The next generation of the Mercedes-Benz C-class has been around for a while for testing and now the first AMG variant has also been spotted. The photographer noticed one thing in particular: he heard a four-cylinder.
The current Mercedes C-class is expected to be replaced by a completely new generation later this year. Recently it moved past much less camouflaged. The car that is now being presented to us by our espionage photographer has been packaged considerably more enthusiastically. Yet things like the thicker bumpers, four exhausts and large brake discs indicate that we are dealing here with the C from Mercedes-AMG. The subtopper, that is, according to the new one nomenclature probably as C53 will go through life.
In addition to the extra exterior design that we are used to from AMG, it is especially interesting to see what is new in terms of drive. That is looking at some coffee grounds at this stage, but the photographer says he did not hear a six-in-line but a four-cylinder when the car passed. That probably indicates that the C53 will go through life as a plug-in. The tight 400 hp of the current C43 (still with the six-cylinder) should be able to match this C53 thanks to a partly electrified powertrain. The current C300e already achieves a combined power of 320 hp from a 2.0-liter four-cylinder with electrical assistance.
The switch from the six-in-line to a four-cylinder plug-in would not fall completely out of the blue. Mercedes has been hinting at reducing the supply of large engines for some time. The stricter CO2 standards force Mercedes-AMG in particular to look for alternative powertrains. At the end of last year, Mercedes’ sporting division announced that it is looking at ‘cleaner’ powertrains and plug-ins to also reduce emissions from the more powerful Mercedes.