Mercedes-AMG C63 V8 return blasted as German sales tumble

Mercedes-AMG has reportedly fired-up back at claims suggesting the next generation C63 and E63 will once again be powered by a V8 engine.

Claims “nonsense”

Last week, US publication Car and Driver, citing “two independent sources”, reported that the three-pointed star is working on reintroducing the 4.0-litre bi-turbo V8 amid criticism of its decision to equip the new W206 C63 with a hybridised 2.0-litre M139 four-cylinder version of the engine used in the A45 S.

Due to be revealed within the coming months, the new E63 will also drop the V8 for what is believed to be a plug-in hybrid six-cylinder mill.

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The return of the V8, supposedly revised in order to meet the stringent Euro 7 emissions regulations, had been expected to occur as early as 2026 in readiness for the next generation C-and-E-Class making their official debuts.

According to Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport though, a direct posting of the question to AMG resulted in the opposite response, with one employee, responsible for product development, calling the American publication’s claims “pure nonsense”.

Easy fit

Reportedly, “senior engineers” let slip to the Car and Driver that minor changes would be required to fit the V8 underneath the bonnet of the C-and-E-Class, including the electric motors and battery pack required for the plug-in hybrid hardware.

At present, Mercedes-AMG offers two bent-eight plug-in hybrid powertrains using the 4.0-litre engine; the first developing 620kW/1 400Nm in the AMG GT 63 S E-Performance and the second producing 590kW/1 430Nm in the S63 E-Performance.

Sales hit hard

In a related claim, carscoops.com alleges the move to the four-cylinder plug-in hybrid motivation has been particularly hard felt in Germany where orders of the C63 have been slow and in some instances, close to zero compared to its arch rival, the BMW M3 Competition xDrive.

Despite producing 500kW/1 020Nm, 125kW/270Nm more than the V8-only W205 generation C63, the W206’s almost €15 000 (R311 727) price premium over the M3 in Germany has been cited another reason for its disappointing sales uptake in spite of it being 125kW/370Nm better off.

Citing its claims from the MB Passion online blog, Carscoops further states that the C63’s over two-ton mass has been named as another reason for the lagging sales, in addition to performance tapering off above 200 km/h due to the battery pack getting hot and therefore at risk of overheating.

Not the end

While Mercedes-Benz has so far remained mum on commenting on the speculation outright, expectations are that the matter is unlikely to be quieten down soon and could potentially escalate over the coming months leading into 2024.

Following the debut earlier of the C43, which uses the same four-cylinder engine but in a mild-hybrid capacity, the new C63 is expected to make it South African market unveiling next year.

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