The big news for the 2026 AMG GLE 53 Coupe is that the engine is a plug-in hybrid setup. Mercedes hasn’t released any info on a gas-only version, and rumors suggest that the entire AMG GLE lineup will be hybrids. So the 53 Hybrid Coupe will arrive with an AMG-fettled 3.0-liter inline six-cylinder engine designed specifically for this application. The software that manages the engine setup has been updated, and an additional heat exchanger helps to put out 443 hp, which is 14 hp more than the outgoing model. An electric motor with 134 hp is added, along with a 31.2 kWh battery, for a system total of 536 hp and 553 lb-ft.
Power is sent through the AMG Performance 4Matic+ fully variable all-wheel drive system for maximum traction, which will have the 53 Hybrid Coupe launching from 0-60 mph in 4.6 seconds. Top speed is limited electronically to 155 mph, and even in all-electric mode, the PHEV can travel at speeds of up to 87 mph in the appropriate drive mode.
AMG Ride Control+ air suspension with adaptive damping is standard, but it’s been tuned specifically for the GLE 53 Hybrid lineup to ensure acoustic damping while retaining the sporting nature of AMG cars. There are also new passive stabilizers on both axles, new dampers at the rear, and updated chassis tuning.
The new AMG GLE 53 Hybrid Coupe defaults to a new ‘Electric’ mode at startup, but you can choose from Comfort, Sport, Sport+, Slippery, and Individual, as well as another hybrid-specific mode called ‘Battery Hold’ where the battery state of charge is kept constant by managing the input of the gas engine and electric motor and adjusting energy recuperation rates