Next-gen Mercedes-AMG C63 going hybrid

The model might lose its V8 engine, too.

While rivals downsized, Mercedes-AMG decided to keep a twin-turbocharged V8 engine in the C63. The company will take a different path as it begins to develop the next-generation model.

"I think the formula is perfect for now, but for sure we need to have a close look at viable alternatives, because we have to be creative and I'm chasing performance and that's not strictly linked to the number of cylinders," Mercedes-AMG boss Tobias Moers told CarAdvice in an interview on the side-lines of the New York auto show.

In this case, being creative means exploring electrification and downsizing. Moers already confirmed AMG will go hybrid.

"For sure the next-generation Mercedes-AMG C63 will be a hybrid - that's now a given," he said. He didn't go into further details, so it's too early to tell whether it will be a plug-in system or a mild setup built around a 48-volt electrical system.

His allusion to cylinder count hints the C63 won't keep its V8 for much longer. We can't imagine one with a turbo four, but the heart of the hybrid system could be either a V6 or a straight-six engine.

Mercedes-AMG just introduced the updated 2019 C63 (pictured) at the New York auto show, so we won't see a replacement in the immediate future.