‘Watch this space’: Mercedes CEO Källenius leaves future of the V12 open
Mercedes CEO Ola Källenius has not ruled out new 12-cylinder offerings. He also admitted the company underestimated V8 fans, and the eight-cylinder is returning in the CLE 63.
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Mercedes-Benz CEO Ola Källenius addressed the future of the 12-cylinder engine at a media roundtable reported by U.S. magazine Road & Track. Asked whether Mercedes could offer something for customers who still want a V12, he said: “Watch this space.” According to Motor1 and The Supercar Blog, he did not name a model or a timeline, so the remark is not confirmation of a new V12.
Mercedes currently offers a twin-turbocharged 6.0-liter V12, depending on the market, in the Mercedes-Maybach S-Class and the armored S-Class Guard. The company has previously said the engine will remain available in selected regions with less strict emissions rules.
Referring to the C 63, currently offered as a four-cylinder plug-in hybrid, Källenius said: “What we perhaps underestimated at the time was the good old V8 crowd is a pretty good crowd.” AMG CEO Stefan Weckbach confirmed that the V8-powered CLE 63 will arrive next year, according to Motor1. The eight-cylinder will not return to the C 63, however.