- Mercedes-AMG has confirmed that it is working on a new generation V-8 that it calls a “high-tech electrified V-8.”
- The mill is intended for performance models riding on the brand’s new AMG.EA architecture.
- The twin-turbocharged 6.0-liter V-12 is also set to stick around, though only in select markets.
Mercedes-AMG has just confirmed that it’s working on a new-generation V-8 setup to power its next generation of performance models. The announcement came as part of the same investor meeting where the Affalterbach-based automaker confirmed development on a smaller G-class SUV.
Mercedes said that, moving forward, the AMG brand plans to “outgrow the performance market” with the help of a heavily refreshed lineup that will begin arriving in 2026. How will that lineup be refreshed? With the help of a new powertrain the automaker describes as a “next-generation, high-tech electrified V-8.”
What we don’t know is just how important the word “electrified” is in this context. Is it all new from the ground up? Or has Merc been quietly working to develop the existing hybridized 4.0-liter V-8?
There’s also the question of battery size. Mercedes could stick to the same 48-volt system that has found its way onto the bulk of the lineup, or it could spring for a larger battery and a plug-in format. We do know that the engine is destined for the AMG.EA platform, where they will live alongside “dedicated high-performance electric models.”
One thing Mercedes was more clear on is that the 6.0-liter V-12 will continue to be produced. Unfortunately, while the V-8 is being developed to meet the European Union’s strict emissions standards, the V-12 will only be available in select markets.
Jack Fitzgerald’s love for cars stems from his as yet unshakable addiction to Formula 1.
After a brief stint as a detailer for a local dealership group in college, he knew he needed a more permanent way to drive all the new cars he couldn’t afford and decided to pursue a career in auto writing. By hounding his college professors at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, he was able to travel Wisconsin seeking out stories in the auto world before landing his dream job at Car and Driver. His new goal is to delay the inevitable demise of his 2010 Volkswagen Golf.
Source: Motor - aranddriver.com
