Mercedes-AMG have announced the first details of their next AMG car - the new C 63 AMG based on the W205 C-Class. According to AMG, the car will raise the bar in terms of performance and fuel consumption, and will be launched "shortly".

As expected, the 4.0 litre twin turbo V8 from the Mercedes-AMG GT will go into the new W205 AMG's engine bay in an even more powerful tune than anything found in the GT - 510 horsepower and 700 Nm of torque. As a comparison, the engine in the GT starts off with 456 hp and 600 Nm and tops out at 503 hp and 650 Nm for the GT S.

The quoted figures are higher than its rivals - the M3/M4's 431 hp and 550 Nm, and the Lexus RC F's 470 hp and 530 Nm. Of course, the W204 C 63 AMG's normally aspirated 6.2 litre V8 already beat those two cars in terms of power and torque (487 hp, 600 Nm) but the new W205 AMG increases the power gap and promises better fuel efficiency.

amg-gt-engine

Fuel economy is expected to be 8.2 litres per 100 km on the NEDC combined cycle, which beats the M3's 8.3 litre NEDC rating by 0.1 litres. It's a giant improvement from the outgoing normally aspirated engine's 12 litres per 100 km rating. From a Malaysian perspective, a significantly lower displacement at 4.0 litres also promises lower road tax costs.

"It goes without saying that the successor to the current C 63 AMG will again be powered by an eight-cylinder engine. We owe that to our loyal fans, plain and simple. The AMG V8 Biturbo engine mesmerises not only with maximum power and torque, but also with the absolute best fuel economy in the comparative segment," says Tobias Moers, CEO of Mercedes-AMG GmbH.

Both sedan and wagon versions of the C 63 AMG will debut together. The C-Class currently tops out as a C 400, but we've also seen a C 450 AMG Sport on test.