Earlier this decade, AMG’s future seemed to revolve around downsized combustion engines with a heavy dose of electrification. Models like the C63, with their complex four-cylinder plug-in-hybrid powertrains, were touted as the natural evolution. However, sales didn’t meet Affalterbach’s expectations, as buyers longed for the good old days of loud V8 engines.
Thankfully, Mercedes’ performance division has listened. A new engine will restore eight-cylinder power in certain models, though don’t expect to see it in a new C63. Instead, the V8 will be reserved for models positioned closer to the top of the hierarchy rather than the bottom. The era when you could get a C-Class with eight cylinders is gone, likely forever.
The V8 will be found in larger and more expensive models. AMG CEO Michael Scheibe told Car Magazine it will debut in SUVs at the end of this year before expanding to cars. The hardcore CLE Coupe–based special edition from the Mythos series is a prime candidate for the eight-cylinder treatment. In fact, rumors already suggest it’ll have 646 horsepower on tap, all from the combustion engine.
Which New AMGs Are Getting A V8 Engine?
The recently teased GT-based Black Series is also bound to receive the V8 treatment. If Mercedes-AMG plans an E63 comeback to take on the BMW M5 and the upcoming Audi RS6 Sedan/Avant, it better have eight cylinders. While AMG has refrained from detailing the new V8, the company’s boss says it will deliver more power.
It’s reasonable to assume engineers have been working on a high-performance version of the flat-plane crank V8 already seen in the facelifted 2027 S-Class and GLS. In those full-size luxury models, the turbocharged 4.0-liter engine produces 530 hp and 553 lb-ft (750 Nm). Naturally, expect higher output in AMG-badged applications, where the “M177 Evo” unit will be pushed further.
Mercedes-AMG hasn’t decided whether the plug-in hybrid four-cylinder setup will be used in future models. Scheibe admitted it may be better to stick with V8 power to keep weight in check, since the battery and related hybrid components add “a lot of weight—if you want a lightweight car, sometimes it’s best to have a V8-only car.”
That said, performance PHEVs aren’t going away. Models such as the GLE 53 and E53 will remain, seen as a “good compromise” in regions with stricter emissions regulations, like Europe.
Six-Cylinder C-Class AMG C53 Coming Soon
What about the C-Class? Scheibe said the updated sedan will get an AMG variant powered by a “free-revving” six-cylinder engine. That’s hardly surprising, considering the new GLC 53 has already indirectly replaced the 43 and 63 models with an inline-six. The “M256M” produces 443 hp and 443 lb-ft (600 Nm), along with an overboost function delivering 472 lb-ft (640 Nm) for 10 seconds.
All told, expect a “more AMG than ever before,” as Scheibe pledges the company is “doubling down on internal combustion engine cars again.” The lineup will feature a broad mix of inline-six and V8 models, plus a V12 in the Maybach S-Class, although the 6.0-liter engine will continue only in regions with more relaxed CO₂ regulations.
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