In 2022 the Mercedes-AMG C63 had a 4.0 litre twin-turbo V8. Its replacement has a 2.0 litre four-cylinder with an electric motor. And now that car is being wound down too, reportedly to be replaced by an inline six.
Three engine configurations in one model line inside a handful of years. That is not indecision, it is a company being pushed hard by emissions rules and noise regulations, and it tells you more about where fast cars are heading than any press release will.
What happened to the V8 C63
The W205 C63, with the hand-built twin-turbo V8, was the last of its kind. The current W206 generation replaced it with the C63 S E Performance: a four-cylinder plug-in hybrid making more power than the V8 did, launched in Australia in 2024 at $187,900 before on-road costs.
More power, less noise, roughly twenty thousand dollars more expensive than the V8 it replaced. Reaction from buyers was mixed, and that is putting it politely.
Now the reports are that the four-cylinder is going as well. European production of the C63 and GLC63 is said to end in 2026, driven by tightening noise regulations, with the replacement expected to use a 3.0 litre inline six plug-in hybrid shared with the E53. AMG sources have indicated the platform physically cannot accommodate a V8.
Mercedes-Benz Australia’s position, given to Drive, is that “at this stage there are no plans to discontinue the models you’ve mentioned for the Australian market”. Read that carefully. It is a statement about current plans, not a commitment.
Where the Australian range sits
Approximate Australian list prices before on-road costs, from Australian motoring press coverage current as at August 2026:
| Model | List price before on-road costs |
|---|---|
| Mercedes-AMG C63 S E Performance | $187,900 (at 2024 launch) |
| Mercedes-AMG E53 Hybrid 4Matic+ | $199,900 |
| Mercedes-AMG GT 43 | $249,900 |
| Mercedes-AMG GT 63 4Matic+ | $370,400 |
| Mercedes-AMG G63 | $372,400 |
| Mercedes-AMG SL 63 | $386,500 |
| Mercedes-AMG GT 63 Pro 4Matic+ | $418,900 |
Three notes on that table, because we would rather show our working than present these as settled.
The C63 figure is its 2024 launch price rather than a confirmed current one. Australia also does not get the whole range: Mercedes-Benz Australia ruled out both the four-cylinder SL 43 and the lower-output SL 55, so the SL is sold here only in SL 63 form.
And two of those figures are disputed between sources. The GT 63 is listed at $370,400 by one Australian outlet and $373,000 by another. The G63 is listed at $372,400, but a separate report describing the Offroad Pro as $15,500 above the standard car implies a base of $368,400. Both gaps are most likely a model-year rollover caught mid-update. We have printed the lower figure in each case and flagged the disagreement rather than picking one and pretending it is settled.
Every one of them attracts Luxury Car Tax
There is no line-ball case anywhere in the AMG range. The cheapest car on that list clears the Luxury Car Tax threshold comfortably.
For 2026 to 2027 the standard threshold is $80,809, with a higher $91,661 threshold for fuel efficient vehicles. The catch is that the fuel efficient test now requires 3.5 litres per 100km or better, which is a much harder standard than it used to be. Being a plug-in hybrid does not automatically qualify a car for the higher threshold.
That is worth checking on the C63 S E Performance and E53 specifically, because the assumption that a hybrid gets the concession is one of the more expensive mistakes a buyer can make. We have set out how the thresholds work in our Luxury Car Tax guide, and what the total damage looks like state by state in what you actually pay on top.
Servicing
Mercedes-Benz Australia sells prepaid service plans covering AMG models, typically over three to five years, alongside a five year unlimited kilometre warranty.
We are not publishing dollar figures, because the only openable published pricing we could find dates from 2022 and these plans are repriced regularly. Get a current figure from Mercedes-Benz Australia’s service plans page or from a dealer for the specific model you are considering.
What this means if you are buying
If you want an AMG V8, you are shopping used, and you are shopping in a market that knows exactly what it has. The W205 C63 in particular has moved from being a used performance sedan to being the last V8 C-Class, and buyers are pricing it accordingly.
If you want the current cars, the GT and the G63 are where the V8 survives in the Australian range, and both sit well north of three hundred thousand dollars before on-road costs.
And if you are the sort of buyer who cares about what is under the bonnet rather than what the badge says, the honest advice is that this part of the market is changing faster than usual right now. What is on sale in two years will not look like what is on sale today.
Prices in this article are Australian list prices before on-road costs, drawn from Australian motoring press coverage current as at August 2026. Confirm current pricing with Mercedes-Benz Australia before purchase.
Where this came from
Every changeable figure above, what it was checked against, and when.
Figures are correct as at the dates shown. We re-check cars on sale every three months and tax thresholds every July. How we check our facts.
Side-by-side specs, Australian pricing and performance figures for every exotic and luxury car we cover.