Image Credit: Spielvogel, CC BY-SA 3.0, WikiCommons.Mercedes-AMG built its reputation on some of the most charismatic V8 engines ever stuffed into road cars. Now, Mercedes-Benz CEO Ola Källenius has made the slightly surreal claim that one of the best V8 experiences he's encountered comes from a car without a combustion engine at all.Källenius was speaking to Autocar about Mercedes' transition toward electric and increasingly software-driven vehicles when the conversation turned to the new electric Mercedes-AMG CLA 45. The performance EV uses simulated combustion characteristics in an attempt to preserve some of the theater traditionally associated with AMG.Apparently, the technology made quite an impression on the Mercedes boss. Källenius described himself as feeling "like a born-again Christian" after experiencing the system and went on to call it the best V8 he had ever driven.AdvertisementAdvertisementThere's an obvious catch to that statement: the CLA 45 doesn't actually have a V8. Instead, AMG is using software, simulated gear changes, and physical feedback to recreate some of the sensations that electric performance cars inherently lack.AMG Is Trying To Make An EV Feel Like A Combustion CarImage Credit: Mercedes-Benz.Instantaneous acceleration is rarely a problem for performance EVs. Creating the sound, mechanical interaction, and sense of occasion enthusiasts associate with a great engine is where they tend to struggle.That's the challenge Mercedes-AMG has attempted to address with the electric CLA 45. Its software can simulate gear changes and combustion-engine characteristics, giving the driver additional sensations as the car accelerates rather than delivering the uninterrupted surge normally associated with an EV.Mercedes has even added physical feedback through its AMGForce system. Shakers incorporated into the front seats generate vibrations intended to replicate the sensations occupants might experience from a combustion powertrain.AdvertisementAdvertisementThe approach means the illusion isn't limited to speakers producing artificial engine noises. AMG is combining sound, acceleration, virtual shifting, and vibration to create an experience intended to make the electric car feel mechanically alive.Källenius Says It Has The Feeling Of A V8Källenius isn't exactly unfamiliar with AMG products. Before becoming Mercedes-Benz CEO in 2019, his lengthy career within the company included running Mercedes-AMG, along with time at McLaren and Mercedes' Formula 1 engine operation in Brixworth.That history makes his reaction to the electric system particularly interesting. "It was the best V8 I'd ever driven," Källenius told Autocar, adding that the system delivered the feeling of a V8 alongside greater power and torque.Whether enthusiasts will reach the same conclusion remains to be seen. AMG has produced everything from naturally aspirated 6.2-liter V8s to thunderous twin-turbocharged units, setting an exceptionally high bar for an electronically generated substitute.AdvertisementAdvertisementKällenius' point appears to be that electrification doesn't necessarily have to eliminate the sensations enthusiasts enjoy. Software can instead be used to reintroduce some of that interaction, even if purists might question whether recreating combustion characteristics is preferable to giving an EV its own personality.The Electric CLA 45 Has Serious PerformanceImage Credit: Mercedes-Benz.Artificial V8 theatrics aren't being used to disguise a lack of performance. The new CLA 45 uses three electric motors producing a combined 671 hp and 1,297 lb-ft of torque.The model is claimed to reach 62 mph in approximately 3.0 seconds and, when equipped with the AMG Dynamic Plus Package, continue to a top speed of 168 mph. Its 94-kWh battery also provides a quoted WLTP range of up to 416 miles.The electric AMG has already demonstrated strong circuit performance, recording a 7:32.070 Nürburgring lap, proving that Mercedes is taking the dynamic side of its next-generation performance cars seriously.Real V8s Aren't Disappearing OvernightKällenius' enthusiasm for simulated combustion doesn't mean Mercedes intends to replace every genuine V8 with speakers and vibrating seats overnight. He acknowledged that customers haven't universally embraced electrification and reiterated that Mercedes is still committed to advanced electrified combustion engines alongside its expanding EV range.AdvertisementAdvertisementGenuine combustion engines and increasingly sophisticated EVs will coexist, giving buyers an opportunity to decide whether software can really reproduce the character enthusiasts associate with AMG.Calling an electric car the best V8 you've ever driven is guaranteed to provoke a few raised eyebrows, particularly when you're the CEO of the company that built so many memorable real ones. If AMG can convince skeptical enthusiasts that an EV can deliver comparable theater, however, its electric future might be considerably louder and stranger than anyone expected.If you want more stories like this, follow Guessing Headlights on Yahoo so you don't miss what's coming next.