False alarm: The V8 will not return to the Mercedes-AMG C63 and E63

As you may already be aware, an intriguing report from Car and Driver has circulated, asserting that Mercedes is set to reintroduce the V8 engine for the C63 and E63 models as early as 2026. However, fresh information from Auto Motor und Sport and Raziz Rehan of Remove Before Race now suggests that the anticipated eight-cylinder powerplant may not make a comeback after all.

According to an insider identified as an "employee well-acquainted with product development," the V8 engine is not slated for a return in the C63 and E63 variants, with the initial report dismissed as "utterly baseless." Consequently, expectations are that the flagship C-Class will persist with its plug-in hybrid four-cylinder configuration, while the range-topping E-Class will also succumb to the trend of engine downsizing. The question of whether the next E63 will adopt an inline-six engine or be relegated to a four-cylinder setup remains unanswered, although Autocar and Raziz assert that a straight-six powerplant will find its place.

As much as fervent enthusiasts may yearn for the V8's triumphant resurgence, the likelihood of such a revival appears slim, especially within European Union nations. Escalating emissions regulations are progressively impeding automakers' ability to market vehicles equipped with high-displacement engines. With the EURO 7 emissions standard set to be enforced in 2025, prospects for large internal combustion engines seem bleak.

Furthermore, the substantial taxes imposed on powerful vehicles are further weakening the viability of large combustion engines. AMG, BMW M, and Audi Sport would have found it significantly easier to retain their six- and eight-cylinder engines without resorting to electrification and downsizing were it not for the more stringent regulations they now face.

Critics have been swift to chastise automakers for subtracting cylinders and introducing hybridization, yet this maneuver essentially represents the only viable pathway to ensuring the longevity of performance cars. While persuading enthusiasts to embrace a four-cylinder AMG C63 may be a challenging feat, it remains a superior proposition to the absence of such a model altogether. BMW M has already disclosed plans to electrify all forthcoming models to a certain degree, and Audi Sport's ability to sell pure gasoline RS vehicles will be curtailed in the near future.

The feasibility of marketing gasoline-only sports cars beyond the European Union, where emissions regulations are less stringent, appears impractical, especially considering the substantial market presence of Mercedes and its primary competitors in Europe. Such an endeavor would necessitate increased developmental expenses, and the market size would be notably diminished with the exclusion of Eurozone countries from the equation.