While BMW was revealing the M3 and M4 at the Detroit Auto Show, Mercedes-Benz was announcing that the C 63 AMG will arrive in about a year from now with a new downsized 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V8 engine.

Tobias Moers, Mercedes AMG’s product chief, confirmed to Auto Express that the new C 63 AMG, which is based on the latest C-Class that also made its world premiere at the Detroit Auto Show, is “about a year” away.

The current C 63 AMG’s naturally aspirated 6.2-liter V8 engine will be replaced by a smaller unit, continuing the downsizing trend initiated by Mercedes AMG with the SL 63 AMG, S 63 AMG and E 63 AMG, all of which are motivated by a 5.5-liter twin-turbocharged V8.

However, in the case of the upcoming C 63 AMG, the engine will be even smaller, as Boers hinted at a 4.0-liter unit. “You are now familiar with our 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine? Well you can imagine what happens when you put two of those together,” he said.

While Boers didn’t give any information about output, the new 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V8 unit should produce well over 450hp in standard trim and possibly over 500hp with the optional Performance Pack.

Detroit was ground zero for the reveal of Mercedes-Benz’s all-new 2015 C-Class sport sedan. This car promises to elevate the nameplate to new heights.

The 2015 model is built atop an all-new architecture that’s constructed of nearly 50 percent aluminum. That advanced engineering helps trim the vehicle’s overall weight by about 220 pounds. Making that figure even more impressive is the fact that the car got slightly bigger than its predecessor.

Two different models will launch in the U.S. The C300 4MATIC is powered by a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine that delivers 241 hp and 273 lb-ft. Stepping up from there, the C400 4MATIC features a 3.0-liter turbocharged, direct-injection V6. It puts out 329 hp and 354 lb-ft. Both engines are matched to a seven-speed automatic transmission… no surprise there.

Pricing and availability have not been announced at this time. But if you’re seriously interested in a small luxury sedan the 2015 Mercedes-Benz C-Class is probably worth waiting for, unfortunately though we don’t know how long that will be.

The 2014 Detroit Auto Show was chock full of cool cars, even if it was a bit underwhelming in some ways. But coming to an auto show probably nowhere near you within the next year is a car we'll all want to take a whirl in: the next generation of the Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG.

Speaking with AMG chief Tobias Moers at the Detroit show, we managed to unearth a few key bits of information about the car.

Straight off, he dashed our vain hopes for a four-cylinder model packing something in the neighborhood of 400 horsepower. "Think about AMG. AMG is a four-cylinder engine company now, and a V-8 company, and I would think that is enough... So it's a V-8."

And it will indeed be rear-wheel drive, not all-wheel drive like the larger 4Matic-only AMG models. In fact, the regular 2015 C-Class will come in rear-drive form as well, in the first half of 2015, in C300 form.

"I think the C-Class is a little bit more fun to drive than the E-Class. The E-Class is more about every day usability," said Moers. "You can have a lot of fun with the car on track with our 4Matic system, but I think the C-Class is more dedicated to fun-to-drive, more sporty, more race track--sometimes a little more sideways. That's the reason it's a rear-wheel drive car."

When asked if there is a chance we'll see a Black Series of the next C63 AMG, Moers' response was a hearty and enthusiastic, "Always!" without any hesitation whatsoever. "But, on the longer future, honestly," Moers added, meaning it will likely be a couple of years before it arrives. Why? Because, as Mercedes-Benz USA's Christian Bokich explained, Black Series models are always coupes, so the Black Series has to wait until the standard C-Class Coupe arrives.

For fans of the CLA45 AMG, sadly, four-door coupes might technically qualify as coupes, but AMG won't be building a CLA45 Black Series.

As for what, exactly, will power the next C63 AMG, we didn't get any official confirmation, but we expect AMG's upcoming 4.0-liter V-8 to get the job. Expected power output should easily exceed the 450-horse mark, and despite the downsized engine, we expect the C63 AMG badge to stick--though a rename to C55 has been rumored.

Whatever powers the next C63 AMG, we'll have all of the details in about a year, as that's the timeframe given by Moers for its arrival. Save your pennies, kids. The last C63 was great fun; the next could be amazing.