Having heard this week that experts admitted those “Terminator” warnings about artificial decimating the human population aren’t all that far-fetched, the inclusion of AI in automobiles also fills me, of course, with mixed feelings.

The upgraded and super-invasive, AI-based “Hey, Mercedes” assistance system in this week’s quite-spectacular Mercedes-AMG E53 Hybrid super-wagon may not be plotting its revenge on humanity, but it was jarring, to say the least.

It’s just the sort of ahead-of-the-curve feature that seems appropriate in the 2026 rendition of every automotive journalist’s dream car, the high-output, all-wheel drive luxury vehicle previously known as the E63.

This year’s version takes a much different powertrain route to the same output previously provided by a V-8 engine; it’s now a gas-electric plug-in hybrid combo featuring a smaller 3.0-liter inline-6 turbo plus a 161-hp electric motor, but still producing 577 horsepower, or a kick up to an over-boosted 604-hp when you add the $3,150 Dynamic Plus package.

While that combined switcheroo did not create quite the level of crying (and subsequent, fast-paced product revision) as the four-cylinder 2.0-liter that was temporarily subbed into the C63 S E Performance model, it does still give the E-Class wagon a different driving experience.

Much like the larger Toyota and Lexus hybrid trucks and SUVs, the E53’s hybrid engineering is not geared at high fuel efficiency – its combined gasoline mileage is just 22 mpg, though its fully charged battery can get you about 41 miles of all-electric range.

Tooling around Breckenridge several weeks ago, the automatic EV mode did make sense as its renders the large, graceful and bordering-on-uncomfortably sporty wagon into a totally noise-free urban cruiser, still capable of speeds above 80 mph in full-electric mode.

But it’s the bombastic boost of the E53’s combined systems that make the car an object of desire, and while an electrified six-cylinder setup still means the car can hit 60 mph in an EV-like 3.4 seconds, the exhaust sounds are kind of a departure from the old V-8 turbo-rumble.

For some customers, that may not be an issue, and maybe even a bonus; if you feel shortchanged, you can also look to this week’s news of the Mercedes-AMG CLE 646 Spezialanfertigung (say that three times in a row, quickly), a limited-edition, RWD monster with a 637-hp 4.0-liter twin-turbo V-8 engine. Like all those Dodge and Ram Hemi engines stashed in a warehouse, the forbidden fruit of another Mercedes V-8 is not all that well hidden.

In the meantime, the E53’s ability to go ridiculously fast will not disappoint. It does so with unmistakable style, set up here at a $116,630 total price tag with menacing 21-inch black forged wheels, high-performance tires, red calipers for composite brakes and additional blacked out trim (base price is $93,350). The whole sleek-but-stealthy package is instantly thumbs-up recognizable to those who have perverse super-wagon envy, and means that anyone else who angrily tailgates you is left about a mile and a half behind in only a few seconds.

The E53 gets a huge list of standard and available driveline tweaks, from rear-axle steering to active suspension and adjustable damping, plus dynamic engine mounts — all combining into a cornering smoothness and sheer velocity. Considering that the car now weighs close to 5,500 pounds, the enhancements are welcome; there’s 195 inches of vehicle to throw around, and all of those do help to provide agility and speed that are quite astounding. 

The wagon part is also something of a unicorn, with the versatile, 33-cubic-foot storage space in the rear slightly elevated because of the additional battery and … resulting in a quasi-sloped space that saw every loose item I loaded spill out onto the pavement when I raised the liftgate after a drive. Keep that in mind. 

Like the older E63, the E53 does require some commitment to go along with its high-performance mojo. Equipped with the optional performance seats, there’s nothing old-timey station-wagon cushy about your driving position, and you can squeeze yourself into full race driving posture if that suits your fancy.

Where things start to get a bit future-wonky are the massive wall-to-wall digital displays of the Superscreen — which now includes trippy 3D displays, plus a built-in selfie/video camera on the dash. The MBUX entertainment system, as mentioned, has also been upgraded to actively butt into your in-car conversations and offer unprompted AI advice about whatever topic you’d been chatting about with your passengers.

I had to scroll through a few screens to disable that; I’m happy to leave that level of interaction to the evil trillionaire’s cars, thanks.