Change of third party. The Mercedes-AMG C 63 SE Performance arrives electrified and with much more power, but with fewer cylinders and more weight

Farewell to the V8 tradition in the C AMG

Only two days ago, when Mercedes-Benz  started unveiling  the new C 63 through a teaser, we already knew that the German sedan was coming with a four-cylinder engine. We now know all its details and it's confirmed: the Mercedes-AMG C 63 SE Performance uses a block with  half the cylinders  of its predecessors.

Since the first Mercedes-Benz C-Class, known as W202 and launched in 1993, this model has always used  V8 engines  in its most powerful AMG versions.

First with the C 43 and C 55 AMG of the late 1990s, later with the C 55 AMG W203, then with the mythical C 63 AMG W204 with a naturally aspirated 6.2-litre engine, as well as the latest this saga, the C 63 W 205 and its C 63 S variant, which were still V8s, although  this time biturbo .

Well, the W206-generation C 63 S  breaks that unwritten rule  that the most beastly C-Class must pack a V8 and uses the same four-cylinder unit used by the Mercedes-AMG compact family. At Mercedes it is known internally under the code M139 and now we can also call it the most powerful four-cylinder engine in the world.

And it is that this 2.0-liter mechanics that rests under the hood delivers 476 CV, 55 CV more than in the  Mercedes-AMG A 45  S.  And as if that were not enough, it is helped by  an engine electric 150 kW (204 hp)  located next to the rear axle.

Combined, this hybrid set develops  680 hp and a maximum torque of 1,020 Nm  . These are far more spectacular figures than those declared by the biturbo V8 of the previous Mercedes-AMG C 63 S, which was satisfied with 510 HP and 700 Nm.  It is also enough to exceed the six-cylinder of 510 HP of the BMW M3 Competition, as well as the 450 hp four-cylinder from the Audi RS4 Avant.

Although it has the power of a supercar, we must not forget that it is a  mid-size sedan  (4.83 meters long, 8 cm longer than the C-Class), even the  The top-of-the-range BMW M5 CS  is not there yet. level (635 hp), so we are facing one of the biggest power escalations of recent times.

Electrification was key to achieving this and Mercedes didn't want to risk it, which is why it opted for the  same system  that created the Mercedes-AMG GT 63 SE Performance four-door coupe with 863 hp .

The 204 hp electric motor is powered by a 400-volt battery with a  capacity of 6.1 kWh  which, unlike other plug-in hybrid models, does not seek to increase range, but rather performance.

A more discreet electric range than normal

So much so that the C 63 SE Performance only has an electric range of  13 kilometers . Therefore, it does not have the DGT ZERO label (40 km are necessary to reach it) and it complies with the ECO label.

But the electrical part does not stop there. The combustion engine is supercharged, but not with a conventional turbo, but with an  electric turbocharger  which Mercedes says derives from its Formula 1 car, similar to the technology used in the  Mercedes-AMG One .

This is the same solution used by the Mercedes-AMG SL 43, but in this case it is a larger turbo and powered by the  high voltage electrical network   (400 volts), instead of the 48 network volts of the SL 43.

As for the transmission, Mercedes-AMG opted for the nine-speed AMG Speedshift MCT 9G, which sends the hybrid package's 680 hp to all-wheel drive via an  AMG Performance 4MATIC+  all-wheel-drive system with  limited slip and drift mode.

All this allows the Mercedes-AMG C 63 SE Performance to accelerate from  0 to 100 km/h in 3.4 seconds , both with the sedan body and in its Estate version.

The maximum speed is limited to 250 km/h in both cases and, as an option, the sedan can reach  280 km/h  and the usual 270 km/h. All with an approved average consumption of 6.9 l/100 km.

Without a doubt,  the data that grinds the most  is the latter. Why ? very easy, because of the weight. The sedan  weighs 2,111 kg  and the Estate goes up to 2,145 km. Yes, we are still talking about a C class, even if we give figures that exceed 2.1 tons.

Again, you have to put it in context and know how much its predecessor weighed to get an idea of ​​what Mercedes-AMG did. The previous C 63 S stops the scales at 1,755 kg in its saloon version. This means that the new C 63 is  356 kg heavier  (and remember 170 hp more powerful).

True, it's faster than ever and light years ahead of its rivals when it comes to power, but the price to pay might be too high as it loses its trademark in the form of a V8 (and its accompanying mechanical sound) and weight will be noticeable on a dynamic level, even though the electric part provides instant power and the  standard steered rear axle  helps round out curves.

In short: the Mercedes-AMG C 63 S  has changed . We'll have to wait to drive it to see if for better or worse, but for a sports sedan to exceed 2.1 tonnes sets a precedent no tanker will agree with.

And it must be remembered that, no matter how fast a car is, on paper and at the moment of truth, the  feeling behind the wheel  is another matter.

For the rest, outside it has not lost that touch of aggressiveness with a touch of sobriety that has always characterized the C AMG. It's wider than the rest of the C-Class, it has  air intakes on the hood  and sides, bigger bumpers and a small rear spoiler.

Inside,  sports seats  , contrast stitching, carbon fiber trim, metal pedals and steering wheel with touch controls to manage driving modes and driving aids stand out.

Of course, we shouldn't ignore  what  Mercedes has just confirmed:  the V8 engine will live on  as long as there is demand, but customers will have to pay for it. With this message, the signing of the star leaves several doors open and one of them may lead us to see more special limited series than the rest of AMG.

It may not be unreasonable to think of a  Mercedes-AMG C 63 Black Series  with a V8 engine and less power, but also lighter and with a more radical configuration, as well as a wilder design. Time will tell.