Wind in Your Hair

The E53 Cabriolet is the perfect package of luxury and sportiness; and you can't take your eyes off it

- Afzal Rawuther

The Mercedes-AMG E53 4Matic+ Cabriolet is unlike anything else in the Indian market right now. It has handsome proportions, the versatility of a convertible and loads of performance. While there are other convertible options at different price brackets, nothing comes with the promise of performance that this AMG can deliver. Over the course of a day, we put it to the test to see if it is indeed as desirable as it seems on paper.

The E53 Cabriolet doesn't resort to excessive bling to stand out. It has a classic, timeless design that's beautiful no matter how you look at it. The straight, non-fussy character lines, the muscular haunches, the 19-inch alloys and short overhangs with the time-tested cabriolet silhouette come together effortlessly in a truly fine-looking car. The AMG Panamericana grille along with the LED headlamps and long bonnet give the E53 Cabriolet a purposeful stance. Other elements like the steeply raked windscreen, the quad exhaust tips and some elements of the rather minimal bodywork also help make the E53 Cabriolet's sporty intentions clear.

While our white test car came in with a maroon soft-top, the roof can be specced in any of the five shades available. The roof takes 20 seconds and can be deployed on the go at speeds of up to 50kmph. To help protect your hairdo, the E53 Cabriolet has what's called an Aircap, a spoiler at the top of the windscreen along with a panel behind the headrests. The Aircap helps move the airflow up and away from you and makes it easy to have a conversation with your co-passenger without the wind constantly blowing in your face. Understandably, with the roof mechanism, there isn't a lot of space in the boot 371 litres and very shallow at that, but you can drop down the rear seats to make a bit more room.