If you have been holding out hope that Mercedes-AMG would come to its senses and drop a V8 back into the C 63, it’s high time to make peace with fewer cylinders. According to head of product management and global training Klaus Rehkugler, the German automaker has officially shut the door on V8 muscle for the forthcoming refresh of the 206-series C 63.
As reported by CarExpert, the decision comes down to a single word. Considering the remaining lifecycle of the 206 series, the switch from a plug-in hybrid turbo I4 to a twin-turbo V8 simply doesn’t make financial sense. Amortization is the name of the game here, and the investment required to modify the C-Class platform for a V8 is too great for the Stuttgart-based manufacturer.
As you might have already heard, the W206 and S206 were developed to accommodate four-pot mills exclusively. Even fitting a six-cylinder lump would require lengthening the front end while also dealing with higher axle loads, which is why Mercedes closed the performance gap with plug-in hybrid assistance. This bet, however, did not pay off.
The 206-series C 63 was meant to prove that electrification could replace displacement. Enthusiasts largely stayed away, and the model is already being phased out. Said failure is precisely why this V8 question keeps resurfacing, and why Rehkugler’s answer stings for anyone hoping for a straightforward reversal.
Before writing off Mercedes-AMG entirely for its recent asinine decisions, know that the V8 isn’t dead per se. It just isn’t coming to the W206 and S206. The company will continue making V8s until 2035 at the very least, with V8 availability depending on local regulations.
Photo: Mercedes-Benz
Rehkugler stopped short of ruling out a V8 for the next generation of the C-Class. For now, it’s clear the math does not work. Regarding enthusiasts who still mourn the loss of that cross-plane V8 rumble, there is a small consolation. According to Klaus Rehkugler, even the V8 engines that will survive Euro 7 won’t sound quite like they used to a few years ago.
Ever-tightening noise regulations mean AMG’s eight-cylinder engines will have different aural qualities from their Euro 6 and Euro 5 predecessors. The driving characteristics, however, will remain. Mercedes and the AMG division have updated the 4.0-liter biturbo V8 to meet Euro 7 regulations in a number of ways, beginning with the move from a cross-plane crank to a flat-plane design.
With the firing order now evenly spaced at 180-degree intervals, the M177 Evo delivers critical benefits for emissions. Not only does it promise superior exhaust scavenging through even pulses, but faster catalyst heating and fewer residual gases also help with Euro 7 compliance.
The switchover from the Otto to the Miller cycle makes a world of difference as well, for the intake valves close either earlier or later than normal to reduce effective compression while maintaining the expansion ratio. Furthered by a 48-volt integrated starter generator and new exhaust aftertreatment goodies, the M177 Evo also benefits from an overhauled fuel system.
To comply with Euro 7 particulate limits, the German automaker decided on 350-bar injectors for better atomization, multi-pulse injection strategies, and reshaped piston crowns. The most powerful iteration of the M177 Evo to date produces 603 horsepower and 627 pound-feet (850 Newton-meters) of twist.