Mercedes-Benz to continue V8 production until 2030: report

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When it was announced that the next generation Mercedes-AMG C63 would use a hybrid four-cylinder powertrain, many enthusiasts marked it as the end of the mighty V8 for the German manufacturer. 

That’s not to be – with a senior Mercedes-Benz executive suggesting the brand’s four-litre V8 will stick around for this decade, just not in the C-Class.

In an interview with Road & Track magazine, Philipp Shiemer, chief executive officer of Mercedes-AMG, said that there likely to be about a decade left for the popular twin-turbo V8.

“I think for the next ten years we will see the V8s, for sure. We have a lot of customers who love their cars and I still think that we will see those people buying the [V8] cars for a long time,” Mr Shiemer said. 

While larger-scale development of the engine has been shelved, that doesn’t stop Mercedes from utilising what it already has.

The final countdown for the V8… or is it?

Mercedes-AMG is currently pushing the boundaries by combining V8 power with next generation hybrid tech, most notably seen in the upcoming Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S e-Performance. 

The bespoke AMG model has been designed to extract every ounce of performance from the well known 4.0-litre twin turbo V8 by pumping an extra 150kW/320Nm through the car via electric motors. 

Electricity and combustion will combine to create a 620kW/ 1400Nm monster capable of doing the 0-100km/h sprint in just 2.9 seconds. 

The best part? The AMG GT 63 S is coming to Australia in the second half of 2022. 

An ode to the 4.0-litre V8

The Mercedes-AMG 4.0-litre V8, otherwise known as the M177, first debuted in the W205 C63 sports sedan in 2015. 

At the time, questions abounded about whether the turbocharged four-litre would retain the charismatic V8 growl from its 6.2-litre predecessor, but significant research and development – much of it exhaust related – led to the sound being as vocal as ever. 

Since the debut of the M177 in the C-Class, it has been introduced into a wide range of Mercedes-AMG products, including the E63, S63, G63, GLC63, GLE63, GLS63 and GT63.

The engine would also be introduced into the Aston Martin lineup and has since powered the DB11, DBX and Vantage models.

‘M177’ V8 fast facts 

The M177 engine was essentially designed by taking two first-generation A45 AMG four-cylinder powertrains and merging them together with a common crankshaft. 

The twin-turbochargers are mounted in the ‘hot-vee’ of the engine, making the design more compact whilst also reducing turbo lag. 

The M177 turbochargers are made by Borgwarner and are single scroll units, however in the M178 model, they are twin scroll units. Maximum boost pressure is 17.4PSI. 

The crankcase is made of aluminium to reduce weight, but it’s also extremely strong. It can reportedly handle injection pressures of up to 1800PSI.