2024 Mercedes-AMG C63 price and specs: $20,000 hike for 500kW/1020Nm hybrid four-cylinder

The 2024 Mercedes-Benz C63 S E Performance four-cylinder sports sedan will be about $20,000 more expensive than its V8 predecessor when it arrives in showrooms next month.

The latest C63 ditches V8 power – as fitted to all top-of-the-range AMG C-Class sedans for two decades – for a complex plug-in hybrid system built around a turbocharged four-cylinder engine and all-wheel drive.

It is priced from $187,900 plus on-road costs – less than the $200,000 previously forecast, but about $20,000 more than the $168,176 plus on-road costs of the previous 375kW/700Nm V8 model.

When the previous generation of Mercedes-Benz's AMG C63 S arrived in 2015 it was priced from $154,900 plus on-road costs. The regular C-Class line-up received a $12,000 to $15,000 price rise when it launched nearly two years ago.

Orders for the new C63 open today (7 December 2023) ahead of first showroom arrivals due in January 2024, about six months behind schedule.

Powering the C63 S E Performance is a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine, an electric motor and a 6.1kWh battery pack good for 500kW and 1020Nm combined, 0-100km/h in a claimed 3.4 seconds, and a top speed of up to 280km/h.

The engine develops 350kW and 545Nm on its own, and uses electric turbocharger technology inspired by Formula One, which spools up the turbo using an electric motor at low speeds when exhaust gases would otherwise be insufficient, and keeps it spooled if the driver briefly lifts off the accelerator pedal for fast response if they choose to accelerate again.

The electric motor produces its 150kW maximum output in 10-second bursts – or 70kW continuously – and powers the rear wheels through a limited-slip differential and two-speed transmission, which engages second gear before reaching 140km/h.

The 6.1kWh battery has been designed in conjunction with the Mercedes-AMG Formula One team for rapid discharging and recharging on a race track, and is only capable of 15km of electric driving.

The C63 is capable of recharging on an AC power plug at up to 3.7kW, its regenerative braking system can support 'one-pedal driving', and the all-wheel drive system can send electrical power to the front wheels, or disengage drive to the front axle entirely in Drift mode.

For more technical details on the AMG C63, click here to read our full unveiling story published last year.

Standard performance features include rear-wheel steering (with up to 2.5 degrees of rotation), adaptive suspension, six-piston front and single-piston rear brakes, eight drive modes, and a variety of stability-control settings.

Comfort and tech features as standard include a 12.3-inch digital instrument display, 11.9-inch touchscreen, matrix LED headlights, power-adjustable front sports seats, a head-up display, Burmester 3D surround sound system, and panoramic glass sunroof.

Only the sedan will be sold in Australia, as the wagon body style is not available in the new C-Class range locally.

The 2024 Mercedes-AMG C63 S E Performance is available to order now.

Note: All prices above exclude on-road costs.