Mercedes-AMG C63 S video review - hybrid super saloon tested

Can a 671bhp power output offset a weight of 2.1 tonnes?

When the new Mercedes-AMG C63 S E Performance was announced earlier this year, many were slightly shocked. There’s no sign of the powerful V8s that used to define the car, both in naturally aspirated and turbocharged form, replaced by a four-cylinder hybridised powertrain. Surely this isn’t befitting for Affalterbach’s most well-known muscle car?

Well, the electronically turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder under the bonnet is something of a feat of engineering - with 469bhp, it’s the most powerful four-pot ever fitted to a production car. There’s also a 201bhp electric motor that delivers power straight to the rear wheels, meaning that this super saloon has a total combined power output of 671bhp. However, all that added technology means that it’s put on a bit of weight - it tips the scales at a whopping 2.1 tonnes.

So, it’s fast, but is it as characterful as its predecessors? Join Matt Saunders as he takes to both the road and the track to find out.