In what is great news for enthusiasts, Mercedes plans to keep its much-loved V8 engine alive well into the future. While the current C63 S didn’t get much love because of its hybrid four-cylinder engine, new eight-cylinder motors are already under development in Affalterbach. What AMG hasn’t revealed details on the arrival time of the new V8s or which models they will go into, it has confirmed that the new engines will be more powerful but at the same time have reduced emissions. During a media interview, head of vehicle development at AMG, Steffen Jastrow, said his team is working to improve the responsiveness of its next-generation V8. The most significant change will be the implementation of a flat-plane crankshaft. This will allow the new V8 to rev higher than the current motor. Apparently, the flat-plane crankshaft will also drastically alter the engine noise compared to the 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8. AMG chief executive Michael Schiebe said, “AMG’s main objective is serving our customers,” adding that “if there are continuous demands for V8s, then producing them within regulations should be our engineering target.” He added that the AMG team has “defined power in a range and the upper limit is, of course, higher than what we know today,” compared to the existing eight-cylinder engine that AMG currently uses. “There are also things you can do to improve the characteristics of the combustion engine, such as the response of the drive pedal,” he added. Source: Carscoops
