The Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG was a rowdy symbol of high-performance fun in the C-Class model lineup. The C63 was well known for its V8 in recent years with the eight-cylinder allowing the car to have a unique identity even at a time when smaller powerplants became the new normal in the segment.
However, even the C63 had to face the music when it came to tightening fuel economy regulations in Europe with the V8 feeling the squeeze from regulators and shifting priorities from buyers in the performance vehicle segment. These shifting tides inspired Mercedes-Benz to take an interesting approach to this problem, the C63 S E-Performance. But does having less cylinders and a complex engineering marvel under the hood replace displacement?
Manically responsive powertrain blunted by weight gain
The headline item here is the engine and it becomes pretty obvious that Mercedes engineers were clearly out to challenge themselves when making it. Befitting the E-Performance moniker, our tester arrived with a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder that’s paired with three electric motors which help it produce a combined system output of 671 hp with the company saying it can make the sprint to 60 mph in the 2.9 seconds. The three electric motors are placed in strategic spots with one being on the rear axle, the second in the engine, and the third located in the turbocharger. The rear axle-mounted motor even gets its own two-speed gearbox which is on top of the nine-speed automatic in charge of dancing with the engine.
In theory and somewhat in practice, the complicated engine proves to be a responsive unit with our tester delivering strong acceleration and smooth transitions between gas and pure electric driving. However, it becomes apparent that the engine is blunted by the C63’s high curb weight with our tester weighing in at a rather porky 4,749 lbs with some of this weight gain being due to the powertrain and the accompanying battery pack. This flab blunts the Benz at higher speeds and handling in our tester felt less composed than some of its rivals even in its sportiest drive mode. All-wheel drive is standard and AMG engineers even gave the car a Race mode which unlocks the full potential of the hybrid powertrain. Braking in our tester was strong with the performance brakes providing strong stops. The E-Performance also has an all-electric driving mode, but it’s only for short-distance jaunts and you can’t go too far before the gas engine kicks back in.
Subdued styling lacks magic
While the performance hardware gives the C63 AMG S E-Performance plenty of performance, the exterior styling of this flagship C63 is a massive letdown. This is because it’s way too subdued for its own good and it simply does not draw the same level of attention as rivals like the BMW M3. The front fascia gets a reworked front splitter and a central hood vent but when you combine that with the fender-mounted E-Performance badges and the blobby-looking rear end, there’s simply not enough here to tell the world that you’re in the flagship version of the C-Class.
The interior also follows the same script with the front half of the car getting plenty of screens and heavily bolstered performance seats. The fully digital instrument cluster is joined by a large infotainment screen with the latter coming packed with various displays, menus, and other functions that allow owners to get information on a wide variety of things (there’s also a built-in timer for track work.) We’re glad Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard but we highly recommend taking a few trips into the owners manual to help you get the lay of the digital land. The rear seats are typical for its segment in terms of the tight headroom that you get as well as the cramped legroom. You also don’t get much in terms of rear seat frills but buyers looking for more extravagance for their passengers will have to move up to the bigger E63.
Value quotient
The C63 AMG S E-Performance is the flagship model and that’s reflected in its pricing with a base version starting at over $86,000. Our tester arrived with a laundry list of options which caused the final as-tested price to jump to $98,000. That’s very expensive for a four-cylinder performance vehicle and the high price shines a spotlight on some of its rivals with the M3 being powered by a turbocharged inline-six that gives you more cylinders and just as much performance for roughly the same amount of money.
It also makes us miss the V8 since the eight-cylinder was a potent selling point for the model and allowed the Benz to have a unique identity. Without that identity, this four-cylinder powered PHEV feels like it’s trying too hard to be like everyone else, and when you combine that with its heavy curb weight and some of the over complexity that exists in its engine, it makes the E-Performance a very hard sell for some buyers and it appears that Mercedes-Benz is already preparing to bring the V8 back in according to recent reports on the matter.
Carl Malek has been an automotive journalist for over 10 years. First starting out as a freelance photographer before making the transition to writing during college, his work has appeared on numerous automotive forums as well as websites such as Autoshopper.com.
Carl is also a big fan of British vehicles with the bulk of his devotion going to the Morgan Motor Company as well as offerings from Lotus, MG, and Caterham. When he is not writing about automobiles, Carl enjoys spending time with his family and friends in the Metro Detroit area, as well as spending time with his adorable pets.