Mercedes-AMG Reverses Course: V8 Power Is Coming Back Before Year End

AMG Walks Back the Four-Cylinder Era

Mercedes-AMG CEO Michael Scheibe has confirmed, on the record, that new V8-powered AMG models will return before the end of 2026 — with SUVs getting the eight-cylinder engine first, followed by coupes and sedans. It's a genuine reversal for a brand that spent the past several years pushing hard toward smaller, hybridised four-cylinder units across much of its line-up, a shift that culminated in the current C63 trading its old twin-turbo V8 for a plug-in-hybrid four-cylinder — a change that was, by most accounts, not warmly received by the enthusiasts and collectors who built AMG's reputation in the first place.

Reporting around Scheibe's comments points to the new V8 leaning heavily on AMG's existing 4.0-litre twin-turbo architecture, the same family that powers the current S-Class's M177 Evo unit, with a shift to a flat-plane crankshaft said to be under consideration for sharper throttle response and a higher redline. Those specifics haven't all been confirmed model-by-model, and reporting on exactly which nameplate gets the V8 first inside the coupe and sedan range is still mixed — but the direction itself, confirmed directly by AMG's own CEO, is not in doubt: the brand is doubling down on combustion performance again, even as it continues building out its electric line-up in parallel.

Why This Matters More in a Market Like Dubai

Engine architecture changes like this tend to ripple into used and specialist markets in a very specific way: whatever generation sits either side of a strategy reversal becomes disproportionately interesting to buyers. A four-cylinder-hybrid C63 bought new during exactly the window AMG itself now appears to be walking back from is a different proposition, resale-wise, than one bought either before or after that detour — and buyers in this region have historically been quick to price that kind of distinction in, particularly on performance metal where the engine note and character are a large part of what's being bought in the first place.

It's also worth noting how closely AMG's V8 heritage is tied to this market specifically. Between Mercedes-AMG's own range and the Brabus and Mansory builds layered on top of it, V8 and V12 AMG-based platforms have been a consistent, reliable seller across Dubai and the wider GCC for years — the kind of car that gets specified heavily, driven properly, and held onto rather than flipped. A confirmed return to that formula is unambiguously good news for anyone already invested in that segment.

What It Means Going Forward

Whatever the exact model order turns out to be, the direction is clear: AMG is doubling down on combustion performance again, even as it keeps building out its electric line-up in parallel — and it's the generation caught on either side of that reversal that's worth watching for resale.