RE: Next AMG C63 to go four-cylinder

RE: Next AMG C63 to go four-cylinder

Thursday 17th October 2019

Next AMG C63 to go four-cylinder?

Autocar's suggesting the C63 will use a hybrid version of the A45's 2.0-litre...



You know when there's news that sounds so silly, it just might be true? A four-cylinder C63 sounds like that. For more than a decade now, 'C63' has become a byword for V8 malevolence and surprisingly adept dynamics, wrapped up in a handsomely proportioned Mercedes. Even before that, C43s and C55s delivered a charming muscle car vibe, again thanks to a hunk of V8 up front.

But it would now seem - at least according to Autocar, that is - that the days of the V8 C-Class may well be numbered. It's suggesting that, when the new '63 arrives in 2022, it will use a hybrid version of M139 four-cylinder as recently introduced in the AMG A45 S. The 421hp 2.0-litre was in fact designed with longitudinal and transverse installations in mind, as well as with mild-hybrid possibilities. It's very easy to imagine that matching the 510hp of a current C63 S with some electric assistance; assistance which it's being suggested will come in the form of the 48v EQ Boost technology seen in the 53 models, with extra power and torque provided by a gearbox-mounted starter motor.


While, naturally, many will bemoan the demise of a supremely characterful V8, a point is made in the Autocar story of the reduced mass at the front end of a smaller engine - even with hybrid assistance. The M139 is 160kg and the M177 more than 200, meaning the 2.0-litre could undercut the 4.0-litre on the scales, even with an additional electric motor.

Of course, this is nothing more than speculation for now, though it's easy to see the logic: reducing fleet emissions, an engineering link to the AMG One hypercar through the hybrid tech, improving dynamics through reduced weight... it all makes sense. Apart from to those hearts and minds captured by a thunderous V8 in an unassuming Mercedes for all those years. Naturally, we'll update the story with more information as it progresses but, for now, best console yourself with some V8 C63s in the classifieds - this W204 Performance Pack estate looks a gem, as does this more recent W205 S saloon. The new ones might be changing (or so it seems), but the old ones should be around for a little while yet...





Author
Discussion

NDNDNDND

Original Poster:

2,001 posts

182 months

Thursday 17th October 2019
quotequote all
Modern cars are better than old ones.

But I don't want them.

xu5

618 posts

156 months

Thursday 17th October 2019
quotequote all
Surley the V8 is the major USP of the C63, how depressing.

loudlashadjuster

5,083 posts

183 months

Thursday 17th October 2019
quotequote all
Nah, can't see it. No way would they jump from 8 to 4 cyl in a single generation. You can see them moving to a beefed-up C53 setup for the C63, maybe, but no way to a 4-cyl. It's pretty much their USP.

Be amazed if this Autocar "scoop" isn't just conjecture based on some badly-translated or poorly understood German

Dave Hedgehog

14,541 posts

203 months

Thursday 17th October 2019
quotequote all
there has never been a clearer message that the era of ICE cars is over

who in their right mind would spend 70k+ on a 4 pot?

still fantastic news for owners of the V8s as they should hold their money very well in a few years time

flukey5

403 posts

59 months

Thursday 17th October 2019
quotequote all
Merc have to be one of the most stylistically bankrupt auto manufacturers right now. As a car enthusiast I can barely tell the difference between any of them (apart from the AMG GT maybe). At least BMW have the i3, i8, z4 and Audi have the TT, R8, etc. Even merc's sporty roadsters look like they were designed last century.

thelostboy

4,562 posts

224 months

Thursday 17th October 2019
quotequote all
Stop the ride, I want to get off!

Plate spinner

17,649 posts

199 months

Thursday 17th October 2019
quotequote all
loudlashadjuster said:
Nah, can't see it. No way would they jump from 8 to 4 cyl in a single generation. You can see them moving to a beefed-up C53 setup for the C63, maybe, but no way to a 4-cyl. It's pretty much their USP.

Be amazed if this Autocar "scoop" isn't just conjecture based on some badly-translated or poorly understood German
Agreed.

But if it turns out to be true then the move away from ICE is happening behind the scenes quicker than I thought...

Plate spinner

17,649 posts

199 months

Thursday 17th October 2019
quotequote all
thelostboy said:
Stop the ride, I want to get off!
Sadly, I agree... frown

PhantomPH

4,043 posts

224 months

Thursday 17th October 2019
quotequote all
Dave Hedgehog said:
there has never been a clearer message that the era of ICE cars is over
I came here to post almost exactly this. frown

fido

16,752 posts

254 months

Thursday 17th October 2019
quotequote all
A bi-turbo V6 hybrid would be just about acceptable I think - but something that came out of a hatchback is not.

kambites

67,461 posts

220 months

Thursday 17th October 2019
quotequote all
I don't buy it. Surely they wouldn't put huge amounts of money into developing their new inline 6 and then shove a four-pot in the range topping C-class?

eldar

21,614 posts

195 months

Thursday 17th October 2019
quotequote all
xu5 said:
Surley the V8 is the major USP of the C63, how depressing.
Indeed. A 4 pot turbo with an extra starter motor may well be a bit lighter, a tiny bit more polar bear friendly, and sound like a wasp in a paper cup.

It will be bland without character.



Alex_225

6,234 posts

200 months

Thursday 17th October 2019
quotequote all
A huge part of the appeal of the C63 and to be honest, many of the '63' badged cars was the V8 engine. Personally based on cool factor alone they peaked with the 6.2 V8 purely as it was a stupidly large, loud and unnecessary brute of a motor.

Despite the newer models being turbo charged which I suspect is a better/more flexible engine at least it retained a V8.

I know this is progress, everything will be electric in some capacity eventually. I suppose it's a bit sad because the C63 came to prominence because it was a V8. It'll still be popular because it'll be fast, loud and lairy but to many of us lot it will lose a part of it's appeal.

Talking of loud, I hope they don't make it obnoxious and unnecessarily loud like many of the other four cylinder farty exhausts. Sadly I suspect it'll pop and crackle the moment it moves! frown

s m

23,164 posts

202 months

Thursday 17th October 2019
quotequote all
Dave Hedgehog said:
who in their right mind would spend 70k+ on a 4 pot?
Not unless it was some sort of homologation thing

There again, a loaded AMG A45 must be nearly there?

anonymous-user

53 months

Thursday 17th October 2019
quotequote all
What did we expect?
With global warming and all that these things have to happen and at least they're still making a fast car rather than just digging their feet in and saying no more at all.
I have no doubt it's still going to be very fast and it's better for the environment than the old V8s. Obviously they'll lack a bit of drama but you'll live.

Plate spinner

17,649 posts

199 months

Thursday 17th October 2019
quotequote all
Alex_225 said:
Talking of loud, I hope they don't make it obnoxious and unnecessarily loud like many of the other four cylinder farty exhausts. Sadly I suspect it'll pop and crackle the moment it moves! frown
C’mon, you know it’ll be the loudest yet in order to appeal to the certain type of attention-seekers that thinks these generic fart pop 4-bangers sound good.

anonymous-user

53 months

Thursday 17th October 2019
quotequote all
kambites said:
I don't buy it. Surely they wouldn't put huge amounts of money into developing their new inline 6 and then shove a four-pot in the range topping C-class?
BMW did that with their E30 M3 nearly 30 years ago..

I think this is being done to justify putting the 6-cylinder in their next E-Class AMG...unless they want to put the four banger in that too??!

I wouldn't be surprised if the i6 becomes the biggest engine MB make in the future, no more V8s.

Court_S

12,764 posts

176 months

Thursday 17th October 2019
quotequote all
Would be a real surprise to half the cylinder count in one move. However, the days of ICE are clearly numbered and stuff like a stonking v8 is a small saloon / estate car isn’t really socially acceptable anymore (unfortunately).

It’d be a real shame to drop to a four pot because the v8 sounds lovely even as a forced injection unit.

xu5

618 posts

156 months

Thursday 17th October 2019
quotequote all
These V8's have to be some of the best sounding engines you hear on a fairly regular basis. There noise helps the AMG sledgehammer aura.

Penguinracer

1,593 posts

205 months

Thursday 17th October 2019
quotequote all
...and to think I was disappointed when Mercedes discontinued the Bi-turbo V12 in favour of the V8!