Having ditched the thumping V8 engine from its sports sedan heroes, Mercedes is reportedly considering a return to muscle car power.
Mercedes is weighing up the possibility of reintroducing V8 power to sports sedan favourites, according to reports in Europe.
The three-pointed star shocked fans of its fire-breathing Mercedes-AMG models by replacing the 4.0-litre, twin-turbocharged V8 of the previous-generation C63 with a quieter, but more powerful 2.0-litre hybrid alternative.
The 2023 Mercedes-Benz C63 E Performance has hybrid power.
Rumour has it that former Mercedes-AMG boss Tobias Moers walked out of the Benz boardroom and eventually left the company when his preference for V8 power in the C63 was overruled.
The brand has also been slow to announce a successor to the larger V8-powered E63 sedan, which is rumoured to make do with a six-cylinder engine set to go head-to-head with the next-gen BMW M5 and Audi RS6.
Mercedes-AMG is restricting V8 power to expensive models.
European correspondents for motoring publications Autocar and Car and Driver report that Mercedes is responding to lacklustre demand for the 2.0-litre C63 by engineering a return for the V8.
It would represent a bold backflip for the brand, which is trying to reduce emissions by restricting V8 engines to its most exclusive models.
The Mercedes-AMG GT retains V8 grunt.
While the sub-$200,000 C-Class misses out on V8 power, the traditional muscle car motor can be found in far more expensive metal.
The latest V8-powered Merc on Australian roads is the SL 63 convertible, which serves up 430kW and 800Nm of punch for $374,900 plus on-road costs.
Mercedes-AMG SL 63 convertibles have plenty of muscle.
Another Merc to benefit from V8 power is the Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S E Performance priced from $399,900 plus on-road costs. That machine has an extraordinary combination of V8 and hybrid grunt capable of producing 620kW of power and 1400Nm of torque – enough to reach 100km/h in just 2.9 seconds.
The beast’s sophisticated underpinnings can drive on battery power alone for up to 12 kilometres, and return an official fuel figure of just 7.7L/100km.
V8 power made the previous-gen C63 a smash hit.
Hybrid power could prove vital to help the C63 meet increasingly stringent emissions laws in Europe and beyond.
It would also help justify a high price for a V8-powered C-Class, which would need to be sold in relatively small numbers to help Mercedes meet fleet average emissions requirements.
Keyword: Mercedes considering V8 comeback for C63