► We speak to AMG boss Michael Schiebe
► What AMG learnt from the new C63
► And how it’ll inform the new wave of EVs
Downsizing the engines of performance cars is never a crowd pleaser, but few decisions have proved quite so unpopular as Mercedes-AMG ditching the C63’s V8 and replacing it with a four-cylinder plug-in hybrid.
Affalterbach could have gone down the six-cylinder route, as BMW and Audi have done with their respective BMW M3 and RS4 rivals, and AMG has found other hybrid solutions on different models. But for the C63 it opted for a hybrid with the same cylinder count as your typical C300e company car, albeit a much more complex and powerful powertrain.
Rumour has it that former AMG boss Tobias Moers walked out of a meeting when it was decided to make the switch.
The man whose mission is to navigate a way through the turbulence is Michael Schiebe, who’s worked for Mercedes since the start of his career in 2004 and been AMG boss since March 2023. He’s also responsible for G-Class and Maybach. A busy man, though he finds time to chat to CAR at the reveal of the AMG GT 63 Pro.
The first international reviews of the C63 in late 2022 were nothing more than lukewarm, and it’s not been received any more warmly now that it’s been tested on UK roads.
Our own James Dennison described the new C63 as a ‘mere shadow of what this great brand is capable of ’.
Schiebe admits the PHEV has lost AMG some loyal fans, but believes it was the right choice for the car. ‘The C63 is a very important car in our portfolio. It used to be, it is and it will be. We decided with the current version to really go for the latest technology. We wanted something new and that’s why we put the F1 powertrain into a street-legal car.
‘We see that some of our very loyal customers struggle a bit with the concept. Of course, no doubt we have also lost some customers who are just into V8s,’ he concedes. ‘You need to really drive this car. It’s a very convincing product.’
Schiebe is obsessed with technology and pushing boundaries of performance. But isn’t there a worry that the core sensation and audible excitement of what has historically made AMGs so entertaining is being lost, and that it’s not what its customers actually want?
‘We jumped far ahead with this technology, but we should have explained the technology more to our salespeople and customers. We will continue to do that and further improve. There is a German saying, “You never have a second chance at a first impression.” Maybe we missed out on the first impression, but if you have the opportunity, I’m sure you will be convinced of the technology.’
Like other performance-car makers, AMG is holding back from putting all of its eggs in one basket. Schiebe says the plan is ‘all kinds of drivetrain technology, from ICE to hybrid to EV’.
AMG’s first bespoke electric model is well on its way, evidenced by testing shots seen earlier this year. Though heavily disguised, it’s clearly a similar shape to the AMG GT 4-Door, and will go up against the Porsche Taycan and Lotus Emeya. It’s based around a platform called AMG.EA. Schiebe says the car will be an ‘AMG first and electric car second’.
Schiebe won’t go into much detail about the AMG.EA platform, other than noting that the firm is targeting continued success in the upper segments of the market – so think SUVs as well as four-door GTs. He adds that electric AMGs must not ‘quickly lose steam’ with sustained high-speed runs, and that they must be able to charge quickly to get back on the road or track.
But while other car makers are dialling down the speed of their switch to electric, including Mercedes-Benz as a whole, Schiebe is adamant electric is the future.
‘While we will continue to invest in ICE engines with no end date, we will not slow down the pace [of electrification]. I’m very positive about the all-electric future for AMG. This new technology provides so much opportunity for us – you can do many new things that you can’t do with a combustion engine today.’
AMG doesn’t have Porsche and Ferrari’s faith in synthetic e-fuels; they might help keep current cars viable for longer, but they’re not the plan. ‘We are completely going into an all-electric future. It’s unbeatable.’