2022 Mercedes-AMG GT53 4-Door Coupe Review: I'm Sorry, How Much?

I love spaghetti carbonara. But I can’t eat it all the time.

The—deep breath—2022 Mercedes-AMG GT53 4-Door Coupe is vehicular carbonara. This 14-syllable creation is stylish, quick, and chock full of clever technology. A proper Mercedes, then.

Like the classic dish, it’s also too rich. With a unique special edition, the GT53 sails into pricing territory that simply has too many other, tastier options. Exclusivity can only take you so far.

AMG has tweaked its GT 4-Door Coupe for 2022, temporarily shrinking the lineup. America sees the GT43 and GT53 models return, while Canada sticks to just the latter. Both use variations on Merc’s silky-smooth inline-six, now augmented with mild hybrid tech. For 53 duty, that translates to 429 horsepower and 384 pound-feet of torque.

Want the V8? You’ll have to wait a bit longer, when AMG unleashes the GT63 S E-Performance, a plug-in super-sedan with over 800 hp and a four-digit torque figure.

Beyond that, there’s some blink-and-you’ll-miss-it exterior styling changes, and the usual round of new paint and wheel options. This tester gets an incredible Manufaktur Edition look, which pairs a rich Rubelite Red metallic exterior with intricate 21-inch alloy wheels. Do I think those thin rings would get damaged after a short while? Absolutely. Are they also cool as hell? Absolutely. The paint goes from a near-black to a brilliant cherry in the sun, looking far classier than the matte paints AMG favors for its two-door offerings.

Don’t bother looking for this special edition on the US car configurator. It’s a Canada thing, which isn’t too unreasonable when you consider the country is AMG’s fifth-largest market.

This is a great engine. I’ve experienced it in other Mercs (the rounded GLE53 AMG, the underrated E450 Cabriolet) and it’s just as good here. Effortlessly muscular with virtually zero turbo lag, the inline-six has power to spare at any rpm. While it lacks the explosive power of AMG’s V8 engines, the GT53 is still quicker than most anything else on the road. The run to 62 mph (100 km/h) is over in the low 4s, and it’s only just hitting its stride there.

The nine-speed automatic does an excellent job, whether keeping things subdued when cruising, or zinging through the gears in manual mode. Standard AWD and huge, sticky rubber ensures there’s always grip. Merc’s 4Matic system is pleasantly rear-biased, and that shines through when I peel off the highway and head for twistier tarmac.

Out here, with the wheel-mounted dial spun to Sport, the GT53 shrinks around the driver. This is a big, heavy car, one without the benefit of rear-wheel steering, yet it’s agile and fun when let off its leash. There’s a good amount of weight in the overly-thick steering wheel, the kind that lets you lean on it. Trust it. Similarly, the brake pedal is firm and positive, and those enormous platters behind the wheels are indefatigable. Sport Plus is available for those wanting even more, but for me, it ends up riding a little too harsh, and the steering feels too artificially hefty. AMG offers owners the ability to tailor the suspension, transmission, and exhaust settings too, which can then be saved to the Individual mode for one-click access.

Merc might insist on calling this a coupe, but in the best way possible, it drives like a sedan. Even in Sport mode, the GT53 finds a fine balance between body control and occupant comfort. There’s a firmness to the ride that implies stability, not harshness. Dial it back to Comfort and the GT53 feels positively pampering. Just keep an eye on that speedo: the car’s natural gait feels very much above most posted speed limits.

The GT53 feels tailor-made to crush long-distance drives. With little wind noise and that smooth ride, it’s one of the closest real-world parallels to that pen-through-folded-paper example every sci-fi movie uses to explain time travel. You point the GT’s low nose at your destination, and then bam, you’re there. This one had no trouble beating the quoted 21 mpg (11.2 L/100 km) combined fuel economy figure, either; in fact, it ended up just shy of the 25 mpg (9.4 L/100 km) highway mark.

It’s also a lot more practical than a traditional coupe. The hatchback shape allows it to swallow more stuff than its 12.7 cubic foot (360 liters) official measurement suggests. The four main seats, done up in soft two-tone leather in this tester, are very comfortable, too. They all get heat, while the front pair adds ventilation into the mix. Tri-zone climate control ensures the folks in the back have a say in temperature, as well. Headroom is still a little tight for anybody over six-foot, but that’s to be expected.

Material quality is generally excellent. The only complaint I have is the absurdly large center console. It’s not even about the size alone, but that the sheer amount of it makes the metallic finish less convincing.

Mercedes’ lastest infotainment remains one of the best in the business. It can be overwhelming at first, but the number of input options (touchscreen, steering controls, “Hey Mercedes” voice activation) keeps that learning period short. A pair of 12.3-inch screens occupy the dashboard, with crystal-sharp graphics and speedy responses.

There’s also a head-up display (HUD) throwing all sorts of pertinent information right into the driver’s line of sight. This being a Merc, it’s customizable too—stick to the native nav, and the HUD keeps driving directions easily accessible. Smart.

As ever, the main criticism here stems from the touch-sensitive nature of many of the controls. The wheel-mounted controls for the adaptive cruise control are perhaps the most frustrating; it can be hard to gently swipe for a single-increment change.

Fortunately, the GT53 doesn’t short its buyers on driver assists. The Intelligent Drive package is optional, yes, but it comes with the afore-mentioned ACC, evasive steering assist, active brake assist with cross-traffic support, automated emergency braking, blind spot assist, and more.

As good as it is, the GT53 simply can’t get out from under the shadow of its steep sticker price. As tested, this Canadian car rang in at an eye-wincing $154,600 CAD, before destination. (In an unusual move, Mercedes-Benz Canada allows dealers to set their own destination charges.) There’s no direct US comparison to the $25,000 CAD Manufacktur Edition upgrade, but the closest spec we could manage on MBUSA.com was $130,110. For a 429-horsepower, six-cylinder sedan.

Don’t get me wrong, the GT53 is stylish as hell. And the Manufaktur Edition ensures you’ll almost never see an identical car on the road. But you have to really value exclusivity to overlook other options, even within the vast Merc family. The E63 S wagon I tested last year? A 603-horsepower bargain that undercuts the GT53 by a few grand. How about an S-Class? The S580 was pricier, sure, but only by a bit, and it comes with the absolute cutting edge of Mercedes tech. And it’s a freaking S-Class.

Want something sportier? The Porsche Taycan and Panamera both start around this price in GTS trim, which is the Goldilocks of the Porsche trim-walk. If exclusivity is your thing, why not stretch to the sublime Alpina B8?

It’s a good thing I didn’t check the 2022 Mercedes-AMG GT53 4-Door Coupe’s price tag until the end of our time together. Blissfully ignorant, I was able to enjoy its velvety-smooth powertrain, its ability to cruise and attack in equal measure, and its general usefulness.

It couldn’t last forever, though. Just like the begrudging acknowledgement that no, I can’t actually eat carbonara every day, I had to see that the GT53 is simply too rich. Look beyond the bragging rights that this ultra-exclusive edition might convey, and it’s tough to recommend this AMG with so many other options out there.