Mercedes-AMG Denies V8 Return To C63 And E63

A surprising yet exciting rumor arose when Car and Driver, having cited multiple unnamed sources, reported the V8 engine will return to the Mercedes-AMG C63 and E63 in 2026. We hate to burst your bubble, but it appears the hopeful V8 comeback won't happen anytime soon.

Germany's Auto Motor und Sport contacted its sources regarding the matter, and the response will sound disappointing to AMG fans. An employee involved with product development said the rumor is "pure nonsense."

This means the Mercedes-AMG C63 will retain its 2.0-liter four-cylinder turbocharged plug-in hybrid engine, good for a whopping 671 horsepower and 752 lb-ft of torque. While the powertrain does produce more power than the V8, the engine won't have the same thrill as driving an AMG-badged V8.

As for the next-generation Mercedes-AMG E63, nothing seems to stop the rumored hybrid inline-six engine now. Like the C63, the engine setup aims to produce more power than the V8 - more than 690 hp and 884 lb-ft of torque. But it could lose appeal when the next-gen BMW M5 comes out with the rumored 700-hp V8 hybrid found in the XM.

Audi is also not dropping to four cylinders for its upcoming performance models, albeit a PHEV powertrain will be adopted.

The V8 return rumor did make sense at the time, with the report mentioning converting the M177 V8 engine to meet EU7 emission standards. But as it stands, the automaker is favoring electrification by downsizing engines. At least, the company still puts performance in mind, backed by the "revolutionary" 670-hp four-pot in the C63.

"We now have to disappoint many fans of the eight-cylinder. The rumors that the V8 is making a comeback in the AMG C and E class are simply wrong," concluded Auto Motor und Sport (Google translated from German to English).