Mercedes-AMG: We will still make V8 engines if there’s enough demand

Mercedes-AMG, the three-point star’s performance and tuning arm, announced back in July last year that it intends to go all electric by the end of the current decade. However, that statement came with a caveat – said mission can only happen should market conditions allow for it.

Effectively, this means that Mercedes-AMG will still have petrol-powered offerings on hand in the near future alongside its electrified offerings, and the firm is reportedly determined to keep its signature V8 engine going too.

Joerg Bartels, Mercedes-Benz’s VP of vehicle development, was recently quoted in an interview with an Australian automotive portal where he confirmed that the Mercedes-AMG V8 is here to stay.  The exec further explained that if the brand can make it all work and meet its targeted CO2 fleet average, then both its V8 and straight-six cylinder mills won’t be retired just yet.

"In the end, it has to fulfil our overall CO2 strategy, and we have a clear path on that one: being CO2 neutral at the end of the ’30s, by 2039. And from 2030 we just want to be pure electric,” said the exec in his aforementioned interview. Bartels further adds that “if there’s still customer demand for its V8 in some regions, and it’s still part of its offering, why should we stop it?”

Despite the stricter new Euro 7 emissions ruling that will be enforced, Mercedes-Benz are also aware that customers will still opt to buy cars powered by AMG’s straight-six and V8. The exec also expressed his confidence in the Mercedes-Benz brand being able to comply with said tougher legislation. However, this will also lead to increased costs that some customers won't be willing to pay.

The exec also admits that it will be difficult to justify high development costs once Euro 7 takes effect around the middle of this decade, but that day hasn’t arrived yet. In the meantime, the V8 will continue to be available through several model ranges and products including the second generation AMG GT.

Nevertheless, reports of the next generation C63S AMG and E63S AMG models dropping their signature 4.0-litre V8 engines remains true, the former likely taking up a four-cylinder turbo as a replacement. And whilst all this is happening, Mercedes-Benz will also continue to offer its flagship V12 mill through things like the S680 and Maybach S-Class – perhaps the last of its kind to offer a 12-cylinder heart.

In regards to synthetic fuels as what companies like Toyota and Porsche are pursuing, Bartels also confirmed that this isn’t a priority for Mercedes-Benz, citing its arguably viability. How many kilograms of CO2 do you produce to generate the synthetic fuels?" argued the exec.

As for Mercedes-Benz’s arch rivals BMW, the Bavarian brand has reportedly pledged to continue offering both straight-sixes and V8 through its AMG-rivalling M performance models until 2030 at least. Instead, as seen in the latest 7 Series, BMW has ceased offering its flagship V12 mill instead.