Mercedes-AMG 4-Cylinder PHEV Powertrain Set To Die Soon

The latest versions of the Mercedes-AMG C63 and GLC 63 haven’t exactly been roaring successes. Swapping their predecessors’ V8s, for a hugely powerful but complicated and emotionally lacking four-cylinder plug-in hybrid setup, has massively hampered sales of both models since they launched a couple of years ago. And now, that powertrain is set to die off in the not-too-distant future, the company has confirmed.

Speaking to Autocar at the reveal of the all-electric Concept AMG GT XX, an unnamed AMG insider reportedly admitted that the powertrain “failed to resonate with our traditional customers,” and confirmed that it’ll be phased out and won’t find a home in any other models.

The powertrain comprises Merc’s mighty 2.0-litre turbocharged M139 four-cylinder engine, which on its own, makes 469bhp in this application. Paired with the electric motor, the peak system output is 671bhp and 752lb ft, leading to an impressive 3.4-second 0-62mph sprint for the C63.

However, as we found when we drove the GLC 63, the setup lacks character and never really feels like it’s reaching its full potential. AMG’s buyers, raised on a long history of V8s, evidently agreed, and sales of both cars have been sluggish.

It’s not just slow sales leading Merc to canning the powertrain, though. Autocar also reports that the cost of making the M139 engine compliant with the stringent incoming Euro7 emissions regulations isn’t worth it.

Although the PHEV powertrain isn’t set to get any further use, it won’t be dropped in the C63 and GLC 63 just yet. The insider reportedly said that it’ll stay in production for those cars for the time being, before being “eventually” replaced. Whether that means it'll be replaced during the current cars' lifespan or when the models themselves are replaced, we don't know.

Either way, though, you won’t find the controversial powertrain in anything else from Merc. Rather, future combustion and hybrid AMG models will use either straight-sixes, or the new V8 that the company recently announced it was working on.