The Mercedes-AMG C63 could get another shot at taking on the BMW M3, with AMG exploring both petrol and electric power for future models wearing its flagship performance badge.
That opens the door to two very different C63s. One could cater to buyers who still want a combustion engine, while the other would take the fight into the electric performance sedan market. The question enthusiasts will ask first, though, is whether the petrol version gets its V8 back.
AMG Is Working On Both Powertrain Options
Speaking to Australian media, Mercedes-Benz chief technical officer Jorg Burzer confirmed that development work covers both combustion and electric propulsion for future 63-badged models.
When asked specifically about the possibility of petrol and electric C63s being sold alongside each other, he repeated that both options were being explored. That is an encouraging signal, although it stops short of confirming a production line-up or launch date.
The approach would put AMG on a similar path to BMW. As previously reported, the next BMW M3 will offer petrol and electric alternatives, giving customers a choice rather than relying on a single plug-in hybrid formula.
Electric C63 Could Use AMG’s Axial-Flux Motors
High-performance versions of the electric Mercedes-Benz C-Class have already been spotted testing, with reports suggesting the C63 name could feature alongside a new electric GLC63.
These models are expected to benefit from axial-flux motor technology developed by AMG and British specialist Yasa. The compact motors are central to AMG’s next wave of electric performance cars.
The larger AMG GT four-door and SUV programmes have been linked to outputs of up to 860 kW from three motors. The electric CLA45, meanwhile, is quoted at 500 kW with a 0 to 100 km/h time of 2.7 seconds.
Those figures give some idea of the hardware available to AMG, but they should not be read as specifications for a future electric C63. Its output and performance remain unconfirmed.
Four-Cylinder C63 Makes Way For Six-Cylinder Power
The latest C63 S E Performance paired a turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine with plug-in hybrid assistance to deliver 500 kW. It had the performance figures, but replacing the previous model’s V8 proved a difficult sell to traditional AMG buyers.
The four-cylinder engine is not set to receive the changes needed for upcoming Euro 7 emissions requirements. Instead, six-cylinder mild-hybrid C53 and GLC53 models are expected to take over the roles occupied by the four-cylinder 43 and 63 derivatives.
Our earlier coverage of the six-cylinder AMG C53 replacing the C63 outlined that change in direction. It also leaves room for the C63 badge to return later with a different brief.
A V8 C63 Remains Possible, But Unconfirmed
Mercedes-Benz has continued investing in its 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8, including the updated M177 Evo developed to meet Euro 7 requirements.
Burzer declined to confirm whether an eight-cylinder engine would return to the C63. He also avoided giving a definitive answer on whether the updated V8 could be installed in the current C-Class.
There is already a V8-powered relative in the form of the limited-run CLE646 Spezialanfertigung. Its engine produces 475 kW and 850 Nm, driving the rear wheels through a widened, carbon fibre-intensive package.
However, fitting that engine to a specialist CLE does not automatically make a regular-production C-Class installation viable. Engineering, certification and production costs still have to add up.
Next-Generation C-Class Could Provide The Opportunity
Timing may be the biggest obstacle to a V8 comeback in the current car.
The present C-Class generation arrived in 2021, leaving a shrinking window in which AMG could recover the cost of developing another major powertrain variant. As covered previously, Mercedes intends to keep its V8 alive, but a return in the current C63 is unlikely.
A new petrol C-Class, expected around 2030, could offer a more realistic starting point. Designing a V8 derivative into the programme from an earlier stage would give AMG more time to justify the investment.
For now, that remains a possibility rather than a promise. AMG is exploring both petrol and electric futures, but the next C63’s engine, arrival date and South African availability have yet to be announced.