Mercedes-AMG C63's four-cylinder powertrain to be phased out as it doesn't ‘resonate' with clients: report
Image: Supplied
There's no denying that the Mercedes-AMG C63 S E Performance is a technological masterpiece, but it falls short in the one critical area: its soundtrack simply isn't soulful enough for those accustomed to six- and eight-cylinder engines.
It is strongly rumoured that the facelifted version of the C63 will adopt a six-cylinder hybrid powertrain, and a senior insider has now confirmed that the current four-cylinder plug-in hybrid (PHEV) will eventually be phased out.
Speaking with Autocar at a media event in Germany recently, the unnamed source said that the four-cylinder powertrain would remain in production for the time being, but would eventually be replaced.
The insider also admitted that the four-pot motor has not resonated with customers.
'Technically, the four-cylinder is one of the most advanced drivetrains available in a production car. It's also right up there on performance. But despite this, it failed to resonate with our traditional customers. We've recognised that,' the source told Autocar.
Another strong motive was the high cost over adapting AMG's four-cylinder hybrid powertrain to comply with upcoming Euro 7 emissions rules, the insider added.
Previous reports suggest that the facelifted C63, as well as its GLC 63 sibling, will adopt a six-cylinder hybrid powertrain, with more power than what's offered in the current six-cylinder E53 and CLE 53 AMG models.
The CLE 63 will reportedly receive a V8 hybrid set-up, but this hasn't been earmarked for the C-Class because it was never designed to accommodate an eight-cylinder engine - at least not without significant modification.
Even with an extra two cylinders, it's unlikely that the next C63 will gain much more power. Boasting total outputs of 500kW and 1,020Nm, the performance flagship is already far ahead of the competition. Consider that the BMW M3 Competition produces 390kW and the Audi RS4 is good for 331kW.
While Mercedes-AMG has indicated that petrol-electric hybrid vehicles will form part of its line-up for many years to come, the performance division is also simultaneously launching a new line-up of fully-electric vehicles, underpinned by the new AMG-EA high-performance architecture.
Set apart by a bold new design language, previewed by the recently revealed Concept AMG GT XX, the AMG.EA platform also ushers in technical innovations, such as innovative axial flux motors and a pioneering battery design that allows the vehicle to be recharged with enough energy for 400km in just five minutes.
It's unclear whether any of these innovations will filter down to the hybrid models however.
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File picture: Mercedes-Benz SA. Deindustrialisation remains a major threat to the South African vehicle manufacturing industry. Image: Supplied South Africa's automotive manufacturing industry is facing an existential crisis as affordable imports from India and China flood the market and export contracts come under threat. Although the imposition of US tariffs only affects Mercedes-Benz at present, this is expected to take a significant toll on that company, while elsewhere in the industry, a gradual deindustrialisation is eroding local output. While industry leaders such as Toyota SA CEO Andrew Kirby have previously sounded the warning bells about industrial decline, the Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition, Parks Tau, added to the chorus this week when he stated that the abovementioned pressures have resulted in 12 component company closures and over 4,000 job losses in the last two years. Speaking at an industry showcase held by the National Association of Automotive Component and Allied Manufacturers (Naacam) on Wednesday, Tau stated that local vehicle production, at 515,850 units in 2024, was far below the Automotive Masterplan 2035 target of 784,509. Equally worrying is that local content for vehicle production remains stagnant at 39%, well below the 64% target. Imports remain a threat, as just 37% of the vehicles that South Africans purchase are locally produced, according to Lightstone, while 36% are sourced from India and 11% from China. Minister Parks Tau said his department was currently reviewing the APDP incentive programme. Image: Supplied Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad loading 'Localisation is not merely policy compliance - it is existential. A 5% increase in local content would unlock R30 billion in new procurement, dwarfing the R4.4 billion US export market. To achieve this, we must act collectively to address some of the bottlenecks to growth,' Tau said. He revealed that the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (DTIC) was reviewing the current Automotive Production Development Programme (APDP) as a comprehensive way of responding to the sector's challenges. Among these reforms would be shifting the duty credit incentive structure to place a greater emphasis on rewarding full manufacture, rather than just assembly. The government is also planning to incentivise electric vehicle (EV) and battery manufacturing. As announced earlier this year, carmakers will be able to claim a 150% tax deduction on investments related to EV production. The government is also considering adding locally mined minerals to the list of Items that qualify as local content under the APDP. In addition, a comprehensive skills gap analysis has been completed, resulting in EV-specific curricula and certification programmes now being developed in conjunction with numerous universities. The Minister said the government was also working hard to eliminate compliance burdens and reduce the red tape currently inhibiting investment into the auto sector. This includes a General Laws Amendment Bill that aims to fast-track high-impact investments and projects within 90 days. A call for punitive tariffs However, when it comes to protecting the local manufacturing industry from a flood of affordable imports, it appears the DTIC is not in favour of punitive measures such as tariffs. This is in spite of widespread calls for this, including from manufacturers such as BMW SA and industry organisations. Speaking at a separate event held on Tuesday, in response to Trump's tariff imposition, Tau said: 'With regards to Chinese and Indian auto, it is a discussion that we're currently having with the intention of taking a less punitive approach, but rather taking a more proactive approach of getting some of those products manufactured in the country.' 'So we're not holding the stick as a starting point. We start with the carrot and then balance it with the stick," Tau added.
