Endangered, but not extinct: V8 and V12 engines to live on

Ferrari may have announced its last V12-powered supercar, but the monster engine configuration is set to live on in the automotive sphere – along with its smaller and much-loved sibling, the V8.

According to the company’s chief technology officer, Markus Schafer, Mercedes-Benz is planning to keep building V8 and V12 engines into the next decade, per the UK’s Autocar – with markets like China and the Middle East giving these engines a lifeline.

Mercedes-Benz confirmed earlier this year it would produce a “next-generation, high-tech electrified V8” that will meet strict Euro 7 emissions standards.

It also confirmed it would continue production of V12 engines for “selected” markets, despite the German luxury carmaker currently producing only one 12-cylinder model: the Mercedes-Maybach S680.

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Despite promises of the engines living on, the Mercedes executive tempered expectations.

“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,” Mr Schafer explained.

“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.”

Rival BMW ended production of its V12 in mid-2022, with that powerplant tracing its roots back almost four decades – kept exclusively for flagship models like the 7 Series and 8 Series.

Mercedes-Benz has a rich history of V12-powered vehicles, such as the S600 limousine and SL600 roadster, and sporty AMG cars like the SL65, CL65, and S65.

“We have invested quite a lot to update the entire portfolio,” Mr Schafer said.

“On top, we have created a new V8 that has almost finished EU7 compliance. It is a high-performance V8 – it’s brand new.”

Confirmation of a new “high-tech electrified V8” means we could expect to see more plug-in hybrid (PHEV) V8s within the Mercedes-AMG lineup. The high-performance arm of Mercedes-Benz recently launched PHEV V8 versions of its GT and GT 4-Door Coupe.

Mercedes-AMG is still forging ahead with new-generation electric vehicles (EVs) on its new AMG.EA dedicated EV platform, despite disappointing sales for its current performance EVs.

The three-pointed star brand softened its EV targets early in 2024, announcing it would delay its target for EVs to account for 50 per cent of its global vehicle sales from 2025 to 2030. That 2030 target also now includes PHEVs.

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