You may inform when followers are sad
Lately, loyal and passionate fans who dwell on boards, remark sections, and social media platforms have been very vocal in regards to the modifications that automakers enact on their beloved automobiles. Usually, followers really feel unrestrained to specific their feelings and opinions with regards to choices that they see as controversial.
No different phenomenon is simply as obvious because the vocal web fanatic backlash surrounding the revamped Mercedes-Benz C63 S E-Efficiency, which swapped the 4-liter biturbo V8 for a turbocharged 2-liter inline four-cylinder with a performance-oriented plug-in hybrid system. Although it makes earth-shattering 671 horsepower and 752 pound-feet of torque, numbers on paper might solely go thus far.
Mercedes-AMG
AMG CEO: We might’ve “higher defined” the C63 powertrain
In a new interview with MotorTrend, Mercedes-AMG CEO Michael Shiebe addressed the response related to the choice to exchange the C63’s brashly loud twin-turbo V8 powerplant for a turbo-hybrid four-banger within the new mannequin.
“We most likely might have higher defined the know-how to our clients. There are pure V-8 followers, and it’s exhausting to persuade them of this four-cylinder hybrid know-how,” Schiebe advised the publication, including, “It’s my job to do a relentless evaluate of our portfolio. I’m fairly assured that we’ll fulfill our clients’ goals within the subsequent two to a few years.”
The newest assertion from the Mercedes-AMG CEO displays related ones in previous interviews. In a July 2024 Autocar interview, Shiebe famous that some clients “take time to actually be excited for the know-how,” and that “it is essential to be open-minded with regards to know-how.” Moreover, in an April 2025 interview with British CAR journal, he admitted that a few of AMG’s “very loyal clients wrestle[d] a bit with the idea,” and that it “misplaced some clients who’re simply into V-8s.” Nonetheless, he felt assured that the doubt would soften away behind the wheel.
Mercedes-AMG
“We jumped far forward with this know-how, however we should always have defined the know-how extra to our salespeople and clients,” the AMG boss advised Automobile. “We’ll proceed to try this and additional enhance. There’s a German saying, ‘You by no means have a second likelihood at a primary impression.’ Possibly we missed out on the primary impression, however if in case you have the chance, I’m positive you can be satisfied of the know-how.”
AMG’s CEO says its future fashions will likely be “totally different”
In the identical interview, Shiebe famous that AMG’s future automobiles will likely be distinctively AMG. When requested about how its future EVs would distinguish themselves among the many lineup, he famous that “There gained’t be such a distinction between them, as a result of all these automobiles should be an AMG first after which an ICE or EV second. Whenever you purchase an AMG, you purchase the efficiency, the emotion.”
He additionally added that making AMG’s choices visually totally different than mainstream Mercedes-Benz fashions is as essential as ever, noting that its patrons “love the distinctive AMG look and the differentiation it brings. Our future automobiles will likely be extra expressive in that dimension. Should you look into the longer term, I’d say you may count on automobiles that will likely be extra visually differentiated—AMG will likely be doubling down on design; our design language will likely be extra expressive.”
Mercedes-Benz
Closing ideas
Finally, patrons purchase with their wallets, whatever the badge on the hood, grille, and trunk lid. We reside in difficult occasions, the place automakers should juggle tariffs, electrification, and emissions laws, in addition to a vocal shopping for public that may drop the ball at any time. I do not suppose the choice to make use of a turbo-four was solely made in a vacuum, but when the Affalterbach boffins are conscious of the suggestions to their product, they’d most likely know by now.
