2026 Mercedes-AMG C 63 Will Get A PHEV System Based On The M256 Inline 6-Cylinder

It’s official: Mercedes-AMG has confirmed to the British magazine Autocar that the Mercedes-AMG C 63 facelift will ditch the 4-cylinder P3 hybrid system in favor of a 6-cylinder PHEV propulsion system.
 

Mercedes-AMG’s decision to electrify the W206 generation Mercedes-AMG C 63 was the wrong one. The poor sales proved that customers do not want a hybrid system based on a 4-cylinder engine even though this model is the most powerful AMG C 63 ever with 680 PS.
 
After the introduction of the 48V mild hybrid system on the M256 inline six-cylinder engine that powers the new Mercedes-AMG CLE 53 coupe, there were numerous rumors that Mercedes would ditch the 4-cylinder engine in the Mercedes-AMG C 63 and replace it with the famous 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 in next year’s planned facelift.
 
But fitting the new-generation AMG C 63 W206 with the twin-turbo V8 engine is tricky, and Mercedes sources quoted by British magazine Autocar said that “more space is needed not only in terms of physical dimensions but also for cooling and crash protection measures.”
 
That’s why the best solution is to introduce a PHEV system based on a modified version of the M256 3.0-liter inline-six-cylinder engine.
 
Thus, the Mercedes-AMG C 63 facelift will do away with the P3 Hybrid system with the electric motor mounted at the rear axle in favor of a P2 plug-in hybrid system with the electric motor classically placed between the combustion engine and the gearbox.
 
Mercedes already has such a PHEV system in the new Mercedes-AMG E 53 Hybrid launching in 2024. It combines the 3-liter, 449 PS turbocharged inline 6-cylinder engine with a 163 PS electric motor sandwiched between the combustion engine and the gearbox delivering 585 PS and 750 Nm in total.
 
The British magazine Autocar estimates that the modified M256 engine will deliver up to 480 PS in the upcoming AMG C 63 facelift and the PHEV system will deliver over 650 PS and 880 Nm.
 
In all likelihood, the same PHEV system will be fitted in the Mercedes-AMG GLC 63 facelift.
 
But what about the future Mercedes-AMG CLE 63?
Currently, the Mercedes-AMG CLE 53 is powered by a mild hybrid system consisting of the same 449 PS M256 engine and a 23 PS electric motor. It would be illogical for the top version AMG CLE 63 to have a hybrid system based on a 4-cylinder engine only.
 
Since there are no V8 engine location issues with the Mercedes CLE, and since customers have expressed their disagreement with the use of a 4-cylinder-only engine, the upcoming Mercedes-AMG CLE 63 Coupe and Cabriolet that replace both the former AMG C 63 and AMG E 63 Coupe/cabriolet will use the twin-turbo V8 engine with the flat plane crankshaft.