We’re bringing you spy shots of the Mercedes-Benz MLC63 AMG (or ML-Coupe AMG or M-Class Coupe AMG — the jury’s still out on that one) straight from an undisclosed spot near the manufacturer’s proving grounds.
Lucky for us, the three-pointed star was testing the vehicle for airbag functionality, so it had to remove some of the plastic cladding on the X6-fighter’s front end. That allowed us to see the AMG single-bar grille and generously sized air intakes. Out back, there’s the expected quartet of exhaust pipes. Orange you glad to see it?
What we can’t make out is what’s under the hood. It’s probably the M157 5.5-liter twin-turbocharged V8. In “basic” spec, it should develop 557 horsepower and 531 pound-feet of torque. In S-Model trim, it should crank out 585/590.
One day, the M177/M178 family of eight-cylinder power plants might make its way into the MLC63 AMG’s engine bay in some form. The pairing of two M133 2.0L I4s should be good for as little as 476 hp and as much as 700 hp, while hitting mpg numbers superior to those of the M157.
Look for the MLC63 AMG to debut at least six months after the mass-market MLC as a 2016 offering.
Derek Shiekhi's father raised him on cars. As a boy, Derek accompanied his dad as he bought classics such as post-WWII GM trucks and early Ford Mustang convertibles.
After loving cars for years and getting a bachelor's degree in Business Management, Derek decided to get an associate degree in journalism. His networking put him in contact with the editor of the Austin-American Statesman newspaper, who hired him to write freelance about automotive culture and events in Austin, Texas in 2013. One particular story led to him getting a certificate for learning the foundations of road racing.
While watching TV with his parents one fateful evening, he saw a commercial that changed his life. In it, Jeep touted the Wrangler as the Texas Auto Writers Association's "SUV of Texas." Derek knew he had to join the organization if he was going to advance as an automotive writer. He joined the Texas Auto Writers Association (TAWA) in 2014 and was fortunate to meet several nice people who connected him to the representatives of several automakers and the people who could give him access to press vehicles (the first one he ever got the keys to was a Lexus LX 570). He's now a regular at TAWA's two main events: the Texas Auto Roundup in the spring and the Texas Truck Rodeo in the fall.
Over the past several years, Derek has learned how to drive off-road in various four-wheel-drive SUVs (he even camped out for two nights in a Land Rover), and driven around various tracks in hot hatches, muscle cars, and exotics. Several of his pieces, including his article about the 2015 Ford F-150 being crowned TAWA's 2014 "Truck of Texas" and his review of the Alfa Romeo 4C Spider, have won awards in TAWA's annual Excellence in Craft Competition. Last year, his JK Forum profile of Wagonmaster, a business that restores Jeep Wagoneers, won prizes in TAWA’s signature writing contest and its pickup- and SUV-focused Texas Truck Invitational.
