The new Mercedes-AMG C63 S E PERFORMANCE Estate is a real game changer in the 55-year history of AMG. With know-how from Formula 1™, it brings state-of-the-art technologies from motorsport to the road. A two-speed electric motor positioned on the rear axle supports the 2.0-litre turbo engine that is mounted longitudinally at the front. This is the most powerful production four-cylinder in the world. Power delivery and torque build-up occur very spontaneously and without delay: as in Formula 1™, the electric support of the exhaust gas turbocharger eliminates the turbo lag of the combustion engine, while at the same time the electric drive pushes powerfully from a standstill. Other highlights of the new model series, which is being launched simultaneously as a Saloon and as an Estate: for the first time in a C63, the fully variable all-wheel drive system AMG Performance 4MATIC+ is used to transfer the drive power to the road, and includes a Drift Mode for even more driving pleasure. Added to this is active rear axle steering as standard, another unique feature in this segment. The electric powertrain and the high-performance battery with 400 volts are AMG-exclusive, in-house developments. They underline the high-end engineering competence of the Affalterbach-based developers. Just like in Formula 1™, the battery is specifically designed for fast power output and draw with innovative direct cooling of the cells.
The MBUX infotainment system includes various AMG- and hybrid-specific displays and functions. These include special displays in the instrument cluster, on the portrait-orientation multimedia central display in the centre console and on the optional head-up display. The head-up display, too, offers AMG-specific display styles such as Race and Supersport. These can be accessed via the main menu in the instrument cluster. High-quality graphics in the multimedia display also visualise in an AMG-specific manner such details as the power flow of the entire drive system, engine speed, power, torque and temperature of the electric motor, as well as the battery temperature. The appearance of the instrument cluster can be personalised with different display styles and individually selectable main views. The AMG-specific Supersport style offers the option of displaying various contents via a vertical menu structure. These include a menu with hybrid-specific temperatures or a setup menu that displays the current settings for the suspension or transmission. In addition, the driver can also have a navigation map or consumption data displayed in the Supersport style.Added to this is the shortcut button for the AMG DYNAMIC SELECT drive programs. AMG TRACK PACE, the data logger for use on the race track, is also integrated.
Form follows function: the design of the new C63 S differs from that of the Mercedes-Benz C-Class in its more muscular proportions. The Saloon and Estate models are both based on an extensively modified AMG bodyshell. The front end is 50 millimetres longer and the front wings are wider. All in all, the overall exterior dimensions differ considerably from those of the Mercedes-Benz C-Class. In terms of length, the Saloon and Estate measure an extra 83 millimetres. The wider track width at the front axle results in 76 millimetres more overall width at the front. And the wheelbase has grown by ten millimetres. Matching side skirts, the rear apron with large diffuser as well as the two trapezoidal, externally ribbed dual tailpipe trims round off the design. Exclusive details at the rear include the special airflow breakaway edge on the boot lid (roof spoiler on the Estate), the plug-in charging flap and the model designation set against a red background. The “E PERFORMANCE Estate” badge on the wings indicates the hybrid drive. The C63 S rolls on 19-inch AMG light-alloy wheels and mixed tyres as standard. Optional wheel/tyre combinations are available in 20-inch size, likewise with mixed tyres, among them a new forged wheel. All in all, this results in a layout that gives the new C63 S a powerful, stretched and muscular look.
The standard AMG Performance steering wheel with its distinctive twin-spoke design and seamlessly integrated control buttons also offers tangible and visible added value. The round AMG steering wheel buttons impress with brilliant displays and their perfect turn-and-press operating logic. This allows important driving functions and all driving modes to be controlled without the driver having to take their hands off the steering wheel. As a new feature, it is possible to select the regeneration levels of the hybrid drive via the steering wheel buttons. The 150 kW (204 hp) electric motor is positioned at the rear axle, where it is integrated with an electrically shifted two-speed gearbox and the electronically controlled limited-slip rear differential in a compact electric drive unit (EDU). Experts refer to this layout as a P3 hybrid. The lightweight high-performance battery is also located in the rear above the rear axle. In the new Mercedes-AMG C63 S E PERFORMANCE Estate, the 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo engine is combined with a permanently excited synchronous electric motor, a high-performance battery developed in Affalterbach and fully variable AMG Performance 4MATIC+ all-wheel drive. The system output of 500 kW (680 hp) and the maximum system torque of 1020 Nm make for impressive driving performance: the Saloon and Estate accelerate from a standstill to 100 km/h in 3.4 seconds. Acceleration only ends at an electronically governed 280 km/h (Estate 270 km/h, in both cases with optional AMG Driver’s Package).
A new distinguishing feature, and one that is exclusive to the C63 S, is the slim air outlet in the centre of the bonnet that transitions elegantly into the two powerdomes. A small but particularly fine detail: for the first time on a Mercedes-AMG production model, a round badge with a black AMG emblem replaces the Mercedes star with laurel wreath on the bonnet. Further typical elements include the AMG-specific radiator grille with vertical struts and the AMG front apron in jet-wing design. Flics, large inlets and air curtains direct the airflow specifically to its various functions. Two electronically controlled AIR PANELS (behind the radiator grille and in the front apron) allow the air to be regulated as required. Numerous paint finishes and equipment items are also available to provide further individualisation. The AMG matt paint finish graphite grey magno is available exclusively for the C63 S. The exterior design can be further accentuated with the AMG Exterior Carbon Fibre packages I and II, the AMG Night packages I and II or the AMG Aerodynamics Package.
“With its Performance hybrid drive and electrically assisted exhaust turbocharger, the new C63 S E PERFORMANCE Estate is a technological masterpiece that takes a new approach. The electrified powertrain offers a whole new driving experience. The immediate response of the electric drive at the rear axle, the rapid torque build-up as well as the fast power output and also draw of our battery are very special features. Add to this the standard-fit rear axle steering and the fully variable all-wheel drive with Drift Mode – the new C63 once again illustrates the high level of technical expertise that AMG possesses”, says Jochen Hermann, Chief Technical Officer of Mercedes-AMG GmbH.
“With the C63 S E PERFORMANCE Estate, we are opening a new chapter in the history of our brand. Even 55 years after our company was founded, we at AMG continue to show the boldness and the will to realise the creative, to deliver something special. The new C63 in particular is a real game changer. With its revolutionary concept, it brings a completely new approach to the segment, which until now has been primarily characterised by the promise purely of performance. With a maximum system output of 680 hp, we do indeed keep this promise. But the intelligent P3 hybrid concept offers much more”, says Philipp Schiemer, Chairman of the Board of Management of Mercedes-AMG GmbH.
The high-performance battery in the C63 S E PERFORMANCE Estate offers a capacity of 6.1 kWh, continuous output of 70 kW and a peak output of 150 kW for ten seconds. The low weight of only 89 kilograms allows the very high power density of 1.7 kW/kg. For comparison: conventional batteries without direct cooling of the cells achieve about half this figure. Charging is via the 3.7 kW on-board AC charger, at a charging station, wallbox or household socket. The battery is designed for fast power delivery and draw, not for the longest possible range. Nevertheless, the electric range of 13 kilometres allows a practical operating radius, for example for quiet and emission-free driving from a residential area to the outskirts of the city or to the motorway. The basis for the high performance of the AMG 400-volt battery is its innovative direct cooling system: for the first time, a high-tech coolant based on an electrically non-conductive liquid flows around all 560 cells and cools them individually. Every battery needs a defined temperature for optimum power delivery. If the battery becomes too cold or too hot, it noticeably loses power at times, or has to be regulated to avoid damage if the heat becomes excessive. The consistent temperature of the battery therefore has a decisive influence on its performance, service life and safety.
For the direct cooling, the AMG specialists had to develop new cooling modules that are only millimetres thin. Around 14 litres of coolant circulate from top to bottom through the entire battery past each cell with the help of a specially developed high-performance electric pump, also flowing through an oil/water heat exchanger attached directly to the battery. This conducts the heat into one of the vehicle’s two low-temperature (LT) circuits, and from there to the LT radiator at the front of the car where it is released into the outside air. The system is designed to ensure even heat distribution in the battery. Only effective direct cooling makes it possible to use cells with a very high power density. Thanks to this individual solution, the battery system is particularly light and compact. The low weight is also due to the material-saving busbar concept, and the lightweight yet strong crash structure of the aluminium housing. It ensures the highest level of safety. The result is that the battery is always within a consistent, optimum operating temperature window averaging 45 degrees Celsius, no matter how often it is charged or discharged. It may well be that the average temperature is exceeded when driving at high speeds. The protection mechanisms are therefore configured so that the maximum performance can be obtained from the battery, with the temperature level subsequently lowered by direct cooling. Conventional cooling systems cannot cope with this, and the battery can no longer fully utilise its potential.
