Depending on your point of view, the upcoming Mercedes-AMG C63 is set to be either the most disappointing AMG yet or the most exciting. Either way, the electrified powertrain’s low number of cylinders and its high voltage makes it interesting.
We’ve caught another C63, the
highest-performance AMG in the C-Class range as far as we know, testing again.
This supplements spy pictures we shared last month of the wagon and the sedan
testing together. The previous spy shots provided more detailed shots of the
wagon. Excited as we are about it, it’s nice to get up close with the sedan and
its unusual sensors on the hood and trunk.
Five-spoke wheels give a nice view of the
brakes which, predictably, are quite large. It also looks like the wheels are
housed under widened wheel arches, which is always good news. Most excitingly,
there are squared-off quad tailpipes. That suggests that this is the highest
performance C63, rather than a 53. As a result, the latest rumors from Germany
suggest that the plug-in hybrid will make 542 HP of total system output.
If the rumors are correct, that power will
come from a roughly 414 HP four-cylinder engine and a 197 HP electric motor
that will, through hybrid mathematics, amount to the total quoted above. They
will also combine for 590 lb-ft of torque, which sounds pretty good. The two
propulsion systems will mean that the upcoming C63 is more powerful than the
outgoing model, but it will also mean it weighs about 250 kg more.
Still, it won’t struggle for speed off the line, as rumors suggest that it will
be able to 60 mph in just 3.5 seconds.
Whether it will bear an “e” at the of its
name to signify its plug-in-hybrid-status is not yet known but, either way, it
will reportedly get up to 65 km of pure electric range.
