and accelerates in an irresistible rush that's uninterrupted by the need to change gears.
The E 63 S's lighter weight, which makes it easier on brakes and tires, wieldier on the change of direction, and delivers higher steady-state grip, would ultimately give it the edge. But in terms of ultimate on-road pace on anything but an unlimited autobahn, there's probably not much between the two.
Yes, the smooth and quiet AMG EQE is that quick, an electric car that delivers performance and handling that—like the most iconic AMG cars—simply bludgeons any road into submission. But it's not a hammer. It's a whispering assassin.
Looks good! More details?2023 Mercedes-AMG EQE Specifications PRICE $100,000 (MT est) LAYOUT Front- and rear-motor, AWD, 5-pass, 4-door sedan ENGINE 2 permanent-magnet-type electric, 617-677-hp/701-738-l-ft (comb) TRANSMISSION 1-speed auto CURB WEIGHT 5,500lb (mfr) WHEELBASE 126.4i n L x W x H 196.6 x 64.3 x 59.5 in 0-60 MPH 3.2 - 3.4 sec (mfr) EPA FUEL ECON, CITY/HWY/COMB N/A ENERGY CONSUMPTION, CITY/HWY N/A CO2 EMISSIONS, COMB N/A ON SALE Late 2022 Show AllYou may also like
Whereas there's plenty of hubbub around the V-8-equipped $80,000 Jeep Wrangler 392 and how Jeep finally has stiff competition in the Ford Bronco, there's much less chatter surrounding the other Wranglers. The bulk of the auto market may gravitate toward decked-out variants, but there's still a place for base trims. You know, the ones that cost $30,000 and form the foundation upon which the upper-echelon trims are built. There are still stubborn Jeep guys who just want a Wrangler—just not a Wrangler weighed down with every option. Luckily, Jeep provideth.Consider this: You can theoretically buy—good luck finding one in real life, though—a brand-new two-door 2022 Jeep Wrangler Sport for $29,995 that comes standard with Uconnect 3 with an itty-bitty 5.0-inch touchscreen display and no air conditioning. Even the next trim, Willys Sport, can be had with no air conditioning. (We actually know a guy who opted for a brand-new Wrangler devoid of A/C. Absolute hero! Or just young and broke.) Luckily, you can choose to be frosty. There is the option to upgrade to Uconnect 4 with a respectable 7.0-inch touchscreen. This $1,395 option on the configurator also gets you air conditioning.Fast-forward to model year 2023, and Jeep has implemented some changes to its bare-bones, base-trim, two-door 2023 Jeep Wrangler Sport—while only raising the MSRP by $300 to $30,295. For better or worse, it's still base, but a little less base. Uconnect 4 with the 7.0-inch touchscreen is standard, and Uconnect 3 with the 5.0-inch touchscreen officially dies. That means standard air conditioning; all Wranglers great and small have standard air conditioning for 2023. For those who hate the idea of A/C, crank down that manual window and leave the A/C off. Don't panic—2023 Wrangler Sports retain standard manual door locks, manual windows, and a manual transmission behind the 3.6-liter V-6. Luckily, even the 2023 Wrangler Sport still gets the Smoker's Group option, complete with a removable ash tray and a cigar lighter.Although the two-door 2022 Wrangler Sport still comes standard with the smaller screen and no A/C, that's not the case with the four-door Unlimited configuration of the same year; it made the switch to the better Uconnect, screen, and A/C for 2022. Bottom line: Doors matter.More broadly, the 2023 Jeep Wrangler drops three trims (Sport Altitude, Sahara Altitude, and High Tide) and a few colors (Snazberry and Gobi)—but there's plenty of time for Jeep to garnish its 2023 fleet with more new trims and colors. Pricing remains pretty stable, with the four-door Sahara seeing the biggest jump at $2,170, and some trims (four-door examples: Willys Sport, Sport S, and Rubicon) actually becoming less expensive.These changes in standard equipment for the 2023 Jeep Wrangler Sport two-door help it fall more in line with the Base Ford Bronco, which has air conditioning and Sync 4 with an 8.0-inch touchscreen. But still, RIP Wranglers without A/C. You'll always be hot.
Miss the Big Game this year? Maybe you don't get into the whole "sports thing." Either way, the commercials are always a huge part of the Super Bowl broadcast. Seeing as how you're reading about those game-day ads here, on MotorTrend, guess what? We're going to talk about the car commercials from Super Bowl LVI, of course! Here's a quick recap of the car spots we spotted during the game:Chevrolet | "New Generation"Fans of "The Sopranos" probably spat out their drinks and sat up when the HBO series' theme song "Woke Up This Morning" started oozing from their speakers while the show's opening sequence driving from New York City to New Jersey rolled on. But something in the iconic opening is different...James Gandolfini's Tony Soprano isn't peeking at us through the rearview mirror...it's his on-screen daughter, Meadow (Jamie-Lynn Sigler). And there's something different about Tony's '90s Chevy Suburban...the dashboard looks way too modern. Without giving away the ending, "New Generation" reimagines the Sopranos' original family ride as the new Silverado EV pickup. Cool.Hyundai | "History Of Evolution"Starring actor Jason Bateman in his more usual comedic guise—as opposed to his darker turn in the drama "Ozarks" on Netflix—this Hyundai ad runs viewers through major technological developments throughout history while reminding them that those developments always had a rough start. This pivots, eventually, to the concept of an electric vehicle, which Bateman says is now reaching maturity—thanks to, of course, the new Ioniq 5 electric crossover. We're not sure about the Ioniq 5 being the be-all, end-all of EVs, but it is a darn good battery-electric SUV. And affordable, too.Kia | "Robo Dog"This Kia spot is cute and includes a dog, ripping a page out of Subaru's advertising playbook. But while general audiences might find the robot-puppy-finding-a-new-home-with-a-human plotline endearing, it takes a closer read to realize Kia is plugging (pun intended) the new EV6 electric crossover's ability to power other things using its battery. To wit, at the end of the commercial, the robo-dog is "saved" by an EV6 driver using its "vehicle-to-load" charging function, which can deliver electricity from the battery to external sources, be it a large appliance during a power outage or a stricken robotic puppy.Nissan | "Thrill Driver"Viewers should by now be familiar with actress Brie Larson making appearances in Nissan ads. For the Super Bowl, Nissan throws in a few more stars, including Eugene Levy, Dave Bautista, and Danai Gurira, to shill an unlikely car: The 2023 Z sports car. Hey, we're all for sports cars, but it's definitely unusual for an automaker to use such high-dollar ad space for a low-volume, two-seat sports car.BMW | "Zeus & Hera"BMW's ad leverages the high-wattage star power of Arnold Schwartzenegger and Salma Hayek but fails to generate much of a spark for the new iX electric SUV. Basically, Arnold plays Zeus and Hayek plays Hera; the god is retired yet is always being asked to charge up dead electronic devices using his lightning power (thunder?). Clearly tiring of his role as a god-smartphone-charger, Zeus is relieved to be given an iX by Hera, presumably because it zaps up Zeus rather than the other way around.GM | "Dr. EV-il"Reprising his role as Dr. Evil from the iconic Austin Powers comedies, Mike Myers holds court in one of his classic boardroom scenes with other original castmembers, including his son Scott (Seth Green); number two, Number Two (Rob Lowe); and Frau Farbissina (Mindy Sterling), while discussing his latest plans for world domination. Only one hitch: Climate change, which is billed as a pressing issue to first surmount. Dr. Evil must save the world in order to take it over, in essence, and needs to lower his carbon footprint to help. This is where GM's growing lineup of EVs comes in to play, and explains why Dr. Evil has anything to do with GM's EV lineup—Dr. EV-il, get it? The gang drives off in a new Hummer EV, a Silverado EV, and what appears to be a Cadillac Lyriq.Porsche | "Topgun: Maverick x Porsche"Porsche is one automaker that likely doesn't need to advertise, but here they are! This is less a commercial for a specific Porsche model than a crossover ad for its sports cars and the upcoming sequel to "Top Gun." If you remember the original fighter-jet bromance cinematic masterpiece, then you remember the love interest of Tom Cruise's character drove a classic Porsche; we assume, based on this ad, that a Porsche will feature in the new film, "Top Gun: Maverick." Really, it doesn't matter, because Porsche has wisely leveraged one of the best theme songs ever for a car ad.Polestar | "No Compromises"The brief, simple commercial from Polestar, Volvo's all-electric offshoot, seems effective. Listing several "no" phrases while flashing over the body of a Polestar 2 EV, "No Compromises" is a quiet introduction for Polestar on a stage as big as the Super Bowl, but it'll surely get people talking, and that's exactly what an upstart automaker wants.
Brace yourself. The Lincoln concept debuting at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance is a massive take on a future luxury electric car with a giant 14-foot reverse-hinged door—longer than some entire vehicles—and even features its own red carpet for a dramatic, royal arrival wherever it goes. Ford's luxury brand makes a grand statement with the Lincoln Model L100 Concept. The name is in celebration of Lincoln's 100th anniversary and pays homage to the automaker's first luxury vehicle, the 1922 Model L.While the name is a nod to the past, the car is very much the future of Lincoln. The brand has promised a full electric vehicle lineup, with three new EVs by 2025, a fourth in 2026, and a fully electrified portfolio by 2030. For a glimpse into what the near-term EVs will look like, Ford's luxury brand first showed us the Lincoln Star concept, an electric streamlined SUV with dynamic lighting, transparent frunk, and coach doors. The Lincoln Model L100 is the long-range preview of a world where autonomous vehicles share the road with EVs driven manually.Designing the Lincoln L100 From the Inside OutDesigners and modelers worked furiously to pull a show car together to toast the past and future simultaneously with a debut during the country's most ostentatious car event: Monterey Car Week. The five-passenger concept was designed digitally first and a foam model of the massive car grew from that. A version in sheetmetal, with the help of 3D printing, was being pulled together right up to the reveal deadline.The final show car is imposing. It is longer than a Lincoln Navigator L; the long-wheelbase SUV is 18.5 feet long. The L100 dwarfs it at more than 20 feet long and 6 ½ feet wide with more than 16 feet of interior space. Lincoln Global Design Director Kemal Curic said they built the interior first and it is the largest that Lincoln has ever created. Then came the exterior, resplendent in metallic paint paired with frosted acrylic in lieu of chrome to create a soft white that transitions to blue.In a nod to the past: the concept was designed so it can still be driven. In a nod to the future: the driver can decide to lean back, stretch out, and let the car drive completely autonomously, in theory.Step Inside and Stretch OutThe 14-foot door is a piece of art with the most complex rear hinge the automaker, or maybe any automaker, has ever attempted. Once open you can remain upright as you enter the cabin—no yoga moves required to reach the queen and king seats in the back, which can be set to lounge mode with legs out and heads resting against the huge singular headrest that spans the cavernous interior. In autonomous mode, the dash disappears under the instrument panel and occupants have an unobstructed view of what is ahead.The seating layout is designed to be social. Passengers can all face forward, or front passengers can swivel to face their rear companions. The digital floor can create a mood or experience, such as projecting the image of flying above the clouds in an attempt to take passengers back to the time of romance and travel.The car plays up all the senses in a minimalist interior. Screens are not overpowering, there is no steering wheel or column. The animal-free materials in the cabin include a recycled suede-like fabric with amethyst accents.Tap Into Your Inner Child and Steer Like A Toy CarTo steer, there is a center console chessboard with a crystal chess piece controller that replaces a traditional steering wheel. Think of how a child plays with a toy car, grabbing its sides and sliding it forward or twisting it to turn. The same motions with the chess piece direct the car. An adult from any seat can assume control—there is no set driver or passenger seat since there is no restrictive steering column to work around.The lighting projects a red carpet onto the ground, but the concept also goes beyond puddle lighting. Tracking lighting detects you and follows you, 360 degrees, as you walk around the vehicle—an artificial intelligence feature designed to make you feel both safe and special, as if it knows you.The frunk was designed to be a jewelry box and there is a heritage jewel inside: a crystal greyhound ornament under the transparent hood that harkens back to the hood ornament originally selected by Edsel Ford in the 1920s to symbolize the grace and elegance of the Lincoln brand, which the Ford Motor Company had purchased.The L100 has a modern take on the Lincoln star logo on the front of the car. It is simple and backlit, like the apple on a MacBook. This is the first use of this new adaptation and could become a signature on future models.It is only a concept, so powertrain can be fictional. Lincoln officials say the L100 would use a solid-state battery to provide greater range at less cost. The teardrop shape and long tail give it the aerodynamics needed for greater efficiency, along with closed-off wheels and air flow through the bottom of the grille.At first glance the car appears to have an extremely long hood, but it actually starts almost in front of the front wheel with a cut line rear of the hood. The rear is sliced off, with a sharp angle like the back of a super yacht. The glass roof seamlessly melds into the body at the rear.LED Lights are the New ChromeLike most EVs, the concept plays up lighting as a new brand signature. LEDs are the new chrome, Curic says. The spinning wheels have smart covers that use sensors and lighting. The digital look makes it look like the car is gliding along the road. The glowing wheels also indicate the car's rate of charge, like giant analog dials.The L100 sets the pace for the future, says Lincoln Global Product Director John Jraiche. "A lot of the form language and strategy will be in future Lincolns." He says Lincoln is not beholden to its past and is creating a new identify in the EV age. Some aspects are pure concept -the massive door won't make it to production—but the idea behind it, of the car welcoming and hugging its occupants, is an idea that will be taken forward to production models. Some of the lighting and the face of the L100 could be in the first Lincoln EVs to hit the market, Curic says.The L100 project started before the Lincoln Star concept and the two proceeded in parallel, as two takes on the future of Lincoln from different time points, with brand signifiers in both vehicles. The team does not rule out a smaller version of the L100 for production. "Lincoln has always been special to me and my family, especially my father and my grandfather. If there is one secret to Lincoln's longevity, it is the brand's ability to balance its core values with a desire to innovate and create the future," said Ford executive chair Bill Ford in a statement. "Lincoln has been one of the most enduring and stylish automotive brands in the world and in many ways, it is perfectly positioned for a second century defined by great design, zero-emissions and technology-led experiences."
0 Comments