Why Mercedes still hasn't announced V-8 C63 and E63 AMGs

Mercedes-Benz performance division AMG has announced some spectacular new electric cars in the past year, including the range-topping AMG GT four-door and a promising-looking CLA AMG that is not destined for American shores. Notably, though, the V-8-powered C63 and E63 that once made up the heart of the brand's performance offerings remain absent from the current AMG lineup. That might change soon, but Mercedes board member Mathias Geisen says that something else had to happen first.

"Stay tuned," Geisen told Road & Track in a Tuesday roundtable interview. "One step after the other. First we have to make sure we have a very nice and sophisticated V-8, and of course we now look into market demand and have some plans of where else to use it."

Geisen's mention of a "sophisticated V-8" is a reference to the new flat-plane crank engine rolling out throughout the company's lineup after launching in the updated S-Class. That launch has seemingly been a major success, potentially opening the door for that long-awaited return of V-8s in core AMG products in the near future.

The C63 badge is expected to go dormant soon as the brand drops a short-lived, plug-in hybrid model powered by a four-cylinder engine that is soon to be out of compliance in Europe. The AMG sub-brand has not built a car with the E63 AMG badge since the previous generation's V-8 model went out of production in 2022. Long-standing rumors have suggested that both models will be replaced with new V-8 variants, but Geisen stopped short of confirming that on Tuesday.

In the meantime, AMG customers looking for a quicker C-Class can turn to the upcoming C-Class AMG with inline-six power that was confirmed in February. Previous branding suggests that this will be a C53 AMG, leaving a slot open in the lineup for a returning V-8. An AMG V-8 variant of the CLE coupe has been announced by brand leadership, so at least one car will get the extra cylinders in the near future.