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A few weeks ago, rumours sprung up regarding the possible return of V8 engines to the 63 AMG versions of the C-Class and E-Class models.
Consider those rumours squashed. Mercedes-Benz AMG CEO Michael Schiebe said no one should expect a V8 engine returning to a future 63 C-Class or 63 E-Class model.
He made the statement at Monterey Auto Week last week, in response to questions related to a report by Car and Driver, which cited anonymous sources, about the possible return of the V8 engine by 2026. Michael Schiebe told The Drive that this possibility could be definitively denied.
He went on to justify AMG's position on the use of hybrid powertrains with smaller blocks, suggesting that the market was moving in this direction: “I don’t like to talk about other manufacturers, but it seems like there are many more performance hybrids coming to the market now. Or at least they’ve been announced. So I think we were right when we said, let’s go in that direction.”
Recall that Mercedes-Benz's AMG performance division abandoned the V8 engine when it last redesigned the C 63. The model now runs on a plug-in hybrid system with at its heart a 4-cylinder engine. Power output is impressive at 671 hp, but purists do miss the V8. What’s more, the additional weight of the electrified powertrain adds 800 lb to the weight of the vehicle compared to the model carrying a V8.
We'll have to wait and see what's in store for the E 63. Rumours point to a 6-cylinder within a plug-in hybrid system.
AMG does still have a V8. It is combined with a plug-in hybrid unit in a 800-hp powertrain reserved for higher-end models, such as the S-Class and the AMG GT supercar.