The days of pop-crackle four-cylinder AMG cars could soon be over, with the C43, C63, GLA35, GLC43, and GLC63 reportedly set to be dumped ahead of new regulations coming into effect.
Elektroauto-News reports to have seen an internal memo from Mercedes-Benz’s product planning department, claiming the three turbocharged four-cylinder models will be discontinued in Europe next year.
According to the publication, the reason stems from a new United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) regulation limiting external vehicle noise – Phase 3 UN-R51.03 – which is due to come into effect in July 2026.
The memo reportedly reads that due to the new regulations, “This will result in a reduction of the external noise limits. We would therefore like to inform you in advance about upcoming discontinuation dates for selected AMG engines.”
While the GLA35, C43 and GLC43 will reportedly end production in late February, the C63 and GLC63 – both of which are plug-in hybrids and adopt the ‘S E Performance moniker’ will stay on until the end of May 2026.
Interestingly, the report claims the memo says the AMG GLA45 S will continue unaffected, and it doesn’t touch on the GT43 which utilises the same engine.
Mercedes-AMG’s M139 2.0-litre currently powers the C43, GLA35 and GLC43, and an even more powerful version known as the ‘M139I’ can also be found in the C63 and GLC63.
The report’s release comes amid continued criticism towards Mercedes-AMG for dropping the C63 and GLC63’s V8 engine for the four-cylinder plug-in hybrid setup years ago.
This led to a drop in sales for both models, despite the PHEV versions being better on paper than their twin-turbo 4.0-litre V8 predecessors.
While it’s unlikely the V8 will return to the two models, AMG earlier this year committed to developing new V8 engines, and will do so for as long as it can.
“AMG’s main objective is serving our customers; if there are continuous demands for V8s, then producing them within regulations should be our engineering target,” AMG CEO Michael Schiebe told Auto Express in August.
Schiebe has previously confirmed AMG is working on a new-generation V8, set to power future models – such as the new CLE – and be compliant with ever-tightening emission standards.
“Since we are just in the development of a new V8, there is not a natural end date that we have defined,” Schiebe said to Motor1 in June.
“We keep on going as long as we see that there is customer demand, and especially, you know, when it comes to the US, for example, we see that there are still customers that just want the V8, a pure V8. And so this is why we are investing in the technology.
“There is, at the moment, a natural ending in Europe. In the US, in the overseas market, where there is no certain end date, I’m pretty confident that we will carry them [for] a couple of years, beginning of the [20]30s, middle of the [20]30s.”
It’s not yet known what the new V8 engine will power, or other technical specifications such as its displacement or turbocharger configuration.
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