Mercedes-Benz will soon have an answer for Audi’s S line and BMW’s M Performance range, as the automaker from Stuttgart is set to announce a new ‘AMG Sport’ trim that will help bridge the gap between the most powerful non-AMG models and those actually built by the Affalterbach tuner. The first AMG Sport model will be based on the latest C-Class but others based on the CLA-, E- and GLK-Class models are in the pipeline.

According to Automotive News (subscription required), we’ll get our first look at the new C-Class AMG Sport model, expected to be badged a C450 AMG Sport, at the 2015 Detroit Auto Show in January. That’s just two months after the expected reveal of Mercedes’ new C63 AMG at the 2014 Los Angeles Auto Show.

While the new C63 AMG will get a unique engine,  in this case AMG’s M178 twin-turbo 4.0-liter V-8, the C450 AMG Sport is expected to share an engine with the current C400. That engine is a turbocharged 3.0-liter V-6, which is rated at 329 horsepower and 354 pound-feet of torque. Expect slightly more oomph for the C450 AMG Sport—possibly as much as 367 hp.

The C450 AMG Sport will also likely be offered with 4MATIC all-wheel drive, helping to further distinguish it from the C63 AMG which is expected to come exclusively with rear-wheel drive—at least initially. Other enhancements for the C450 AMG Sport will be AMG-spec light alloys, uprated brakes, and some styling mods.

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