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The future may be electric, but V-8 love remains strong.
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Mercedes-Benz is putting the finishing touches on the development of a new V-8 engine that the automaker says it needs as it makes the transition to electric vehicles. The automaker remains committed to an all-electric future but doesn't see that happening by 2030. What is happening before then: new global emissions regulations that internal combustion engines will need to meet.
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It doesn't make sense at this point for an established automaker to sundown its gasoline-powered portfolio, says chairman of the Board of Management Ola Källenius. Stricter emissions regulations take effect in Europe in two years, but Mercedes will introduce its more efficient V-8 in 2026, a year prior.
Essentially, that means most Mercedes vehicles currently available a V-8 will get the more powerful, better sounding, and more efficient new engine. That covers a lot of AMGs and some Mercedes models, including GLE, GLS, S-Class, GT, SL, and G-Class. Strong consideration will go into what new models will get a V-8 option, said Källenius. Six-cylinder engines are also being updated to meet all regulations.
Work has already been completed on all engines so they can be introduced before new rules take effect, says chief technology officer Markus Schäfer.
Combustion engines still make sense for low volume, high-performance vehicles, so it makes sense for AMG to continue to offer V-8s with big power, said Michael Schiebe, chairman of the Board of Management of Mercedes-AMG. They will continue to be available in the models they're in today and will show up in other models.
They don’t make sense for every vehicle, however, and they are not the first choice for all buyers. Don’t expect to see a V-8 come back in the C63, for example, Schiebe says. He notes that sales of the E53 show more customers are choosing the six-cylinder than the V-8. Customers favor eight cylinders emotionally, but when it comes to making the purchase, many decide it's more practical to get a six.
Then there are models like the new electric GT coming next year. Based on the Mercedes-AMG GT XX concept. It's an EV, of course, but it has a combustion mode with a V-8 sound and feel designed to stir that emotion without the emissions.
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Mercedes knows it can’t afford to miss the train on EVs. The company is pursuing a dual strategy wherem most of its mainstream models with be offered as pure electric as well as with a gasoline engine, but one usually paired with an electric motor as a hybrid. Models will look similar, regardless of powertrain. Gone are the days of a distinctive look and name for pure EVs. The new strategy is evident in the new 2026 Mercedes-Benz CLA and the new 2027 GLC that made its world debut at the IAA Mobility show in Munich. The compact SUV showcases a new design language and rides on the new MB.EA architecture. It will be followed by a new C-Class, E-Class, and S-Class.
For the next 10 years and beyond, the road to zero emissions is heterogeneous, says Källenius. EV adoption is not the same in all 150 markets where Mercedes-Benz sells vehicles. China has a high take rate, but most countries do not. China is reaping the benefits of its investment in charging infrastructure and incentives to develop EVs.
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Until the end of the decade, every relevant Mercedes model will have an EV option but they won’t be all EV by 2030, so the automaker will carry on with next-generation combustion engines in all segments. The varied powertrains will co-exist, giving the consumer more choice.
In the U.S., Mercedes says about 20 percent of its sales are battery electric or plug-in hybrids. Full EVs are under 10 percent of total sales, says Mathias Geisen, board member for Marketing and Sales.
It's hard to predict the future mix. On the one hand, research shows an EV buyer is hooked and will not go back to a gas engine-powered car. Making electric versions of iconic vehicles such as the G-Wagen and AMG GT showcase the capability and performance that EV can net. New cars, like the CLA and GLC, are launching with the electric version first. But dropping incentives to buy an EV in the U.S. will make it harder to get consumers to try their first electric vehicle. Regardless of how it shakes out, Mercedes says its flexible manufacturing means it can adjust what it makes to meet changes in demand.
Will new V-8s make a difference in sales? There is a high fascination for V-8s in the U.S., so Geisen sees growth potential.
Alisa Priddle joined MotorTrend in 2016 as the Detroit Editor. A Canadian, she received her Bachelor of Journalism degree from Carleton University in Ottawa, Ontario, and has been a reporter for 40 years, most of it covering the auto industry because there is no more fascinating arena to cover. It has it all: the vehicles, the people, the plants, the competition, the drama. Alisa has had a wonderfully varied work history as a reporter for four daily newspapers including the Detroit Free Press where she was auto editor, and the Detroit News where she covered the GM and Chrysler bankruptcies, as well as auto trade publication Wards, and two enthusiast magazines: Car & Driver and now MotorTrend. At MotorTrend Alisa is a judge for the MotorTrend Car, Truck, SUV and Person of the Year. She loves seeing a new model for the first time, driving it for the first time, and grilling executives for the stories behind them. In her spare time, she loves to swim, boat, sauna, and then jump into a cold lake or pile of snow.
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