Mercedes AMG C63 S E Performance: Most Controversial AMG Ever?

Mercedes has launched their highly anticipated AMG C63 S E Performance in the Indian market. The car has been in the news for quite some time because of its controversial adoption of a 2.0-litre four-cylinder hybrid engine instead of AMG's iconic V8 engines. 

The performance saloon has been launched at INR 1.95 crores (ex-showroom), thus competing with the BMW M3 sedan. The car joins as the third plug-in hybrid by the brand after the S 63 E Performance and the GT 63 S E Performance models. Bookings of the car have begun already with deliveries expected to start in April 2025.

Here's is a quick look into everything you need to know about Mercedes' latest and quite controversial performance sedan. 

Everything To Know About Mercedes AMG C63 S E Performance

Let’s address the elephant in the room first.

Performance

The Mercedes AMG C63 S E Performance gets a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo petrol burner, mated to a 9-speed automatic transmission. The engine churns out 476 hp and 545 Nm of peak torque. Additionally, the car has an electric motor mounted on its rear axle which makes 204 hp and 320 Nm of peak torque.

Now the combined power output of the Mercedes AMG C 63 S E Performance is a whopping 680 hp and 1020 Nm of peak torque, which is more than the older V8 variants.

Mercedes utilises Formula 1-inspired technology in the turbocharger. The engine uses an electric motor to turn the turbine faster, with the motor drawing power from the car's 400 V system. The car puts its power down to all wheels through the renounced 4Matic+ system. The vehicle also gets a drift mode and is capable of sprinting from 0 to 100 kph in just 3.4 seconds. It also gets the AMG driver’s package as standard and the claimed top speed of the car is 280 kph.

The car is capable of an electric-only drive range of 13 km, thanks to its 6.1kWh battery pack which puts an additional weight of 89 kilos but boosts the performance significantly. The car is equipped with eight driving modes; Electric, Comfort, Battery Hold, Sport, Sport+, RACE, Slippery and Individual. It also gets three levels for its adaptive damping system; Comfort, Sport and Sport+. 

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Design 

To differentiate itself from the standard C-Class, the C63 S E Performance gets a sportier vertically slatted grille with active shutters. The car has grown longer by 83mm, thanks to its redesigned sharp bumpers. It has also grown wider by 76mm, thanks to the wider wheel arches. The vehicle is equipped with a lightweight set of 20-inch alloy wheels for better performance. 

The car offers perforated and ventilated discs as standard, however, the buyers can choose from custom ceramic high-performance brakes. The car offers an AMG-exclusive Matte Graphite Grey Mango paint job which looks electrifying.

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Interiors

The Mercedes AMG C63 C E Performance features an all-black sporty interior with AMG exclusive touches like the three-spoke sporty steering wheel and carbon fibre inserts.

The car’s interior is loaded with modern elements like the Nappa leather sport seats, HUD, a 12.3-inch touchscreen for infotainment and a 710W 15-speaker Burmester sound system. The car offers AMG performance seats as optional accessories for added comfort and performance. To take care of the safety, the car is equipped with seven airbags, ADAS, 360-degree camera and more as standard. 

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Pricing and rivals

At its ex-showroom price of INR 1.94 crores, the Mercedes C63 C E Performance does not have any direct competitors. It will serve a very niche buyer set along with some similar players like the BMW M4 CS and the Porsche Panamera GTS, priced at INR 1.89 and 2.24 crores respectively.