Your typical Mercedes C-Class, this is not.
Because Mercedes-AMG has revealed the new C 63 S E Performance hybrid that out-muscles the BMW M5 and M8.
This is a car that’s rammed with headline grabbing stats, so strap yourself and get ready for the data onslaught.
Firstly, the powertrain marries a 2.0-litre engine at the front and electric motor on the rear to generate 680 hp.
That 2.0 litre engine alone is a game-changer, and what Mercedes-AMG is calling the ‘the most powerful series-produced four-cylinder turbo engine in the world’. Petrol power alone generates 476 hp, while the electric motor adds an extra 204 hp.
The electric power comes via a 7kw battery that provides a range of up to 8 miles - perfect for ‘quiet and emission-free driving from a residential area to the outskirts of the city or to the motorway’, says Mercedes-AMG.
And then there’s the torque figure - which reaches a colossal peak of 1020 Nm and means the C 63 S E Performance can accelerate from 0-62mph in just 3.4 seconds.
Available as either a saloon or estate, the C-Class on steroids also gets all-wheel drive, Drift mode, ‘Boost’ mode, rear axle steering, an electronically controlled limited-slip rear differential, and an innovative battery cooling system that makes sure you’ll always have optimum grunt on tap.
Philipp Schiemer, Chairman of the Board of Management of Mercedes-AMG, says:
“The new C 63 in particular is a real game changer. With its revolutionary concept, it brings a completely new approach to the segment, which until now has been primarily characterised by the promise purely of performance. With a maximum system output of 680 hp, we do indeed keep this promise. But the intelligent P3 hybrid concept offers much more.”
That hybrid ‘concept’ is clever stuff indeed, and has borrowed heavily from the Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team.
Instead of using air or water to cool the batteries - as you typically see with hybrid cars - the C 63 S E Performance instead uses an ‘electrically non-conductive liquid’ that ‘flows around all 560 cells and cools them individually’.
The net result? The battery is always within a ‘consistent, optimum operating temperature window averaging 45 degrees Celsius, no matter how often it is charged or discharged’, says Mercedes-AMG, and which means it never loses its potency.
Another element nicked from F1 is an electrically assisted exhaust gas turbocharger, which eliminates any ‘lag’ between the driver putting his or her right foot down and the turbocharger spooling-up and exploding into action.
A Mercedes-AMG spokesperson explains:
“An electric motor around four centimetres thin is integrated directly on the turbocharger shaft between the turbine wheel on the exhaust side and the compressor wheel on the intake side. Electronically controlled, this drives the shaft of the turbocharger directly and thus accelerates the compressor wheel, before the exhaust gas flow takes over the drive in the conventional way.
“This significantly improves the response directly from idle speed and across the entire rev range.”
The spokesperson also adds:
“Even when the driver takes their foot off the accelerator or brakes, the technology is able to maintain boost pressure at all times. This ensures a continuously direct response.”
There are eight drive modes, including ‘RACE’ and ‘Slippery’ for when it’s bucketing-down outside, and you can set the battery-recuperation level to suit your own tastes. The ‘AMG RIDE CONTROL’ suspension with Adaptive Damping System is also standard.
And then there’s the way the C 63 S E Performance looks - which is the C-Class at its most ‘powerful, stretched and muscular’.
The cabin is also impressive, coming with the Mercedes ‘MBUX’ multimedia system, the option of a head-up display, swathes of Nappa leather, and a data logger for use on the race track.
There’s no word on price just yet, but the regular, 510 hp C 63 costs from £88,130.
Enjoyed this? Read our latest news:
- How far can you drive on £50? A global comparison
- Select toasts Senior Consultant
- September's best SUV-crossover lease deals
- The MG4 EV has arrived - and here’s everything you need to know
-
Are you REALLY driving in the most efficient way possible..?
Where To Next?
For all the latest reviews, advice and new car deals, sign up to our newsletter.
Looking for a great leasing deal? Check out our incredible range of special offers.
Read our latest reviews and find the right model for you.
Want to know more about leasing? Take a look at our comprehensive leasing guides.
Interested in everything motoring? Why not catch up on all the latest car leasing news.
