STUTTGART - It’s long been rumoured that the next-generation Mercedes-AMG C63 performance flagship will be switching over to a four-cylinder engine, and now those rumours appear to be gaining traction.
According to Autocar’s Greg Kable, Mercedes-AMG insiders have suggested that the new four-cylinder hybridised unit fitted to the next C63 will match the 375kW output of the current 4-litre twin-turbo engine. While the most powerful version of AMG’s 2-litre engine currently produces 310kW in the A45 S - which already makes it the most powerful four-pot in the world - the C63’s version of that engine will owe its extra urge to electrical boost. This hybrid assistance will also result in the powertrain offering more torque than the current V8, with Autocar suggesting that the system has been designed to provide up to 750Nm, which would be a 50Nm improvement.
The UK publication admits that details surrounding the new hybrid powertrain remain scarce, but that the overall package will be lighter than today’s V8 motor, even with the extra weight of the batteries. The engine is half the size, after all, which makes its ability to match the current V8’s outputs all the more impressive. The C43’s replacement will also reportedly receive a version of the new four-cylinder motor, albeit in detuned form.
All-wheel drive
It’s not just the engine that’s set to change racially in the new C63, but also the way the power is delivered. Top Gear reported last year that the new flagship performance car would swop its rear-drive layout for an all-wheel drive system, albeit with a Drift Mode.
There has been a general move towards AWD in performance cars and even the upcoming BMW M3 and M4 models will offer an all-wheel drive option, although most variants will still be rear-driven.
The next C63 AMG is likely to surface in 2022, a year after the all-new C-Class models go on sale. As previously confirmed, the new C-Class sedan will be built in South Africa for both local consumption and export.
The car was recently spied undisguised, sporting a similar face to the recently upgraded E-Class.