Try as it might, Mercedes-AMG couldn’t really get anyone to buy into its turbocharged four-cylinder plug-in hybrid C63. Sure, it’s faster than the V8s it replaced, but it lacks the joie de vivre of those engines. We’ve reported in the past that the C63 S may end up getting a V8 once again, but, if a new report is to be believed, it won’t be the only four-cylinder AMG model to bite the dust in the coming months — not because people don’t dig them, but because they’re too freaking loud. No, I’m not joking.
Apparently, a number of four-popper AMGs are going to be discontinued by May of 2026 the latest, according to a Car and Driver report on a story from German-language auto outlet Elektroauto-News. A memo circulated within Mercedes-Benz Germany that was shared with the German site in October shows that the C43, GLC43 and GLA35 will remain in production through February of 2026, and the current C63 and GLC63 will soldier on through May. It adds that the GLA45+ will continue without any production stoppage, so I guess that car will be the designated survivor.
As strange as it seems, the reasons for these cars’ demise are not because of a lack of enthusiasm. No, sir. It’s because of new noise emissions regulations in Europe that are set to go into effect next July, C&D reports. The EU, according to Elektroauto-News, is continuously adjusting permissible sound levels for road cars and creating ever-stricter standards.
What comes next
Just because the four-cylinder versions of these cars might be going by the wayside, it doesn’t mean that they’ll be going away completely, Car and Driver says. According to the report, new AMG versions of the C, GLA and GLC are in the pipeline, and dealers have been informed about “possible successor products” in the near future. I don’t know about you, but that does sound encouraging.
Of course, we’ve got to take that with a tiny grain of salt. After all, we’ve got no idea what motor would be powering those cars. Hell, it could even be a new inline-four that meets new regulations. That would make a lot of sense for smaller cars like the GLA35 and less powerful ones like the C43 and GLC43. However, I wouldn’t be surprised if the next C63 and GLC63 end up with either a plug-in hybrid inline-six or maybe even return to having a V8 under the hood for their next generation.
A girl can certainly dream.
