2024 Mercedes-AMG C63 S E Performance Revealed With 2.0-Liter Hybrid Delivering 671 HP

The new C63 comes with eight drive modes, includingElectric, which offers all-electric driving up to 81 mph. When the battery is depleted or more power is demanded, the car switches toComfort. Here, the car will pull away in electric with hybrid driving in effect at highway speeds and the electric motor providing just 25% of its performance. Naturally, the AMG Ride Control adaptive suspension and the steering system are at their most relaxed here.

Battery Holdis the third mode and keeps the e-motor at 25%. The difference here is that the use of the battery is limited for low power draw. Switch toSport, and the suspension and steering firm up, the transmission shifts quicker, and up to approximately 65% of electric boost is available.

Then you haveSport+, which boosts the performance of the e-motor to as much as 80%. Better throttle response and a higher idle speed also characterize this mode, and the suspension, steering, and powertrain are all sharpened. InRacemode, everything is set for maximum performance. The electric motor's boost provides up to 80% of its performance, and the battery recharges as fast as possible. You can also call up a "Boost Mode" on a steering wheel button, which limits e-boost to 30% to save power for when you need 100% performance, which can be called upon by simply pressing the accelerator to the floor.

Slipperydrive mode is an electric-only mode with a flat torque curve and reduced power. This also disables your ability to adjust the energy recuperation system to keep the car stable and predictable. Finally,Individual允许您设置自己的参数。

Four energy recuperation stages allow you to choose how much you want the battery to harvest. Level 0 offers minimal recuperation - only enough "to maintain the vehicle's power supply." Level 1 is the standard setting and feels roughly like a conventional car's deceleration when the clutch is engaged. Level 2 offers even more energy harvesting and you hardly need to use the brake pedal, while Level 3 is the highest setting and makes one-pedal driving possible, like in an all-electric vehicle. Depending on driving conditions, more than 100 kW of power can be fed back to the battery. In Race mode, the car automatically goes back to Level 1 for predictable handling.

There's also an Acoustic Vehicle Alerting System that blares out a specially composed low-frequency and speed-adaptive AMG sound that is emitted from a loudspeaker up front and two loudspeakers in the rear. The exhaust's sound is also modified and pumped into the cabin via speakers.

As for styling, the new C63 S gets a subtle vent in the middle of the hood that Mercedes has strangely not yet provided any close-up shots of, but you can see something else that's new. The three-pointed star on the hood has been replaced by a black AMG emblem for the first time on a production AMG. Aggressive intakes, electronically controlled air panels behind the radiator grille and in the front fascia, and fender vent accents also feature. Beefy side skirts and a large diffuser at the rear are included too, with the latter housing two dual-exhaust exits. A subtle aerodynamic spoiler sits on the trunk, below which the charging flap and the model designation can be found. This badge is set on a red background, highlighting maximum performance.

19-inch alloys are standard, with 20s available. Both are fitted with staggered tires, but only the bigger rims are offered with forged construction. These hide an "AMG high-performance iron rotor composite brake system" with six-piston calipers in front and one-piston floating calipers in the rear as standard.

Inside, you get AMG sports seats once more, with unique upholstery, stitching, and plenty of room for customization. These can be replaced with AMG Performance seats, with side bolsters featuring openings for better ventilation. A head-up display is optional, but because this is an AMG, the MBUX infotainment system with its vertical and portrait screens gains special displays specific to high-performance AMG and hybrid modes. These can also be personalized and used to access the various AMG Dynamics drive modes, where the rear-axle steering system varies its input.

As standard, this provides no more than 2.5 degrees of steering counter to the front wheels. It's active up to 62 mph for supreme handling, but at higher speeds, the rear wheels turn parallel to the fronts up to a maximum of 0.7 degrees, improving stability and high-speed steering.

The 2024 Mercedes-AMG C63 S E Performance may have one of the most painfully long names in existence, and it may be powered by a hybridized 2.0-liter four-pot, but it remains the classy choice. In a world where the BMW M3 and Audi RS5 Sportback look perhaps too aggressive, Mercedes demonstrates that you don't need to shout about performance. Even if you have the right to. With 671 hp, the C63 outpunches the current M3 Competition with its paltry 503 hp and scoffs at the RS5's meager 444 hp.

And with segment-unique rear-axle steering, it may even be sharper than the bloated G80 M3. Will that be enough reason for purists to embrace the electrified C63? No, but most of the market isn't made up of purists. As for pricing and availability, these are yet to be announced, but we'll report back as soon as they are.