Mercedes-AMG C63’s four-cylinder powertrain to be phased out as it doesn’t ‘resonate’ with clients: report
The next Mercedes-AMG C63 is likely to feature a six-cylinder engine.
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There’s no denying that the Mercedes-AMG C63 S E Performance is a technological masterpiece, but it falls short in the one critical area: its soundtrack simply isn’t soulful enough for those accustomed to six- and eight-cylinder engines.
It is strongly rumoured that the facelifted version of the C63 will adopt a six-cylinder hybrid powertrain, and a senior insider has now confirmed that the current four-cylinder plug-in hybrid (PHEV) will eventually be phased out.
Speaking with Autocar at a media event in Germany recently, the unnamed source said that the four-cylinder powertrain would remain in production for the time being, but would eventually be replaced.
The insider also admitted that the four-pot motor has not resonated with customers.
“Technically, the four-cylinder is one of the most advanced drivetrains available in a production car. It’s also right up there on performance. But despite this, it failed to resonate with our traditional customers. We’ve recognised that,” the source told Autocar.
Another strong motive was the high cost over adapting AMG’s four-cylinder hybrid powertrain to comply with upcoming Euro 7 emissions rules, the insider added.
Previous reports suggest that the facelifted C63, as well as its GLC 63 sibling, will adopt a six-cylinder hybrid powertrain, with more power than what's offered in the current six-cylinder E53 and CLE 53 AMG models.
The CLE 63 will reportedly receive a V8 hybrid set-up, but this hasn’t been earmarked for the C-Class because it was never designed to accommodate an eight-cylinder engine - at least not without significant modification.
Even with an extra two cylinders, it’s unlikely that the next C63 will gain much more power. Boasting total outputs of 500kW and 1,020Nm, the performance flagship is already far ahead of the competition. Consider that the BMW M3 Competition produces 390kW and the Audi RS4 is good for 331kW.
While Mercedes-AMG has indicated that petrol-electric hybrid vehicles will form part of its line-up for many years to come, the performance division is also simultaneously launching a new line-up of fully-electric vehicles, underpinned by the new AMG-EA high-performance architecture.
Set apart by a bold new design language, previewed by the recently revealed Concept AMG GT XX, the AMG.EA platform also ushers in technical innovations, such as innovative axial flux motors and a pioneering battery design that allows the vehicle to be recharged with enough energy for 400km in just five minutes.
It’s unclear whether any of these innovations will filter down to the hybrid models however.
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