Mercedes-AMG will reportedly expand the CLS
nomenclature with an electrified 53 model. Said to debut at the 2018 Detroit Auto Show, next January, according to
Autocar, it will follow hot on the heels of the regular versions that are just
hours away from their LA Auto Show presentation.
The hybridized CLS will wear the AMG badges, Tobias
Moers confirmed to the British publication, and it will slot between the 43 and
63 flavors. It's expected to use the former's 3.0-liter straight-six engine,
together with a 67 hp electric motor and a lithium-ion battery pack, to deliver a total of 429 hp to the wheels.
It's unknown yet whether it will be able to travel
on electricity alone, even if it's only for a few miles, but this version of
the CLS will also benefit from regenerative braking technology, which will
charge the batteries.
Besides confirming the output and nomenclature of
the upcoming Mercedes-AMG CLS53, Moers suggested that a 53 version of the
current E-Class could arrive, in the not too distant future. However, it's been
said that this drivetrain will only launch on the Coupe and Convertible
versions of the executive car, while the Saloon and Estate will continue to be
offered with the V8 engine.
Those looking for more power from a four-door
Mercedes-AMG should wait for the AMG GT4 Saloon to debut next year. In its most
potent guise, it will allegedly use a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 engine, married
to an electric motor, to produce approximately 800hp, just like the AMG GT
Concept.
