AMG says no to C63 R as GT Black Series closes in

MERCEDES-AMG boss Tobias Moers has quashed rumours the German brand is preparing a hardcore, track-focused version of its C63, to be called C63 R.

Plans for an even more extreme Black Series version of the C63 have also been put on ice, though Moers revealed the revered Black Series badging will soon appear on the rump of an AMG GT instead.

Speaking to Wheels at the New York motor show, Moers firmly dismissed media speculation that the R nomenclature – first applied to last year’s 430kW/700Nm AMG GT R – will be used on other models within the brand, saying “that’s just rumours, we have no plans for this. For now the R is just for GT.”

It was rumoured the C63 R would introduce a host of weight saving measures, as well as more power and torque from the brand’s hand-built 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 that could push outputs beyond 400kW/750Nm. A move to four-wheel drive was mooted to harness the jump in grunt, but Moers says it’s unlikely AMG will make any changes to the C63 range until next year’s facelift.

Moers also poured cold water on plans for a C63 Black Series in this generation of C-Class.

“The [Black Series] would have been rear-wheel drive, but I don’t know…we’re so busy I just don’t know if that’s going to happen.”

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But while a range-topping performance halo seems unlikely, Moers hinted the face-lifted 2018 C63 range will ditch the current car’s 7-speed dual clutch for AMG’s smoother, 9-speed G-Tronic transmission.

“We’re going to see the facelift next year,” he said. “There is still room in the V8, and you know us quite well now, so there is always change for the better. [Like] increasing driveability, chassis dynamics, that’s still on topic for C-Class and C63.”

When quizzed about when we might see a return of a Black Series variant – the last was the SLS AMG Black Series way back in 2013 – Moers said AMG’s engineers are focussing on building a GT Black.

“You know, regarding a Black Series you have to be a little more unexpected than what we’ve done in the past, so when we do a Black Series out of the GT, we know the [430kW/700Nm] GT R is not at the limit regarding power output.

“The chassis of the GT R is capable of a little more power output, but we’re not going to put an E63 engine into a potential Black Series, that’s not going to happen because an E-Class 4.0-litre V8 is a torque engine. That’s my perspective, [GT is] perfect for a Black Series, so it will be a little unexpected.”

Unexpected could mean hybrid power, where an electrical subsystem will support the existing 4.0-litre V8, or electric turbocharging to eliminate lag with Moers revealing “I believe in the future of petrol engines in combination with electric powertrains. Combine that and I think that’s going to be the future of performance.”