Mercedes Admits It Underestimated The V8 Crowd, Teases A V12 Surprise

AMG says it has listened to customer feedback and is bringing back the big engines enthusiasts love.

2019 Mercedes-AMG C63 Coupe

Adrian Padeanu

By: Adrian Padeanu

Oct 19, at 3:02am ET

Add Motor1.com as a preferred source in Google

Comment

If you firmly believe there is no replacement for displacement, Mercedes has good news. It’s finally acknowledging what enthusiasts have said for years: You can’t swap out a big engine for a complex hybrid setup and expect everyone to be happy. The company isn’t abandoning electrification, but its latest comments suggest the V8 is getting another chance to shine, and the V12 may have a future beyond its current applications.

Speaking at a media roundtable, CEO Ola Källenius admitted in an interview with Road & Track that the company had underestimated the appeal of traditional eight-cylinder engines. Discussing the four-cylinder plug-in hybrid C63, he said: “What we perhaps underestimated at the time was the good old V8 crowd is a pretty good crowd. So you did not get the whole tribe with you.”

That’s about as close as an automaker gets to admitting it misread the room. The outgoing C63 S E Performance combines a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine with an electric motor to deliver a combined 671 horsepower. Impressive numbers haven’t stopped enthusiasts from missing the old V8, however, and Mercedes appears to have taken notice.

Mercedes-AMG E63

Previous-generation Mercedes-AMG E63

More V8 AMGs Are On The Way, But With A Caveat

Mercedes isn’t giving up on combustion engines just yet. AMG CEO Stefan Weckbach confirmed that the V8-powered CLE63 will arrive next year, adding that the company is returning to what its customers want. “We learn from the reaction of our customers,” Weckbach said. “So we go back to what our customers love: the V8 AMGs.”

Unfortunately, the V8's return to AMG doesn't mean the C63 will get its old-school soundtrack back. Mercedes has confirmed that it has no plans to bring the eight-cylinder engine back to its performance sedan/wagon, despite acknowledging that it underestimated demand for traditional V8 AMGs.

Why? Well, money. The company is unlikely to recoup the development costs of a V8-powered C-Class this late in the current model's life cycle. So, while the V8 will survive in other Mercedes models, including the upcoming CLE63, C63 fans shouldn't hold their breath for a reprieve.

Mercedes-Maybach S680

Mercedes-Maybach S680

Photo by: Mercedes-Benz

Mercedes Isn’t Done With The V12 Either

The bigger surprise concerns the V12. When asked whether Mercedes could do something for customers who still want a twelve-cylinder engine, Källenius gave a short but intriguing response: “Watch this space.” It’s hardly confirmation of a new V12-powered model, but it suggests the company hasn’t forgotten its most demanding customers.

Mercedes currently offers a twin-turbo 6.0-liter V12 in the Maybach S-Class and the armored S-Class Guard, depending on the market. Mercedes previously confirmed that twelve-cylinder engines would remain available in selected regions with more relaxed emissions regulations. That commitment leaves room for the V12 to survive in ultra-luxury vehicles, where exclusivity and smoothness matter more than outright efficiency.

A V12 G-Class Would Make Perfect Sense

2025 Mercedes-AMG G63

2025 Mercedes-AMG G63

Photo by: Kyle Kinard / Motor1

Could the V12 find its way into additional models? That’s speculation for now. Källenius didn’t name a vehicle or provide a timeline, so it’s too early to say a new twelve-cylinder Mercedes is on the way. Still, his response is encouraging for buyers who aren’t ready to settle for fewer cylinders.

What do you think?

View

Comments

Sitting near the top of Mercedes’ model range, the G-Class would make a compelling candidate for a V12 engine. After all, if any SUV deserves twelve cylinders under the hood, it’s the boxy off-roader that has evolved (or is it devolved?) into a status symbol for the wealthy.

Mercedes used to offer the AMG G65 with a dozen cylinders, but now only tuners like Brabus cram a V12 under the Geländewagen’s hood. That’s definitive proof the engine fits, so we hope something other than the S-Class will wear the V12 badge again. For now, all we know for sure is that Mercedes is working on a next-generation G-Class, but whether it will get a V12 or stick with the familiar V8 remains anyone’s guess.