There are rumours swirling that the 4.0-litre biturbo V8 in the Mercedes-AMG C63 S is to be axed to make way for a 2.0-litre turbocharged hybrid setup. What?!

According to the story which appeared on Autocar and written by Greg Kable (who has written for us before), Mercedes-AMG will be ditching its V8 motor for the 3-generation C63 in favour of a 4-cylinder hybrid engine. While we may miss the gorgeous soundtrack from one of the world's most iconic engines, we're quite interested in the replacement motor.

The report suggests the replacement motor is the 2.0-litre M139, which if you're a car nerd, will recognise that as the turbo setup found in the all-new A45 S. However, in this iteration, it will receive an electric boost in the form of a 48V starter motor not too dissimilar to that found in the E53/CLS53 AMG. The benefits of such a system are immense, not only are the fuel-saving measures impressive, but the system eliminates lag and makes for a responsive drive. The source article suggests that the new 2.0-litre turbo electric engine will match the current C63 S output of 375 kW, but there'll be an even more torque. Not bad for an engine that's lost 2 litres of capacity and 4 cylinders.

It appears rear-wheel drive is being lost, in favour of 4Matic+, which will make the vehicle a bit more manageable. The new 4-wheel drive system will likely be similar to that of the E63 S which allows power to be sent exclusively to the rear axle, making for tail-happy antics and drifting action.

Expect to see the all-new Mercedes-AMG C63 revealed in 2023.

Further Reading

A45 S International Launch Review

Mercedes-AMG C63 S (2019) Launch Review

Mercedes-AMG C63 S (2018) International Launch Review