We’ll believe it when we see it, but the Mercedes-AMG C 63 might be reunited with its beloved V-8 as soon as 2026.

Enthusiasts cried foul after the Mercedes-AMG C63 downsized from a twin-turbocharged, 4.0-liter V8 to a hybrid system built around a 2.0-liter turbo-four. Executives initially replied with “deal with it,

Mercedes-AMG supposedly heard the backlash and will be making adjustments to its product strategy by refocusing its powertrain efforts back on V-8 power. Previously, the engineers and product planners at Affalterbach began betting on adopting its Formula 1-derived four-cylinder hybrid powertrain for its road-going performance cars from the continuous push of engine downsizing.

AMG has played with smaller engines in the recent past, controversially swapping the V8 out of the C63 for a four-cylinder powerplant. Downsizing is a common trend nowadays in the auto industry, but it was received with varying degrees of love from the brand's faithful as they yearned for that V8 grit.

The all-wheel-drive AMG CLE53 4Matic+ costs $22,300 more than a BMW M440i xDrive which retails for $136,600 before on-road costs – but the Mercedes-AMG has an additional 45kW and 60Nm, and the standard fitment of the AMG Dynamic Plus package in Australia, for a 4.0-second 0-100km/h acceleration time compared to the BMW's 4.5s claim.

Despite the industry's rapid push toward electrification, AMG has decided that the V8 isn’t dead yet. Instead of going all-in on electric vehicles, the high-performance division of Mercedes is developing an all-new,

The V8 Could Turn Around the Hot C-Class . Yes, Autocar says that the same V8 that's headed for the CLE 63 will also end up in its sedan cousin. It won't be long before it happens

After flirting with a 4-cylinder plug-in hybrid powertrain for some of its 63-series models, Mercedes-Benz AMG now looks to be returning to a V-8.