Much has been written about the four-cylinder Mercedes-AMG C63, but not much of it has been positive. The latest version of Mercedes’s sport sedan dropped its much-loved twin-turbo V8 for an inline-four hybrid setup in 2023, and while it made more power, it also added weight and stripped the car of its rowdy personality and snarly engine note. The result is a car universally scorned by the internet.
The uninspiring powertrain, paired with a starting price of $85,050, scared away buyers to the point where rumors soon began spreading about whether Mercedes would reverse course and replace the four-cylinder with an inline-six or even a new version of the old V8 (Mercedes revealed last month it would be the former).
With a starting price nearing $90,000, new C63s remain as unappealing as ever. But used C63s are starting to make some sense now. Thanks to the power of depreciation, you can easily score lightly used models – which are mechanically identical to the C63 current in dealerships – for under $60,000, or around the price they should’ve been when they were new.
Now We’re Getting Somewhere
At over 80 grand, the C63 doesn’t really compute. Its two closest competitors, the BMW M3 and the Cadillac CT4-V Blackwing, are thousands of dollars cheaper, and both can be optioned with manual transmissions (the C63’s only gearbox is a nine-speed auto). Sure, the C63 is quicker, but it’s definitely the least fun to drive out of the three.
The thing is, neither of those cars has depreciated as quickly as the Mercedes. If you want a 2024 CT4-V Blackwing with a stick, you’ll be paying at least $60,000 out the door for a car with more miles on the odometer. This is despite the Cadillac starting at just $62,890, including destination. It’s like these cars are virtually depreciation-proof.
It’s the same story with the M3; the cheapest examples from 2024 are all over $70,000, with at least 17,000 miles on the clock. The 2024 M3 started at $76,995, so there’s at least some savings to be had, but still, you’ll have to front Corvette money to own one.
Not so with the C63. Sure, it’s a bit of a porker at 4,749 pounds, but with 671 hp and 752 pound-feet of torque at your disposal, you’ll have no trouble smoking 97% of cars off the line. According to Car and Driver testing, the four-cylinder AMG can sprint to 60 mph in just 2.9 seconds, matching supercars like the hybridized Porsche 911 and the McLaren Senna. Plus, with all the fancy hybrid running gear, it’s the most fuel-efficient of the bunch, with a combined rating of 37 mpg (including one mile of all-electric range from its 4.8-kWh battery).
The Price Is Right
Used C63s are distinctly cheaper than their contemporary rivals. The cheapest one I could find is priced at $55,000, or over $30,000 off MSRP. It’s located in Georgia and has just over 10,000 miles on the clock, sporting a clean CarFax and an interior that looks like it was never even sat in. Some people might not like the silver paint or base wheels, but for a sleeper like this, it’s actually my preferred spec.
Want something a little flashier? This blue-painted model is just $1,000 more and comes sporting bigger wheels and way fewer miles (3,716, to be exact). The original MSRP for this car was over $95,000. If you want to lean into the brawny AMG vibe, there’s also this all-black model in New Jersey with 5,284 miles on the clock for $57,995.
These are just a few examples of many. There are nearly a dozen of these C63s listed across the nation right now for under $60,000, and plenty more listed for below 70 grand, all in seemingly like-new condition with low miles.
The biggest downside I can see to cheap four-cylinder C63 ownership is further depreciation. Even at these prices, some people just can’t get over the lack of a V8 rumble coming from the tailpipes. If Mercedes never makes a V8-powered C-Class again, it’s possible these current-gen C63s could eventually end up being less valuable than the last-gen models, which have V8s.
Another unknown is reliability. These cars use a complex hybrid setup that features a two-speed transmission at the rear for the e-motor, which can’t be cheap or simple to fix if it breaks. I couldn’t find anything online suggesting this generation of C63 had any major failure points worth worrying about, but these cars are also so new that even if there were failure points to worry about, they likely haven’t revealed themselves yet. It’s just something to keep in mind, should you take the plunge.
Either way, the market has spoken, and C63 prices finally make sense. If you’re in the market for a tech-heavy four-door rocketship on wheels, now’s a good chance to snag a low-mileage example for tens of thousands of dollars off of MSRP.
Top graphic image: Mercedes-Benz
Still too expensive
I can’t get over a C63 without a V8.
Had one of these drive by me the other week. Genuinely sounded like a rust belt, four-cylinder car, with holes in its exhaust
Just wait another 2 or 3 years until they are mechanically totaled and can be had for $5k from the auction. Can be driven ala bmw style nothing working but the warning lights bleeding and burning every fluid but still somehow driving very poorly with a former Altima driver at the wheel.
I found a CPO 2024 with 4k miles for $63k. Obviously a bit more than some of the examples above, but I feel like the extra year of warranty might pay for itself.
Without reeding the article: the title is ridiculous.
Was this the one with the absurdly powerful 4 cylinder? Like, 2 liters, 560 hp or something? That seems… reliable.
I saw one of these in the wild recently that, in typical AMG fashion, was being hooned within an inch of its life downtown by some rich kid. I literally broke out laughing when it sped past me. It sounded like an asthmatic Hyundai N. While I currently drive a farting 4 cylinder crossover that many would say sounds like ass, I paid $36,000 for it.
I cannot even begin to fathom paying $100,000 for something that sounds like a worse version of my car. It’s absolutely laughable. What’s even funnier is this 4 pot is still the base engine in the AMG GT! You can pay $120,000+ for a 911 fighter than sounds like a hot hatch with an aftermarket exhaust.
Anyway I’m getting ahead of myself here…but for $55,000 I’m still out. The repair bills on these things once they’re off warranty are going to be eye watering. I cannot even begin to imagine what it’s going to cost when the additional transmission for the rear electric motor goes bad. Or the battery. Or the electric motors. And did I mention that the electric range isn’t even usable?
Apparently in practice you’ll barely be able to go a mile in EV mode. The new RS5 may be an absolute pig, but at least you’ll be able to use it as an actual PHEV. Same with the M5. There are a lot of advantages to being able to commute with a PHEV and it (on paper at least, Ze Germans may have engineered a way for this not to be true) should hypothetically save a lot of wear and tear on the performance bits.
But you can’t even do that with this stupid ass car! Anyway, maybe I’d be intrigued when they’re down to $30,000 in a year or two. But in that case it would still be a horrible idea for someone with a $30,000 budget to buy one. It would be for someone with a $50,000+ budget due to the inevitable repair costs.
Ultimately these are all going to wind up on buy here, pay here lots within the next 5 years and will promptly be expensive paperweights soon after. I award Mercedes no points, and may god have mercy on their soul.
Bless you and your contributions to the site.
While I agree the price is definitely more in line, especially the 4 cyl’s, I know I am not alone in disliking those front ends. BMW and MB seem to have a battle over who can create intensely unlikable front ends, and I don’t know who is winning the war.
EDIT: Just adding in case it wasn’t evident. This is a hot take.