Next E 63 AMG may be AWD-only

The next-generation Mercedes-AMG E 63 sports sedan and its close relation, the CLS 63, will not only downsize from a 5.5 to a 4.0-litre biturbo V8 engine but could also abandon rear-wheel drive completely for all-wheel drive, including in Australia and other right-hand drive markets.

The boss of Mercedes-Benz’s increasingly popular hot-shop, Tobias Moers, confirmed the potential all-paw conversion to motoring.com.au at the launch of the new C 63 in Portugal overnight (Australian time).

Benz’s 4MATIC AWD system became available on left-hand drive E and CLS 63s in 2013, but could not be fitted to right-hand drive versions for technical reasons.

The change comes about thanks to the highly versatile new MRA architecture, which will eventually underpin most mainstream models from the new W205 C-Class and above, including the next-generation E-Class due in 2016, the MkIII CLS that follows it and a slew of SUVs such as the GLC, GLE (formerly ML) and GLE Coupe.

“The future architecture is feasible for right-hand drive and all-wheel drive,” Moers confirmed.

“We consider that (RHD-AWD) yes. It’s not finally done but we consider that. We need a little more time to do the final decision but we have taken that into consideration.”

And when pressed, he confirmed that the consideration extended to dropping rear-wheel drive from the E-Class and CLS AMG models altogether.

“We are in discussion about that. That’s open.”

If AMG did go down that path, it would likely be leading BMW M in the same direction, as new boss Frank van Meel (an ex-Audi quattro GmbH boss) hinted earlier this year that the next M5 and M6 could be drive all four wheels.

Moers said it was important the 4MATIC tune in an AMG fitted the company’s driving style: “If we can manage it then we have a nice all-wheel drive system in the car which provides a nice drifting behaviour. Then it’s OK."

Having AWD as standard in the E and CLS AMGs will be appealing to Benz considering power levels are expected to rise from today’s 430 to 450kW or higher with the swap from the M157 to the M177 engine, even though it will drop 1.5 litres in capacity.

The M177, which powers the C 63, will also find its way into a variety of AMG ‘63’ SUV models. The dry-sump M178 version powers the GT coupe and currently tops out at 375kW and 700Nm.

“It’s a really capable engine. It is not in a big stress level now with 375kW,” Moers said. “The technology in that engine is really great and there is lot more room for more horsepower and more torque.”

AWD has also proved immensely popular. In Germany, AWD versions of the E 63 and CLS claim 95 per cent of the sales volume, with RWDs accounting for just five per cent.

“The success of the all-wheel drive on the left-hand markets is tremendous,” Moers said.

There’s another factor too – in AMG’s testing the AWD versions have lapped faster than the RWD equivalents, fitting with the brand’s ‘driving performance’ ethos.

“We are faster around the racetrack even with that car (AWD),” added Moers.

Moers revealed the new W205 C-Class could also have been offered with the option of AWD, but AMG elected to stick with RWD because of the car’s character.

“We took the decision to have the rear-wheel drive car in the market because this is a kind of a bad-ass car and we want to go for that,” Moers said.

However, the twin-turbo V6-powered C 450 AMG Sport, which is confirmed to arrive Down Under early next year will be Australia's first all-wheel drive C-Class and the first W205 C-Class offered with a six-cylinder here.