Not sold on the four-cylinder setup in the Mercedes-AMG C 63? You’re not alone. The latest news is that its days are numbered. Mercedes-AMG is preparing to retire that version and slot in a new C 53, driven by the 3.0-litre turbocharged inline-six already found in the Mercedes-AMG CLE 53.
The confirmation came from Mercedes-AMG chief Michael Schiebe in a recent interview with Edmunds. He made it clear that the brand is moving away from the four-cylinder and bringing the inline-six into the C-Class range as well.
That shift opens the door for a C 53 model to join the lineup. The plan is to use the combustion-only version of the CLE 53’s engine. No electrification, no plug-in assistance, just a straight six-cylinder petrol motor.
That last point matters. The upcoming C 53 will skip the plug-in hybrid system used in the AMG E 53 sedan and wagon, where the electrified 3.0-litre setup delivers a combined 577 hp (431 kW) and 750 Nm (553 lb-ft).
In the current CLE 53 coupe and cabriolet, the same 3.0-litre engine produces 443 hp (330 kW) and 560 Nm (413 lb-ft). On paper, that is well below the headline figures of today’s C 63, whose 2.0-litre hybrid powertrain pushes out 671 hp (500 kW) and 1,019 Nm (752 lb-ft).
Dropping the four-cylinder, internally known as the M139, is not AMG admitting defeat. It is largely a response to tightening emissions rules.
With upcoming EU7 regulations, keeping that engine compliant becomes increasingly complex. Rather than heavily rework it, AMG is choosing to phase it out in this segment and lean on the inline-six instead.
A refreshed C-Class sedan is due to break cover in the coming months, which puts the AMG C 53 reveal likely in the second half of 2026. Since the C-Class platform is closely related to the latest GLC, it would not be surprising to see the AMG 53 drivetrain appear in the SUV as well, though that reveal will come later.