Spy Shots – Mercedes-AMG C43 and C63

Mercedes is currently putting its final touches to the hotter version of the C-Class, both in sedan and estate guise, in Germany and near the Arctic Circle.

In its lesser versions, the still-new C-Class doesn’t rock the boat too much in the looks department. The C-Class is a bread-and-butter machine for Mercedes, but the hot C63 AMG is an epic sports machine with few rivals. Our new shots show the car with a lot less camouflage.

Under that seems to hide a properly subtle evolution of the muscular predecessor. Modest scallops in the fenders will draw attention to the badging, and the new C-Class face with a clear AMG edge and the Panamericana grille will distance the C63 from its tamer brothers. The rest of the car, however, isn’t much different from the current model.

That might not be the case underneath. Obviously, these photos are only skin deep, but it’s clear the next-gen C63 will lose the biturbo V8 that’s been thumping under the hood for some time, but that doesn’t mean the iconic AMG will lose its bite. The turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder that generates a heroic 416 horsepower for AMG’s A45 S could transition to the C63 and gain more power with a hybrid electric powertrain. It would need approximately 100 more hp to comfortably exceed the current-generation C63’s output, but electricity can certainly deliver.

Still, a snarling V8 is as much a part of the C63 as its AMG badge, and it’s hard to guess how buyers will respond to the move. While the mighty Merc’s future is a four-cylinder hybrid, we can at least take comfort in knowing it should still look elegant, aggressive, and sublime.

The less potent C43 was caught in testing in Germany and in estate guise. It should debut in the coming months, the more powerful C63 should arrive six months further out. The C43 gives away its secret by showing the four round exhaust tips at the rear, the Panamericana grille up front, and the large, cross-drilled brake rotors at the front axle.

The C43 should have AMG’s 2.0-litre turbocharged inline-4 found in the tuner’s compact range. It delivers as much as 416 horsepower at present, eclipsing the current model’s 385 hp. A 9-speed automatic and all-wheel-drive system should complete the mechanical package on both the C43 and C63.