Mercedes-Benz to Keep V12 Engines Alive: New Strategies for Luxury Vehicles Amid Electrification

As more and more automakers aim to focus on vehicle electrification, Mercedes-Benz has surprised automobile enthusiasts with the news that it plans to keep its V12 engine alive. The bigger internal combustion engines are not being discontinued and replaced with mild hybrid powertrain setups to keep high-performance rugged vehicles in the market, and also meet strict emission norms. Mercedes-Benz has come up with a plan to keep the V12 engine available for its luxury cars. The German automaker thinks the V12 combustion engines are still far from extinction.

Speaking on this update, Markus Schafer, Mercedes-Benz tech boss, confirmed that the company will continue to offer V12 engines and also hinted at launching multiple variations of V12 engines. However, there are no specific details like displacement, models to feature V12 engines, or any possible integration with hybrid technology.

Currently, Mercedes-Benz offers its powerful V12 engine in the Mercedes-Maybach S680. This V12, configured in Maybach, is a 6.0-liter twin-turbocharged unit that is capable of producing 612 bhp of power output. In the global automobile industry, there are only 11 cars from different companies that come equipped with a V12 engine. These recognized automakers are Ferrari, Lamborghini, Rolls-Royce, Pagani, and Aston Martin, which are still manufacturing cars with a V12 engine setup.

To deal with strict emission norms and a changing industry landscape, Mercedes-Benz may consider electric or hybrid technology options to integrate with its iconic V12 combustion engine. Also, the reports hint that the V12 powertrain option might not be available in the European market, but in other regions, where the emission regulations are less stringent, like the Middle East and China, automakers can offer the same.

Importantly, China is one of the major markets for Mercedes-Benz, and it sells a noticeable number of flagship models equipped with a V12 engine. Along with China, Mercedes-Benz can also consider the US as another major market for its V12 engine vehicles, as the Trump administration is likely to roll back emission standards.