Back in 2021, Mercedes-Benz promised it would go electric-only by the end of the decade in markets that would allow it. The company was one of several luxury brands that planned a swift transition to an all-electric future, responding to mandates by governments worldwide that demanded the stoppage of ICE-powered sales by as early as 2030.
Just four years later, Mercedes is taking what feels like the opposite approach. Markus Schäfer, chief technology officer for the brand, is now promising its biggest internal combustion engine, the venerable V12 seen in the current Maybach S-Class, will stick around into the next decade. What a spectacular shift in policy.
The V12 has long been a staple in the Mercedes-Benz lineup, powering numerous S-Class sedans, SL coupes, and occasionally, G-Class SUVs. But with its policy shift four years ago, everyone sort of assumed it would die off around… well, now.
Mercedes is a holdout amongst its peers when it comes to keeping 12-cylinder powerplants around. BMW sent off the V12 with a special-edition 7 Series back in 2022, while Audi hasn’t built a W12-powered A8 since 2017. Even Bentley stopped making 12-cylinder engines last year, instead opting to rely solely on hybrid V8 powerplants for its most powerful models. Finding a Maybach competitor with the same cylinder count now means having to turn to the big daddy of luxury brands: Rolls-Royce.
That means the V12 is more exclusive than ever before. Mercedes has probably realized this, which is likely why it’s going through the extra effort (and added cost) to keep the V12 alive in places like Europe, where impending Euro 7 regulations will require even more stringent emissions. Schäfer, speaking with Autocar at the Munich auto show, made it clear the V12 is far from dead:
[S]peaking at the Munich motor show on Monday, tech boss Markus Schäfer confirmed that Mercedes “will continue to offer V12s.”
When asked about the unit being EU7-compatible, Schafer said, “I will not say more, but it is coming,” strongly hinting that it will remain available in Europe.
He did not, however, give any details on how Mercedes would make the V12 compliant with the new rules, nor did he confirm which model lines would use the engine.
In addition to the Maybach S680, Mercedes also produces a small number of V12s for Pagani every year through its AMG subdivision. While Schäfer didn’t mention anything about this program, this means that, hopefully, the Utopia, its derivatives, and future Pagani models will continue to use Mercedes engines for the foreseeable future.
It’s not just V12s where Mercedes is refocusing its powertrain efforts. The company’s V8 engine, which was also supposed to die with the introduction of Euro 7 regulations, has been given a stay of execution. The company confirmed the V8’s survival back in February, reportedly in response to weakening demand for AMG’s downsized, hybridized models like the four-cylinder C63. These days, AMG is fully committed to keeping internal combustion alive—where it can, anyway. From Autocar:
Speaking about the future of the petrol powertrains, AMG boss Michael Schiebe said the brand will continue with them “as long as possible, where regulations allow.”
He said: “Of course, in the US, in Europe, the regulation is that you cannot sell combustion engines any more from 2035, and we have to comply with that.
“But there are other markets at the moment [where] I don’t expect them to have such a regulation in place [such as the Middle East and China]. So we could still continue to sell those engines there in those markets as long as customer demand continues.”
With regards to that statement about the US, Schiebe is referring to California’s Advanced Clean Cars II regulations, which will require 100-percent EV sales by 2035. In addition to the Golden State, states like Colorado, Massachusetts, Maryland, New York, New Jersey, Oregon, and Washington have adopted the policy. It’s worth noting that Congress and the President in June signed a resolution barring any state from mandating EV-only sales—something California and all of the other involved states are suing to repeal.
Even if the rule is pushed back into reality by a future administration, that still leaves 10 years of fire-breathing, gas-burning potential for AMG. And I’m all for that.
Not only Mercedes-Maybach but Mercedes-Benz has its own V12 model: S 680 GUARD 4MATIC.
Good move. We shouldn’t give up our ways of life because those unhinged environmentalist whiners say so.
Jokes on them! If they continue down the path of producing absolutely awful designs that they’ve been churning out lately, the V12 might very well outlive Mercedes.
I’m not sure how I feel about this. I’ve driven an S65 and an S600 prior to ever driving a modern EV, but having driven modern EVs now, these engines both seem ancient.
The benefit to these engines in a luxury vehicle was just how insanely smooth they are. The only thing smoother is an EV. I can’t see a reason to want a V12 in a luxury car aside from being able to say you have a V12.
I mean, your last sentence nails it. This price of vehicle is all about dick-measuring against other people that have too much money to know what to do with. Hell, exclusivity is Ferrari’s entire business model.
Every headline on this site that says “Mercedes”, I keep expecting to be about Mercedes Streeter, not Mercedes-Benz.
Same. And Mercedes Streeter related content is also generally more interesting. Feel like making use of ‘Mercedes-Benz’ or ‘MB’ could be a good addition to the Autopian style guide
They should just put “Mercedes Benz, aka the lesser Mercedes,…”
Cool Lincoln, bro.
Everyone needs to go buy electric cars and fuel efficient, economical hybrids to save the planet…Except for the 1%. They get diesel yachts, private jets and V12’s.
As long as they’re paying for the staff, the fuel and the full cost of owning/operating those yachts, private jets and V12s, I’m fine with it.
I get your overall sentiment, however, new V12 models have practically always been a top 1%er engine configuration. We’ll never own a Pagani unless we get in that tax bracket, but give it 20 years and that Maybach might well be within your budget.
Maybe it’s just because it’s Monday, but it’s less about the V12 itself and more about MB pulling strings and opening their pocketbook to sell 20k V12’s a year to rich people while the plebs witness the extinction of the V8, V6’s are now I4’s, and the manual is essentially dead even in cars that are purely for enthusiasts (think Porsche and the new Prelude).