AUTONEWS

Mercedes wants to survive the endangered V8 and V12 engines in Europe

During its annual earnings conference, the German automaker Mercedes-Benz outlined its strategy to become "leaner, faster and stronger". The theme of the brand's new roadmap is "Mastering Transformation", and it's not just about marketing. The company has a busy agenda, which includes an offensive of electric models based on the new MMA platform.

Despite the electrification, the luxury brand will maintain one of its main attractions: the V12 engine, currently present in the S-Class, its flagship. The automaker reaffirmed its long-term commitment to the iconic twelve-cylinder engine, but the 6.0 biturbo version will continue to be available only in selected markets, presumably in regions where emissions regulations are more flexible. This engine powers the Maybach S680 and the S-Class Guard armored vehicle. In addition, the AMG division continues to supply a V12 to Pagani, used in the Utopia hypercar. 

Today, Mercedes-Benz is the only brand in the German luxury trio to keep the twelve-cylinder engine in its portfolio. BMW killed off the M760i in 2022 with the previous-generation 7 Series in a limited-run Final Edition version exclusive to the US. As for Audi, the W12 died after the previous-generation A8 was retired in 2017.

Back at Mercedes-Benz, we're pleased to report that the V-8 is also staying. AMG is developing a "next-generation high-tech electrified V-8" for future models built on its in-house AMG.EA platform. The announcement tells us that the new architecture will also support combustion engines, rather than being exclusively for electric vehicles. The updated engine is being developed to meet future Euro 7 regulations, so it won't be banned in the 27-nation European Union.

There’s no word on the fate of the inline-six, but since the larger engines are sticking around, logic tells us that Mercedes-Benz won’t give up on the 3.0-liter unit either. Moving down the range, expect an “electrified 48-volt high-tech four-cylinder engine.”

That engine will debut next month in the new CLA, where the small 1.5-liter unit will be mated to an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. The German company developed the smaller engine, but the four-cylinder engine will be “industrialized with a partner in China.”

Mercedes-Benz projects that plug-in hybrids and electric vehicles will account for just 30 percent of its total sales by 2027. The other 70 percent will be internal combustion cars, many with 48-volt technology. This reality check shows that the company was overly ambitious with its previous electric targets. As early as 2030, the company intended to become purely electric "where market conditions allow". However, this is no longer happening, as the world is not yet ready for fully electric cars.

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