At long last, there’s good news from the land of AMG: The Affalterbach-based performance division has seen the light and is giving its junior performance coupe a… V8! That’s right, our hopes, prayers, and “Dear AMG” letters have been heard and read, and the forthcoming AMG CLE 63 Coupe will be getting a V8 engine, at least if the video below is anything to go by.
MERCEDES-AMG CLE 63! (*V8 MHEV +650CV*)
The rumor mill has suggested for some time this would be the case, with CarBuzz spies recently spotting prototypes on the Nürburgring without any plug-in hybrid stickers or charge ports. But this video (see bottom of article), which gives a pretty clear indication of what the CLE 63 will sound like, proves that the rumors were true. It’s either that or Mercedes-AMG has mastered the sound of V8 noises through speakers – and we don’t think that’s the case. The CLE 53 has six cylinders, so it’s a logical progression for this to now have eight.
De Facto Replacement For The C 63 Coupe
The Mercedes-AMG C 63 has been the car world’s favorite performance sedan to abuse since it was announced with a 2.0-liter turbo four-cylinder with a plug-in hybrid system. Sales have reportedly been less than stellar, and at one point, vicious rumors suggested the performance sedan would undergo a massive midlife switch back to a V8 engine. Those rumors were quickly quashed by AMG executives, but the stance of many AMG aficionados is clear: they want a V8.
Mercedes recently trimmed its product lineup, doing away with the C-Class and E-Class coupes in favor of this new CLE-Class which straddles the two segments. That makes this the de facto replacement for the discontinued AMG C 63 Coupe but also introduces a replacement for a model Mercedes has never offered – an AMG E 63 Coupe.
The Same V8 We Know And Love
While details are being kept under wraps for the time being, Mercedes-Benz only has one V8 in service: the 4.0-liter hot-vee twin-turbo V8 that powers a plethora of sedans, coupes, and SUVs. Its outputs are vast, but considering this CLE 63 Coupe is expected to bear the CLE 63 S designation, we’re expecting an output north of 600 horsepower; would it be too much to ask for it to at least match the 671-horsepower C63 PHEV?
Even if it doesn’t, without the cumbersome plug-in hybrid system, the CLE 63 S will weigh much less than the portly C 63, and with Mercedes previously having partnered this engine with a 48-volt mild hybrid system, it could still see some augmentation to make it more economical.
The V8 was originally expected to be phased out by AMG in coming years, but earlier this year, AMG boss Michael Schiebe handed it a lifeline, saying there was no end date to its production and that customer demand would be a major factor in its continuation or demise.
“We have no end date, but that would also be a very dogmatic discussion. Our main purpose is to satisfy customer needs. We still see there are many customers that love our V8 engines and our high-performance four-cylinder engines. We don’t put an end date on it, but I’m pretty convinced that AMG will become an all-electric company.” – Michael Schiebe, Mercedes-AMG CEO
