Mercedes-AMG C63 2022: next sporty C-Class to get four-cylinder hybrid engine?

Mercedes-AMG will drop its V8 engine in favour of a four-cylinder hybrid powertrain for the next-generation C63 performance car, according to reports.

Autocar claims that the upcoming C63, a hardcore version of the company’s C-Class, will be the first of several AMG-tweaked models to get the firm’s new 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine, which is boosted using a 48V “mild-hybrid” system.

The performance car - a key rival to the Audi RS4 and BMW’s next-generation M3 - will also forego the current model’s rear-wheel drive system and instead feature the company’s 4Matic all-wheel drive layout, the magazine reports.

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The reported planned changes could prove divisive. Mercedes-AMG’s V8 engines are popular with buyers, and Aston Martin has a deal with the performance arm to use the eight-cylinder motor in its Vantage and DB11 sports cars.

Autocar’s Lawrence Allan tweets that the move has even riled executives at the German carmaker, with AMG boss Tobias Moers said to have “walked out of the boardroom” when the decision was made.

Fans will have to wait a few more years before the rumoured four-cylinder C63 makes its debut. In the meantime, here’s what we know about the sporty C-Class:

Price and release

The C63 will make its debut in early 2022, says Autocar.

The current-generation model carries a price tag of about £65,000, so expect the new model to enter at a similar price point.

Design and interior tech

The next-generation C63 won’t arrive for a few years, so how it will look once the covers come off will remain unknown for a while yet.

However, a new version of the standard C-Class will debut next year, and may provide a few insights as to what to expect of the AMG variant’s design.

Details about the next C-Class are scarce, but Australian car site Motoring says that prototype models spied testing on public roads appear to be “a conservative evolution of the current car” - although the front end has been taken in “an entirely new direction”, with features including a revamped version of the carmaker’s traditional grille.

The C-Class and subsequent C63 are also likely to get some technologies sourced from the company’s S-Class flagship, which include a “massive touchscreen” and level three autonomous systems that let drivers cruise hands-free at speeds of up to 81mph, says Motor1.

Engine and performance

The upcoming C63 may drop four cylinders, but it’s expected to be even more powerful than the current model.

The four-cylinder hybrid engine is rumoured to have a power output of around 500bhp, which is about 30bhp more than today’s standard C63.

The engine, which can also be found in the A45 hatchback, produces 416bhp and 369lb-ft in “non-electric form”, the magazine says. The motor will be coupled with a 48V mild-hybrid system, along with a nine-speed automatic gearbox.