Sales of the 4-cylinder C63 AMG are so bad that Mercedes is preparing to drop the model. The model will be offered with a 6-cylinder, writes the media.
The Mercedes-AMG C 63 SE Performance with a 4-cylinder engine is reportedly disappointing the management in Stuttgart so much that the bosses can no longer live with the disappointment.
According to the newspaper Bild , everything now points to a change of strategy at the Germans' performance department. A new C 53 with 6 cylinders could replace the current top model.
This is reported by the German portal MBPassion.de.
The current C 63 SE Performance was launched in 2022. The model marked a technical shift for Mercedes-AMG. The traditional V8 engine was replaced by a mere 2-liter, four-cylinder engine.
The car received advanced plug-in hybrid technology. It combined the four-cylinder engine with an electric turbocharger and all-wheel drive. A special high-voltage battery was and is also part of the package.
The system output on paper is 680 horsepower and 1020 Newton meters. These are figures that surpass many competitors. In fact, both the BMW M3 and the current, retirement-ready Audi RS4.
However, it was not a great success on the market. Mercedes-AMG does not publish detailed sales figures for individual models. But dealers report sluggish demand for the C 63 SE Performance. In fact, it is completely stagnant.
New 6-cylinder C 53 can replace C 63 and C 43
Several factors may have contributed to the lukewarm reception. The car's high weight due to the hybrid technology is one of the most significant reasons, quite literally. The complex technology may also have deterred some buyers.
Many enthusiasts also missed the distinctive sound and feel of a V8 engine. The four-cylinder engine could not and cannot deliver the same experience.
Now it is rumored that Mercedes-AMG will change course when it comes to the top model. This may happen in connection with an upcoming facelift of the model.
According to information from MBPassion.de, the C 63 SE Performance could be removed from the model range altogether. The slightly weaker AMG C 43, which also has a four-cylinder engine, could suffer the same fate.
Mercedes has not yet officially confirmed this information. When asked by the media, the answer was simply: "No comment."
V8 comeback in the C-Class still uncertain
If the rumors are true, a new model is already ready to take over. An AMG C 53 4Matic+ is expected to be introduced as early as this year. The heart of the new model will likely be a 3.0-liter inline-six.
The engine, which is internally the same as the M256, is already used in the new Mercedes-AMG CLE 53. In the CLE 53, the engine produces 449 horsepower and 600 Newton meters. It is equipped with mild hybrid technology.
It is still unknown what exact power level the engine will have in the C 53 variant. But it is clear that the new C 53 could potentially replace both the C 63 and C 43. This would mean a streamlining of AMG's C-Class model range.
There has long been speculation about a possible return of the V8 engine to the C-Class. In particular, the well-known 4.0-liter V8 biturbo has been mentioned.
Among other things, because Mercedes' people have been seen several times testing new cars that sound as if they have a V8 engine lying between the front wheels.
However, Mercedes-AMG has not confirmed anything to that effect. There are currently no official plans to reintroduce a V8 engine to the C 63 – if that name continues at all.
The future of AMG's fastest C-Class models is therefore uncertain. Time will tell whether the four-cylinder hybrid era will soon be over. And whether it will be transformed into an embarrassing parenthesis in the brand's history.
At Boosted.dk we follow the development closely. You can find many more news and articles about Mercedes-AMG. Especially when it comes to the persistent V8 rumor. Because it just won't do. Read more here .
