Just over a year after the debut of the fifth-generation W206 Mercedes-Benz C-Class, the German carmaker has now begun teasing a high-performance, AMG version of its compact sedan.
The company didn’t provide much in the way of details, with only a short teaser video being our only reference point for now. The vehicle shown features a Panamericana grille that is typical of other Mercedes-AMG models, along with a sportier bumper that resembles what you get with the AMG Line package for the regular C-Class.
If we brighten a screen capture of the video significantly, we can see that the prominent intakes at the corners of the bumper are largely closed off, suggesting this to be the successor to the W205 C 43 4Matic, which will reportedly be called the C 53 4Matic.
On the more powerful W205 C 63, those intakes are open to maximise cooling for its 4.0 litre twin-turbo V8, whereas they are closed on the outgoing C 43 that has a more modest 3.0 litre twin-turbo V6.
The new C 53 has been sighted in spyshots before and is expected to make the switch to a turbocharged four-cylinder engine, with the M139 2.0 litre unit used in the latest A 45 being a likely candidate. The M139 in the top-spec A 45 S pumps out 421 PS (416 hp) at and 500 Nm of torque, which are a match for the C 43’s V6 that provides 367 PS (362 hp) and 520 Nm.
The next C 63 has already been confirmed to come with a four-cylinder engine driving the rear wheels, albeit with hybrid technology and an electric exhaust-gas turbocharger, resulting in 449 PS (443 hp). With an electric motor on the rear axle, the company claims a total system output of over 653 PS (644 hp), which exceeds the outgoing, range-topping C 63 S’ V8 with 510 PS (500 hp).
A variation of such a configuration without the rear electric motor currently exists in the SL 43 revealed earlier this month, rated at 381 PS (375 hp) at and 480 Nm.
We won’t need to wait long to find out what Mercedes-AMG has in store for the latest C-Class as the company has said that there’s “more coming soon.” Stay tuned.
GALLERY: W206 Mercedes-AMG C 53 4Matic spyshots
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a C63 without a V8… how sad
ICE or pure-EV
Hybrid no RV
W205 C53 was inline 6 cyclinders too no? Only the C63 gets V8