Mercedes-Benz E-Class Gains Two Blacked-Out Special Editions for Australia

Mercedes-Benz has added two darker, dressed-up versions of the E-Class to its Australian range. The E300 AMG Night Edition sits near the top of the four-cylinder line-up at $129,400 before on-road costs, while the Mercedes-AMG E53 Hybrid Dark Carbon Edition becomes the new range-topper at $206,900 before on-roads. Both are offered in limited numbers, and the theme is the same: more black, more visual menace, no change to the mechanical package underneath.

Pricing

E300 AMG Night Edition

The E300 AMG Night Edition layers the AMG Night Package over the standard E300, adding 21-inch AMG multi-spoke light-alloy wheels in a high-sheen black finish plus darkened door sills. Inside it keeps the E-Class three-screen layout, with a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and a 14.4-inch central touchscreen.

Under the bonnet sits the familiar 2.0-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder with 48-volt mild-hybrid assistance, producing 190kW and 400Nm. Mercedes quotes a 0-100km/h time of 6.3 seconds and fuel use of 7.2L/100km, so this is a luxury cruiser with a darker wardrobe rather than a performance special.

Mercedes-AMG E53 Dark Carbon Edition

The E53 Dark Carbon goes harder on the blackout treatment. It gets the AMG Night Package plus Night Package II, with 21-inch AMG black forged alloys and blacked-out mirror housings, badging and grille. The headline interior addition is carbon-fibre on the centre console, hence the name. Mechanically it mirrors the standard E53, sharing its turbocharged 3.0-litre inline-six plug-in hybrid with 450kW and 750Nm, all-wheel drive and AMG Ride Control suspension. As a plug-in hybrid it can also run on electricity alone for up to around 100km on the WLTP cycle.

How It Compares

The E-Class plays in the mid-size luxury class against the BMW 5 Series, while the AMG E53 squares up to the BMW M5 and the broader fast-executive set. The Dark Carbon at $206,900 is roughly $7,000 above the standard E53's $199,900 sticker, so the premium buys you the carbon trim and the full black exterior package rather than any extra performance. The E300 Night Edition does the same trick lower down the range. If you are weighing up other electrified Mercedes models, the new CLA and the electric Mercedes-AMG GT four-door are also on the way.

Safety

These special editions are trim-and-styling packages on the standard E-Class rather than mechanically different cars, so the full E-Class driver-assistance suite carries over unchanged. Check ANCAP for the latest safety rating on the model.

Warranty

Mercedes-Benz Australia backs the E-Class with a five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty. For how that compares with the rest of the market, see our warranty comparison.

Our Take

Special editions like these are about kerb appeal more than spec-sheet bragging rights. If you already wanted an E300 or an E53 and like the darker look, the Night and Dark Carbon editions bundle the blackout extras into one tidy order, and the limited-numbers angle adds a bit of exclusivity. Just go in knowing the E53 Dark Carbon's extra spend is about appearance, not pace.

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