Mercedes-Benz will reveal the 2016 C63 AMG Coupe at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September, but the German automaker has released a set of teasers ahead of its launch. The sedan was revealed at the Paris Motor Show earlier this year and its coupe sibling is expected to be a more aggressive counterpart to rival the BMW M4.
To challenge the best luxury coupes on the market, the C63 AMG Coupe will be powered by a twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V8 good for 503 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque in ‘S’ trim. There will also be an entry-level version with 469 HP and 479 lb-ft of torque, like the sedan. Its rear-wheel drive platform will be shared with the sedan, but the coupe will receive added suspension tuning, a lower center of gravity, and other chassis changes to make it a better car for the track.
Compared to the previous generation C63 AMG Coupe, the 2016 model will swap a hydraulic steering system for an electric setup. A mechanical-locking differential will be standard this time around, with an electronic differential included in the S model. Mercedes-AMG have also revised the seven-speed SpeedShift automatic to use a wet clutch instead of a torque-converter in order to improve shift times.
Among its present rivals, the 2016 C63 S AMG Coupe will be the most powerful. The BMW M4 makes 425 HP and 405 lb-ft of torque from a twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter straight-six engine, and the Lexus RC-F makes 471 HP and 391 lb-ft of torque from a naturally-aspirated 5.0-liter V8. Like the sedan, the coupe will have four available driving modes: Comfort, Sport, Sport Plus, and Individual; opting for the C63 S brings an additional Race mode.
Styling-wise, the new coupe will have large air inlets, wide wheel arches, and aerodynamic accents like a front lip splitter and rear spoiler. Unlike the sedan, the coupe will feature frameless doors, a steeply-raked windscreen, a short trunk deck, taillights borrowed from the S Class Coupe, and larger integrated rear diffuser. Though it has grown compared to the previous C63 AMG Coupe, it is about 33 pounds lighter than its predecessor thanks to new construction techniques and added use of aluminum within the chassis and driveline.
These changes should help the new C63 S AMG Coupe slip under 4.0 seconds during its zero to 60 mph sprint and hit a top speed of over 186 mph. For comparison, the BMW M4 needs 4.1 seconds to accomplish the same task.
