The W206 Mercedes-AMG C63S E Performance has been on our radar for ages now. We have posted videos of it testing at the Nurburgring (as you can see here). We have even seen estate versions of the performance model in action. Heck, Mercedes-AMG even told us all about the powertrain months ago (more info here). Today the performance halo of the C-Class range finally debuted.

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The most potent C-Class will stand out from its siblings by way of an aggressive body kit. The most obvious is the vented bonnet. There are also model-specific bumpers front and rear. The rear item has a pair of fat exhaust tips poking out either side of a diffuser. There are also large, 19-inch diameter AMG alloy wheels that shroud drilled and ventilated brake discs.

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Four-pot Power

The big news, of course is that AMG has ditched the V8 configuration that has been in use since the C43. Click here to read a brief history of the C-Class AMG. Instead, there is an inline four-cylinder engine in place of the bent eight. The folks from Affalterbach have taken a massive step by slicing the cylinder count in half. The Mercedes-AMG C63S E Performance is now powered by a turbocharged four-pot mill that is supplemented by a powerful electric component.

The 2,0-litre engine will be familiar from the ‘45’ series models but it has been turned 90 degrees into a longitudinal orientation. We saw the first application of this engine, with F1-derived turbocharger technology, in the SL43. Read more about the latest SL model at this link. Part of the engine’s tech make-up is an exhaust-gas turbocharger which uses an electric motor to spool up the turbo before there is enough energy in the exhaust gasses to do so.

All-wheel-drive

Power from the petrol engine alone is rated as 350 kW. That makes it the most powerful 2,0-litre four-cylinder in production today. Additionally, it will be combined with an electric motor that develops up to 150 kW. As a result, combined peak power is 500 kW. The peak combined maximum system torque is a whopping 1 020 N.m. The W206 Mercedes-AMG C63S E Performance in saloon guise can accelerate from a standstill to 100 km/h in 3,4 seconds. And it tops out at an electronically governed 280 km/h.

The electric drive unit and battery are placed over the rear axle. Electric drive is sent to the rear wheels through a two-speed transmission and a limited-slip differential. The battery pack allows the car to be driven silently for up to 13 km in pure electric mode. In addition, the electric power unit can send power to the front wheels when required. Yes, this is the first all-wheel-drive C63. When drivers apply too much power the control electronics use it to recharge the battery rather than allowing the ESP to intervene.

Click here to read our W205 Mercedes-Benz C200 driving review.

The AWD system is fully variable all-wheel drive AMG Performance 4MATIC+ transfers the drive power to the road and includes drift mode. Added to this is the standard-fit active rear axle steering, which is a unique feature in this segment.