Mercedes-AMG has gone on record to announce it’s developing a new V-8 engine, but ghosts of the past still haunt the offices in Affalterbach. The latest chapter in the four-cylinder C63 saga involves a senior company official admitting the electrified 2.0-liter engine didn’t catch on with buyers. Speaking under the protection of anonymity, the high-ranking official acknowledged the downsized hybrid powertrain “failed to resonate with our traditional customers.”
According to Autocarthe executive said Mercedes has learned its lesson: “We’ve recognized that [people didn’t like it],” despite it being “one of the most advanced drivetrains available in a production car.” The longitudinally mounted M139l isn’t just used in the C63 and GLC63 but also powers more exotic models like the SL43 and GT43.
Photo by: Chris Rosales / Motor1
The intricate four-cylinder won’t be phased out immediately. It’s sticking around for an unspecified period, but it will “eventually” be axed. That’s not only because it’s alienating longtime AMG fans but also due to its high cost. Apparently, reworking the small gas engine to meet stricter Euro 7 emissions standards is prohibitively expensive.
That honestly comes as a big surprise, since we were under the impression that the main reason the C63 ditched its V-8 in favor of a plug-in hybrid setup was to comply with EU regulations. Autocar cites the same source, saying: “There’s no doubt about its potential, this is one of the most sophisticated engines we’ve ever built, but the investment to make it EU7-compliant is very high.”
With the M139l already living on borrowed time, what’s next? Beyond the V-8 we mentioned earlier, Mercedes-AMG plans to develop its inline-six engine further. Expect some form of hybridization, either mild-hybrid or plug-in hybrid, since the days of pure combustion engines are gradually coming to an end in Europe and elsewhere. Ironically, an engine with more cylinders has a better shot at meeting tougher emissions rules, but we’re happy with that.
The future of the C63 remains uncertain. On one hand, Mercedes-AMG told us earlier this year that a V-8 version of the current generation isn’t planned. On the other hand, a juicy rumor suggests the C63 (and the C43) could be retired earlier than expected. Both are reportedly set to be replaced by a six-cylinder C53 using the M256M powertrain, a 3.0-liter mild-hybrid engine currently found in models like the E53 and CLE53.
Whatever happens, it seems Mercedes-AMG has heard the criticism and is pivoting back toward larger engines. That’s a complete reversal from earlier statements. Mercedes Australia CEO Jaime Cohen once said we’d embrace four-cylinder AMGs like smartphones, while AMG CEO Michael Schiebe praised the current C63 and its “very, very progressive” drivetrain.
But even Schiebe conceded that the company “probably could have better explained” the highly complex plug-in hybrid setup, admitting that the switch alienated V-8 loyalists. He added that traditional customers “take time to really be excited for the technology” and that “it’s important to be open-minded when it comes to technology,” but that hasn’t gone well.
Maybe it wasn’t just the engine choice that hurt sales. If they had named it the C53 and priced it accordingly, the backlash might’ve been softer. The fact that purists can buy a six-cylinder BMW M3 with no electrification and a manual gearbox for less money certainly didn’t help the C63’s case. Heck, even the more powerful M3 Competition xDrive won’t cost you more than a C63.
