Illustration by Ben Summerelle-Youde/Fox SyndicationCar and Driver
- Here’s what we expect from the next-generation Mercedes-AMG C63.
- It will drop the V-8 and instead be powered by a 500-plus-hp hybrid powertrain with a turbocharged four-cylinder gas engine.
- The new C63 will debut this year and sits above the six-cylinder AMG C43.
Engine downsizing usually means losing a cylinder or two, but the upcoming W206 generation of the Mercedes-AMG C63 makes a more radical reduction. Gone is the old car’s twin-turbocharged V-8 and in goes a hybridized and turbocharged four-cylinder. But, before we all get too upset about the demise of one of our favorite engines, let’s consider the reasons to be optimistic about the new one.
The next C63 will use a longitudinally mounted version of the M139 turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four, which, in transverse form, powers AMG’s CLA45 and GLA45. Like in its other longitudinal applications in the SL43 and C43, the C63 will have a 400-volt electric turbocharger (or e-turbo), a bit of motorsport technology transfer from M-B’s Formula 1 powerplant. A small motor mounted directly onto the turbo’s shaft will be able to accelerate the compressor to deliver boost before exhaust gasses start to flow. AMG says it will be possible to keep the turbo spinning even when the engine is idling to ensure instant throttle response.
The 400-volt supply to make this happen comes from the battery powering a hybrid system that in turn powers a rear-mounted electric motor. The motor will drive the rear axle through its own two-speed gearbox, which shifts into its top ratio around 87 mph. The motor adds to the torque delivered from the four-cylinder via the conventional driveshaft.
Engine output can also be sent to the front axle thanks to a clutch-pack coupling on the nine-speed automatic, and electric torque can be shifted forward by effectively reversing the torque flow within the driveline. A small (think, 5.0-kilowatt-hour usable capacity or smaller) battery pack sits above the rear drive unit to aid weight distribution, and it can deliver 201 horsepower for up to 10 seconds at a time.
We will need to wait until the new C63 is officially unveiled to get the final tally, but AMG promises the four-cylinder engine will make at least 442 horsepower. The combined figure with the electric motor should make at least as much power in the new car as the 503-hp V-8 does in the outgoing model. The hybrid system will also later be combined with the 4.0-liter V-8 to make an even more muscular 73 AMG powertrain for larger AMG models. We’ll see the C63 this year and anticipate its price to start at just over $70,000.
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