Mercedes-AMG’s new four-cylinder hybrid drivetrain is an objective improvement over the larger six and eight-cylinder engines the automaker has used in the past. It’s more powerful, more economical, and in some applications, lighter. But, unfortunately for AMG, the company has discovered that the folks buying its cars don’t really care much about that. Instead, as it turns out, the logic behind buyers wanting worse-performing, higher-displacement engines can be boiled down to a meme: the V8 does, in fact, “go brr.”
Mercedes Backtracks On PHEV Four-Cylinder AMGs
Speaking to a source, Autocar reports the brand will phase out the current 671-horsepower plug-in hybrid powertrain from its C63 and GLC63 lineup.l Instead, AMG will move forward with a new, next-generation V8 engine with both 48-volt hybrid and plug-in hybrid configurations.
“Technically, the four-cylinder is one of the most advanced drivetrains available in a production car. It’s also right up there in performance. But despite this, it failed to resonate with our traditional customers. We’ve recognized that” – a source said.
Mercedes-AMG Follows The Pack
Like just about every other automaker, Mercedes and AMG have decided to follow what the brand is calling a “two-pillar” strategy. Combustion engines will still be on offer, and the days of bold “no more gas car sales by 2030” statements have been quietly walked back. Instead, EVs will still be offered, but alongside their gasoline counterparts, not as replacements.
AMG itself, per brand chief Michael Schiebe, says the automaker needs to “cater to the demands of customers,” and offer both. With that new V8 coming and a new AMG GT XX concept car fresh out of the design studio, that certainly looks to be the plan, though hybrids will stay. “There are a lot of advantages of combining electric motors with combustion engines,” Schiebe said. “We want to offer different kinds of drivetrain opportunities on the combustion side to our customers, so they can choose for whatever purpose they want to use the car.” Right now, there isn’t a timeline in place for phasing out the four-cylinder engine.
TopSpeed’s Take
Mercedes buyers spent decades enjoying the brand’s huge engines with ever-increasing power figures. Now, Mercedes has done away with displacement to achieve that, and in so doing, realized that buyers care a lot more about how the car makes them feel. Hopefully, the weight associated with plug-in hybrids will be the next item on the AMG chopping block.
Source: Autocar via Car and Driver
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