- The new V8 will be more powerful than the current unit as well as more fuel-efficient.
- Mercedes-AMG has yet to confirm which of its models will be powered by this engine.
- At the same time, the brand’s performance arm is working on an electric Taycan rival.
Eight-cylinder engines may not be nearly as common today as they were a decade ago, but they’re far from forgotten. Among their most loyal champions is Mercedes-AMG, which plans to keep them alive well into the future. Even though the current C 63 S stirred controversy by trading its V8 for a hybridized four-cylinder, fresh eight-cylinder powerplants are already in development at Affalterbach.
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A Drastic Switch In Strategy
While AMG is remaining tight-lipped about when its new V8s will arrive and which models they will be fitted to, it has confirmed it’ll be able to increase power while reducing emissions. From a petrolhead’s perspective, at a time when engine downsizing has become the industry’s norm and car manufacturers – including the likes of Ferrari – are switching from V8s to V6s, Affalterbach has to be applauded for remaining committed to the eight-cylinder.
Read: New Flat-Plane V8 Coming To Mercedes-AMG CLE 63, But It Won’t Sound The Same
While recently speaking with Auto Express, head of vehicle development at AMG, Steffen Jastrow, said his team is working to improve the responsiveness of its next-generation V8. The most significant change will be the implementation of a flat-plane crankshaft.
This will allow the next-gen AMG V8 to rev higher than the current unit and should also make it more thrilling. Admittedly, the presence of a flat-plane crank will also drastically alter the soundtrack, eliminating some of the guttural, deep bellow of the company’s highly-regarded 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V8 utilized until now.
Playing Both ICE And EV Sides
During the same interview, AMG chief executive Michael Schiebe noted that “AMG’s main objective is serving our customers,” adding that “if there are continuous demands for V8s, then producing them within regulations should be our engineering target.”
Schiebe added that the AMG team has “defined power in a range and the upper limit is, of course, higher than what we know today,” compared to the existing eight-cylinder mill that AMG uses. “There are also things you can do to improve the characteristics of the combustion engine, such as the response of the drive pedal,” he added.
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Before AMG launches its next-generation V8, it will venture into a new market segment with the production-ready AMG XX. This all-electric sedan was recently previewed by a record-breaking concept and will serve as a rival to the likes of the Porsche Taycan and Audi RS e-tron GT.
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