Infinite headroom has to rank fairly high on the desirability scale when it comes to cars, even in the tropics. Why else would every manufacturer want to throw a sunroof into every conceivable model sold in the country? Indians love to have the skies peering down on us. A constant reminder of being tethered to the cosmos. Pandering to this sentiment with a dramatic gesture, Mercedes-AMG has decided to take the roof out of the equation completely, giving us a convertible AMG after ages: the E 53 Cabriolet-a breathtaking interlude in the steady, silent march of electric vehicles.
Just to be clear, we're not talking peak AMG, given that this has a turbocharged in-line six, instead of that sonorous Affalterbach V8. But expecting superlative power is missing the whole point of the E 53 Cabriolet, which must perform a tightrope act between luxury and performance without falling headlong onto either side. It's also an affirmation of Mercedes-Benz's supremacy in the high-end luxury segment, given that the luxury sport cabriolet market in the country, at this price point, is populated by a grand total of one car. This one. To put it plainly, the brand has seen such overwhelming demand for its high-end performance and luxury cars that it feels buoyant enough to explore the sort of niches that, previously, went unexplored. And the E53 is a mere taste of the AMG goodness that is to follow in 2023.
This story is from the April - May 2023 edition of GQ India.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the April - May 2023 edition of GQ India.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Finally, Women Are Breaking Up One of Luxury's Stuffiest Boys' Clubs
Dimepiece founder Brynn Wallner hosts a round table of leaders in the watch world to unpack the ascendant power of the female collector.
Can The Saudis Buy Soccerr?
Saudi Arabia is spending an unfathomable fortune to lure the biggest stars of global football (Ronaldo! Benzema! Neymar!) to its upstart league. So GQ ventured to the kingdom to discover what the gambit represents. Is this the future of the world's most popular sport? The vanguard of sportswashing? Or something way bigger?
CRACKING THE PERO CODE
Delhi-based label Péro is available in over 350 stores across the world. Shweta Shiware meets the reclusive founder and creative mastermind Aneeth Arora, arguably the Indian fashion industry's best storyteller.
Captain Mbappé
We met him as a teenage prodigy. Now, with his PSG teammates Messi and Neymar gone, and a new job as French national team captain, Kylian Mbappé is reckoning with the responsibilities and privileges that come with being the man.
The Full Ricky
Twenty-five years after becoming one of the most staggeringly famous men on the planet, a wiser, more assured Ricky Martin is taking another run at being a star. While also being himself, this time.
THE BOND
What does it mean to be a parent in this day and age? In GQ's annual series dedicated to fatherhood, we take a peek at the intimate relationships that some of the coolest dads share with their kids.
THE RATIONAL ACTOR
With a stream of critical and commercial successes under his belt, Vicky Kaushal is buoyant about what lies ahead in terms of work. Yet it is in his personal life that he has experienced the most transformation.
Standing TALL
Comedian and actor Vir Das speaks to GQ about winning an International Emmy for his Netflix special, codirecting his first movie, and the future of stand-up comedy in India.
Das Holistic
New York's desi rap star Heems's new album re-imagines the diasporic experience not as a site of endless ambivalence, but a place to be whole.
The Return of the Opulent '80s
The all-gold Piaget Polo, Hublot Classic Original, and Rolex GMT were kings during the '80s. Now they're coming back for their crown.