The top-of-the-line Mercedes-AMG CLE63 is coming soon. We thought it would have the same 671-horsepower four-cylinder hybrid engine that powers the C63, but that won't be the case anymore, according to a report from Automatic CarInstead, it appears that Mercedes-Benz is abandoning its high-performance four-cylinder engines in favor of V-8s.
Citing “senior officials” at Mercedes-Benz, the report claims the CLE63 will use the familiar twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V-8 with mild-hybrid assistance, producing up to 585 hp. If so, that would be nearly 100 hp less than originally planned. It’s unclear if a plug-in hybrid powertrain is being considered, but we’ve seen prototypes with charging ports. We’ve also caught video of them making virtually no sound, so Mercedes does have electrified prototypes in the field. And they likely have the aforementioned four-cylinder setup.
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Therefore, the switch to V-8 power may have been a late development decision in response to public criticism of the high-horsepower four-pot. That's what Automatic Car claims, citing slower overall C-Class sales in Europe. In the United States, C-Class sales fell slightly in the first quarter of 2024, showing a three percent decline compared to last year.
It’s worth noting that the new C63 models are only just now reaching dealerships in the UK. U.S. pricing was announced in mid-April, and they haven’t gone on sale yet. In short, Mercedes has taken some criticism for dropping the V-8 in the C63, but there’s no sales data to see if buyers really don’t want a four-cylinder hybrid, at least in our region. We’ve reached out to Mercedes for more information and confirmation of the report, but the automaker declined to comment.
If Automatic Car If true, the CLE63 would easily top the CLE53 and its 443-hp twin-turbocharged inline-six. However, it would be well below the C63’s power output. All that will be answered later this year when the CLE63 is officially launched.
