2025 Mercedes-AMG C 63 gets a bigger engine, but is it big enough to save sales?

The current Mercedes-AMG C 63 is widely considered a market failure, with too many disgruntled AMG fans saying a 2.0-liter four-pot isn’t a valid engine choice for a C-Class flagship.

That’s probably a bit of a stretch because the engine only constitutes a part of a hybrid powertrain capable of 680 PS (671 hp / 500 kW) in peak output mode. Furthermore, the small engine itself boasts record-high power, torque and fuel economy figures. What it arguably lacks, though, is the character of a full-fledged, large-displacement V8.

Rumors had circulated for a while that a V8 was in development for the current C-Class, but Mercedes went out of its way to debunk them. Reports are now coming from a number of media in Europe that the company was actually working on a 3.0-liter inline-six engine all along. It’s designed to work in tandem with an electric motor, just like its predecessor did, and will allegedly be powering the next C-Class model when it gets released.

These unofficial reports claim the car will go on sale in 2026. It remains a good question whether it will be able to save the floundering sales of the current generation.