[Autoblog] Mercedes to phase out 5.5l V8 by next year

[Nick2342]

There's a lot to love about AMG's 5.5-liter twin-turbo V8. It produces as much as 577 horsepower and 590 pound-feet of torque, and delivers blistering performance to even the heaviest of vehicles. But try not to get too attached, because like its 6.2-liter, naturally aspirated predecessor, it's not long for this world.

 

The latest word comes from Autocar, which reports that Mercedes will release the last applications for the 5.5 biturbo within these next two calendar years in the new GLE63 AMG and upcoming S63 AMG convertible. After that, even though it was only introduced in 2011, it will be phased out.

 

Fortunately Affalterbach has a worthwhile successor already in place in the 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 from the Mercedes-AMG GT. The smaller powerplant, already in store for the new C63, is already producing 503 hp and 479 lb-ft in S spec. That's still shy of the larger unit's output, but where the 5.5 is nearing the end of its production cycle, the 4.0 is just starting out.

 

Of course the 4.0-liter biturbo isn't the only engine AMG is making these days. Smaller models (based on the front-drive platform) employ the 45-designation, high-output 2.0-liter turbo four. Models at the very top of the lineup, however, use a 6.0-liter twin-turbo V12 that may be a dinosaur, still shackled to the old five-speed automatic since the seven-speed can't handle the torque, but with 621 hp and 738 lb-ft of torque on tap, still can't be beat.

[ER-3682]

Due Global warming,most car Mfg is downsizing their engines,like BMW M3/4,no more V8,M5,no more V10..

[Friendstar]

I quite like the idea of b class amg that uses 2.0 turbo.

 

I'm all for small engine but turbo

[ER-3682]

In the future,we can expect 4 Cyl Turbo engine in the S-Class...just like the Jaguar XJ.

[Nick2342]

In the future,we can expect 4 Cyl Turbo engine in the S-Class...just like the Jaguar XJ.

Sad but true. No more high revving v8s of the e9 series m3 or the e60 m5.

 

Jaguar has moved on to the ingenium family of four cylinder turbo engines and may use an albeit modified one for the rumored evoque sport thats being planned