Mercedes faced immense criticism when it abandoned the “M177” engine for the latest AMG C63. Despite rumors of an eight-cylinder return, the sports sedan is not reverting to V-8 power. However, a newly developed, large-displacement combustion engine is in the works for a late 2027 release. It’s a “next-generation, high-tech electrified V-8” intended for performance models based on the AMG.EA platform.
It should be a natural follow-up to the “M178” pictured here, launched back in 2014. In the 11 years since its debut, the twin-turbo, 4.0-liter V-8 has powered a multitude of models, reaching a peak output of 720 hp in a Mercedes-badged car; the AMG GT Black Series with its flat-plane crankshaft. The Aston Martin Valhalla uses a variation of the same engine, tuned to 817 hp.
Photo by: Mercedes-AMG
With Aston Martin already crossing the 800-hp mark, it’s no surprise Mercedes-AMG is promising more power from its next V-8. Without revealing specifics, AMG Director of Vehicle Development Steffen Jastrow told Auto Express the upcoming eight-cylinder mill will pack a greater punch than what the Black Series had. Engineers in Affalterbach have already “defined power in a range, and the upper limit is, of course, higher than what we know today.”
Beyond peak output, the new engine (codenamed M179, perhaps?) will respond quicker to driver input with improved pedal response. It will also be more efficient to meet the upcoming Euro 7 regulations. According to AMG CEO Michael Schiebe in an interview with Motor1 a couple of months ago, the new engine is expected to remain in production well into the next decade.
In the meantime, the current-generation V-8 still has life left in it, as the recently teased AMG GT Track Sport likely uses an updated M177/M178. Schiebe explained to us that “there are still customers that just want a V-8, a pure V-8,” which is why AMG intends to keep selling eight-cylinder cars for as long as there’s demand.
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Source: Mercedes-AMG
Whether the next-generation C-Class will bring the V-8 back to the C63 is too early to tell. After all, a facelift for the current car isn’t even out yet. But the lukewarm reception of the four-cylinder model revealed enthusiasts love their big engines. AMG’s boss admitted the company has “lost some customers” after halving the cylinder count, adding that the technology behind the electrified 2.0-liter engine “could have been better explained.” This intricate powertrain is also used in the C63 wagon and the GLC 63 models.
The future V-8, however, won’t be Mercedes’ largest gasoline engine. The V-12 is sticking around for the long haul, too, though the 6.0-liter, twin-turbo “M279” is offered only in the Maybach S-Class and the lesser-known armored S-Class Guard. The twelve-cylinder will continue in “selected markets,” likely because stricter European emissions rules make it harder to keep the V-12 alive there. Separately, a different V-12 powers the Pagani Utopia.
