Mercedes-AMG Confirms New V8 Engine Is Simply Months Away

Earlier this decade, AMG’s future appeared to revolve round downsized combustion engines with a heavy dose of electrification. Fashions just like the C63, with their advanced four-cylinder plug-in-hybrid powertrains, had been touted because the pure evolution. Nonetheless, gross sales didn’t meet Affalterbach’s expectations, as patrons longed for the nice outdated days of loud V8 engines.

Fortunately, Mercedes’ efficiency division has listened. A brand new engine will restore eight-cylinder energy in sure fashions, although don’t anticipate to see it in a brand new C63. As a substitute, the V8 can be reserved for fashions positioned nearer to the highest of the hierarchy slightly than the underside. The period when you would get a C-Class with eight cylinders is gone, probably perpetually.

The V8 can be present in bigger and costlier fashions. AMG CEO Michael Scheibe advised Car Magazine it should debut in SUVs on the finish of this yr earlier than increasing to automobiles. The hardcore CLE Coupe–based mostly particular version from the Mythos sequence is a first-rate candidate for the eight-cylinder therapy. In reality, rumors already counsel it’ll have 646 horsepower on faucet, all from the combustion engine.

Photograph by: Mercedes-Benz

Which New AMGs Are Getting A V8 Engine?

The lately teased GT-based Black Series can be sure to obtain the V8 therapy. If Mercedes-AMG plans an E63 comeback to tackle the BMW M5 and the upcoming Audi RS6 Sedan/Avant, it higher have eight cylinders. Whereas AMG has avoided detailing the brand new V8, the corporate’s boss says it should ship extra energy.

It’s cheap to imagine engineers have been engaged on a high-performance model of the flat-plane crank V8 already seen within the facelifted 2027 S-Class and GLS. In these full-size luxurious fashions, the turbocharged 4.0-liter engine produces 530 hp and 553 lb-ft (750 Nm). Naturally, anticipate larger output in AMG-badged functions, the place the “M177 Evo” unit can be pushed additional.

Mercedes-AMG hasn’t determined whether or not the plug-in hybrid four-cylinder setup can be utilized in future fashions. Scheibe admitted it might be higher to stay with V8 energy to maintain weight in examine, for the reason that battery and associated hybrid elements add “plenty of weight—if you’d like a light-weight automobile, generally it’s finest to have a V8-only automobile.”

That mentioned, efficiency PHEVs aren’t going away. Fashions such because the GLE 53 and E53 will stay, seen as a “good compromise” in areas with stricter emissions rules, like Europe.

Six-Cylinder C-Class AMG C53 Coming Quickly

What concerning the C-Class? Scheibe mentioned the up to date sedan will get an AMG variant powered by a “free-revving” six-cylinder engine. That’s hardly stunning, contemplating the brand new GLC 53 has already not directly changed the 43 and 63 fashions with an inline-six. The “M256M” produces 443 hp and 443 lb-ft (600 Nm), together with an overboost perform delivering 472 lb-ft (640 Nm) for 10 seconds.

All advised, anticipate a “extra AMG than ever earlier than,” as Scheibe pledges the corporate is “doubling down on inside combustion engine automobiles once more.” The lineup will characteristic a broad mixture of inline-six and V8 fashions, plus a V12 within the Maybach S-Class, though the 6.0-liter engine will continue only in regions with more relaxed CO₂ regulations.

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Supply: Jeff Perez / Motor1

Motor1’s Take: Growing large-displacement engines whereas assembly the EU’s strict emissions requirements isn’t any small feat, but AMG claims it has managed it. It’s encouraging to listen to that, even with Euro 7 looming, a brand new V8 is on the way in which, whereas the inline-six steadily replaces electrified four-cylinder setups.

With the EU mandating a 90 p.c discount in fleet-wide emissions by 2035 in comparison with 2021 ranges, combustion engines face an inevitable phase-out in Europe. Nonetheless, that doesn’t essentially imply six- and eight-cylinder powertrains live on borrowed time. AMG might proceed promoting ICE-powered automobiles outdoors the EU properly into the 2030s, and probably past.