I know you’re tired of hearing what motor is going to be under the hood of the next Mercedes-AMG C63. Hell, I’m getting tired of writing about it. It seems like every couple of weeks, there’s a new piece of information or a new rumor about what sort of engine will power Benz’s compact sports sedan. Well, the current flavor of the week is a plug-in hybrid straight-six motor.
The change from the current C63’s much-maligned PHEV turbo-four to the new turbo-six is expected to come as part of a midcycle refresh of the sedan in 2026, according to Autocar. Mercedes-Benz confirmed to the outlet that it will move on from the four-popper it introduced in 2022. Despite the fact the 2.0-liter engine and rear-mounted electric motor put out 671 horsepower and 752 pound-feet of torque (making it the most powerful C63 ever), it never really won over consumers who missed the big ol’ V8 previous C63s had. Now, the German automaker is going to try something new.
When the facelift comes around next year, the C63 will be powered by a new-ish plug-in hybrid drivetrain with a 3.0-liter six-cylinder motor. I say “new-ish” because it’s not really a new engine. It’s just an updated version of what can already be found in the E53, GLC53 and CLE53. It’ll just have even more horsepower than it does in those applications, Autocar reports. Specs aren’t exactly pinned down yet, but it’s expected the motor will put out well over 650 hp and 650 lb-ft torque.
I wouldn’t be shocked if it bested the numbers set by the I4 C63. You can’t have a new car that’s less powerful than the old one. That’s sacrilege. It’s also expected to do away with the rear-mounted electric motor in favor of an electric motor placed between the engine and gearbox.
No V8, Mate
It isn’t just the C63 that is doing away with the idea of an F1-inspired four-cylinder PHEV motor, either. The upcoming CLE63 coupe and convertible will get a flat-plane-crank version of AMG’s M177 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V8. It would be sort of confusing — and honestly, a non-starter for most — if the CLE63 made do with a four-popper while the CLE53 got a straight-six. We previously reported on rumors that the V8 would find its way into the C-Class as well, but for now, that doesn’t seem to be the case. Here’s more on why there’s not going to be a V8 under the hood of the C63, from Autocar:
Engineers involved in the C-Class programme say packaging constraints within the model’s MRA platform make the adoption of the new AMG V8 unfeasible.
“It requires more space, not just in terms of physical dimensions but also for associated cooling systems and crash protection measures,” Autocar has been told.
The current C-Class’s engine bay, optimised for four- and six-cylinder engines, would require significant structural changes to accommodate the V8 – changes that would likely necessitate a fresh round of crash testing and regulatory approval, which our sources suggest isn’t viable at this stage of the model cycle.
The other big update coming to the C63 is sure to piss off the anti-screen crowd. Get ready for the Superscreen display and the MB:OS operating system to make an appearance in the new AMG. Sorry to let you all down.
Regardless, if this report from Autocar is to be believed (and I’ve got no reason to doubt it), it finally puts to bed the question of what’ll be under the hood of the next C63, and I — for one — am grateful for that.
