Next Mercedes-AMG C 63 to ditch V8 – but will be crazy fast
Supercar speed for high-tech hybrid German road rocket, despite extra battery weightNot only will the next Mercedes-AMG C 63 be four cylinders short of greatness, it will be much chubbier than the current V8 model.
But the extra weight incurred by the fitment of a hybrid electric module and the lack of a V8 warcry will pale into insignificance when the new model is revealed in 2022, with a 0-100km/h sprint significantly quicker than the 3.5 seconds currently being reported in the UK.
Our sources suggest there is “false information kicking around” and that the new tyre-shredding AMG-fettled Mercedes-Benz C-Class will accelerate to 100km/h in less than 3.5 seconds.
Tipped to go on sale late next year, carsales understands the new 2022 Mercedes-AMG C 63 will deliver supercar-like pace, with a 3.3sec 0-100km/h sprint anticipated, which should give it bragging rights in terms of straight-line speed over the Audi RS 4 and BMW M3 Competition.
However, the potential arrival of a twin-turbo 4.0-litre V8-powered Lexus IS F could turn out to be a thorn in the side of AMG’s top-selling land missile.
Nevertheless, according to
the new AMG C 63 will be heavier and our sources back up this claim, given the fitment of a battery pack and rear-mounted electric motor that should be good for around 60km of pure-electric driving.
However, the extra weight won’t dilute performance. In fact, quite the opposite, with improved thrust coming via the instant torque a rear-mounted electric motor will deliver, firing up quicker than the 2.0-litre four-cylinder combustion engine’s electrically-driven turbocharger.
The AMG M139 engine from the Mercedes-AMG A 45 S will deliver 310kW/500Nm, and while that’s less than the current C 63 S output (375kW/700Nm) the electric motor will add another 150kW.
According to overseas reports, the total output will be an spleen-popping 410kW/800Nm, the all-wheel-drive machine maintaining its nine-speed automatic gearbox.
In concert the two powertrains are set to deliver an enormous performance punch, and despite the extra weight, which could see its kerb mass rise by 250kg (from 1750kg to 2000kg), our sources say driving dynamics won’t be impacted.
As well as a drift mode, there’s a number of “new tricks” in the works thanks to its electrified powertrain.
Along with less weight over the front axle and a lower centre of gravity thanks to the low and centrally-mounted battery pack, the next-gen Mercedes-AMG C 63 could set new benchmarks in the high-performance luxury car segment.
Whether that will be enough to convince buyers that a four-cylinder German scorcher is an apt replacement for a much-loved V8 road warrior remains to be seen.
Related: New Mercedes-Benz C-Class officially unveiled
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