There’s At Least One German Brand That Isn’t Giving Up On The V8

AMG, the Mercedes performance brand known for its rumbling, torque-heavy V8s, has been catching a lot of flak recently for its pivot to hybrid-assisted four- and six-cylinder engines. Faltering sales of the current AMG C63 have proven that buyers would rather have displacement and sound over the latest tech. So the subbrand plans to refocus on making V8s, and they’ll be more powerful than ever, according to the CEO.

British publication Auto Express got the chance to visit AMG’s development center in Affalterbach, Germany, where it saw the company working on the next generation of its widely loved V8 engines. The publication also spoke with AMG boss Michael Schiebe, who made it clear the customer was priority number one.

Here’s what he had to say about the V8:

AMG’s main objective is serving our customers; if there are continuous demands for V8s, then producing them within regulations should be our engineering target.

The important bit is near the end, with regard to regulatory hurdles. Five years ago, the entire industry was convinced it needed to shift to EV power to stay afloat, with countries around the globe implementing electric-only policies in the near future. But many of those policies have since been walked back, as consumer adoption has lagged behind predictions. In the case of the United States, the EPA has proposed removing emissions regulations altogether and has generally tried to undo any major environmental policies.

Being a brand that sells cars globally, it’s unlikely AMG will start shipping cars to the U.S. without catalytic converters and call it a day. It’ll still develop the new V8 to conform with regs like Euro 7 and C6, China’s emissions standards. But despite ever-tightening rules, AMG promises the engine will be more powerful than the twin-turbo 4.0-liter M178 launched all the way back in 2014.

[Steffen Jastrow, head of vehicle development,]  explained that the focus of this upcoming V8 unit was to improve both power and efficiency, stating that the team has “defined power in a range and the upper limit is, of course, higher than what we know today. There are also things you can do to improve the characteristics of the combustion engine, such as the response of the drive pedal.”

Conforming to tighter regulations means higher development and production costs, but thankfully, AMG remains committed to its iconic “One Person, One Engine” philosophy, where a single factory builder is responsible for hand-assembling each AMG engine, start to finish.

The phrase used to be “One Man, One Engine,” though as Auto Express points out, AMG now has one woman working the factory floor. Here’s what Schiebe had to say about the process:

The personal relationship between the buyer and builder in the car is a signature element of AMG, so we’ll definitely continue with that into the electric era. There will definitely be something which is to do with craftsmanship and the attention someone pays to a specific car that won’t just be a marketing activity.

The new engine should begin to appear in cars starting in 2027, and last well into the next decade. Actual power numbers are still a mystery, though, considering the newest version of the current V8 found in the Aston Martin Vahlalla makes 817 hp, I’m expecting some big increases. Rumors have been swirling about which cars would receive the new engine, but nothing’s been confirmed yet. A return for the V8-powered C63 sure would be epic, though.