AMG pivots back to V8s and six-cylinders after backlash to four-cylinder hybrids. New models will emphasize sound, emotion, and aggressive design. EVs remain, but AMG promises they’ll feel and sound more engaging. AMG spent decades building cars with larger engines than the rest of the Mercedes lineup. They were akin to German muscle cars with the same rowdy attitude, but then things changed. In the wake of stringent emission rules, Mercedes-AMG developed a truly innovative turbo four-cylinder hybrid as a replacement for its mighty V8. Now, it’s reversing course, and the V8s are coming back. AMG boss Michael Schiebe tells Auto Express that the brand will become “more AMG than ever before,” emphasizing not just outright performance but “emotion and design.” Separately, Schiebe confirmed to CAR Magazine that “at the end of the year, you’ll see the V8 coming back to AMG,” initially in SUVs before expanding across the range. Read: The AMG C63 Finally Gets The V8 It Always Needed That likely includes future versions of models like the Mercedes-AMG C63, once AMG’s calling card, as well as higher-end offerings designed to take on rivals like the BMW M5. This isn’t just a carryover engine either. AMG has developed a new flat-plane crank V8 that meets modern emissions standards, and while that layout typically sacrifices some of the traditional AMG burble, engineers have reportedly tuned it down to the camshaft to preserve the muscular soundtrack buyers expect. At the same time, the controversial four-cylinder plug-in hybrid setup is being phased out where it matters most. In its place comes a turbocharged inline-six already seen in the Mercedes-AMG GLC 53, producing around 442 hp (329 kW) and, more importantly, delivering what Schiebe calls a “much more emotional sound.” That same engine is set to replace the plug-in hybrid system in the C63, marking a clear reversal from AMG’s recent strategy. That said, the PHEVs aren’t dying altogether. It’ll live on in the GLE 53 and E53, and Mercedes AMG will continue to innovate on the electrified side of the business. Furthermore, they’re betting on EVs with the upcoming AMG GT four-door coupe that will make four-figure horsepower and evidently offer “an emotional experience… from an acoustic standpoint,” says former Mercedes CTO Markus Schäfer. It sounds like an attempt to inject personality into a segment where silent acceleration has become the norm. In other words, Mercedes and AMG seem willing to flex their engineering prowess to build fast EVs that sound like V8s, along with real V8s. We can’t wait to see how the sales figures shake out.