The V8 fightback starts here. Mercedes-AMG is reportedly dropping a twin-turbo bent eight into its upcoming CLE 63 coupe and convertible, and it’s due in part to slow sales of the four-cylinder PHEV C63 S and GLC 63. AMG replaced the 4.0-liter V8 in the C 63 sedan and wagon and GLC 63 SUV with a plug-in-boosted 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that makes a massive 671 hp, but reviewers and buyers have been left cold by the soulless powertrain and unwelcome pounds the hardware added.
Autocar reports that sluggish demand for
the four-cylinder models has forced AMG to reverse plans to drop the same
engine into the two-door cars, and they’ll now get a mild-hybrid version of the
old-school 575 hp twin-turbo, 4.0-liter V8 instead. There’ll
inevitably be some performance sacrifice as a result, but the payoff will be a
far more emotional driving experience.
Another factor in the decision to go down
the V8 route is that the 2025 CLE 53 has already been revealed with a 443 hp turbocharged six-cylinder engine, and AMG was concerned that some
buyers would be confused about being asked to pay more for a 63-badged car with
fewer cylinders than the 53, even if it does make a stack more power. This
isn’t a problem that affects the four-cylinder C63 and GLC 63 because the
models below them (badged ’43’) also feature four-cylinder engines. The big
question now is whether AMG will make a U-turn with the existing C63 and GLC 63
and go back to V8 power in a bid to recover sales and kudos among enthusiasts.
The CLE is based on the same platform as those cars, so we know the engine will
fit, but it would be an embarrassing climbdown for the firm.
Markus Schäfer, head of Mercedes-Benz’s
R&D, told Autocar that the company was looking at sales patterns and said
it would let customers decide the way forward.
