A few years ago, Mercedes-Benz announced that V8 and V12 engines would gradually disappear from its AMG performance division. The plan was to switch to a 2.0L turbocharged 4-cylinder block (among others), configured to deliver as much, if not more, power than the big engines.
The results have not been convincing in terms of sales. Many buyers choose AMG models, not because of the raw power they offer, but because of the feeling their thundering powertrain conveys, and the sound that goes with it.
Unsurprisingly, then, the company is reconsidering its decision, while making it clear it is not abandoning electrification. Mercedes-Benz recently unveiled a strategy confirming that it would continue to offer V8 and V12 engines for the foreseeable future. In the case of the V8 engine, the company specified that it plans to develop new generations of models that will include it.
The automaker did not provide further details on the V8 that will be used, but Autocar reports that the engine will feature a mild hybrid system. It’s due to make its debut later this year in the new AMG CLE 63, before being introduced with other AMG models.
Many will be hoping that the C 63 is on that list, even if AMG boss Michael Schiebe has previously ruled out the possibility.
In the current context, where reversals of fortune are commonplace, nothing should be ruled out.
It’s also known the new V8 will be an evolution of the group's current 4.0L twin-turbo engine. It would benefit from lightweight hybrid technology, as well as a flat-bottomed crankshaft. That approach makes it possible to use a smaller crankcase, reducing the overall size of the unit. Above all, it allows the engine to run at higher revs, resulting in an even more unique sound. The AMG division already put this approach to good use with the 2021 AMG GT Black Series.
The Chevrolet Corvette Z06, recall, was introduced with a flat-bottom crankshaft V8 engine.
Mercedes is not the only carmaker to envisage a future for its V8 engines. Porsche said last fall that it plans to continue offering gasoline-powered models over the next decade, some of them with V8s. Stellantis may also be backing away from some models that have lost their V8 engines in recent years.