Filed under: Sedans/Saloons, Sports/GTs, I.C.E., Mercedes-Benz
Mercedes will begin phasing out V12 engines
Mercedes-Benz, longtime stalwarts of the V12 engine, is considering lowering its preferred cylinder count by a third. While our first inclination is to assume that this change is being made to increase the fuel efficiency and lower the emissions of the overall Daimler line, the real reason that the bent-12 engine program is being dropped is simply because the block is too long. A V12 is, for all intents and purposes, the same length as an inline-six, and the German automaker's latest line of mainstream engines are all in a V-design, so its cars are no longer being designed with an engine compartment large enough to house such a lengthy engine. Fear not, power fans, as the company isn't abandoning high horsepower in general. The V12 program is apparently being shifted towards twin-turbo V8s, and the magic of forced-induction means there's no reason to assume that fewer cylinders will equal fewer ponies. Expect the moratorium on V12s to begin the next few years.
[Source: Auto Bild]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
AntBee 5:49PM (11/28/2008)
NO NO NO!!!! Those engines are AWESOME!!!
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I own one 5:52PM (11/28/2008)
Duh, Obama is making all car companies do this. Trust me Mercedes doesn't want to lose their V12's.
aaron 6:06PM (11/28/2008)
I own one, please, don't wake up the liberals that populate AB because what you said made little sense.
Red 6:06PM (11/28/2008)
@I own one,
Last I checked, Mercedes is still a European-based brand. And last I checked, not-president-yet Obama has nothing to do with Europes choice to reduce their emissions.
Grow up and stop with the "blame Obama" routine. It was old about an hour after the election ended. kthanxbye.
Flashpoint 9:08PM (11/28/2008)
I Own One ..... You are an epic failing noob idiot.
As for the V12, I think Mercedes is probably doing the right thing focusing on improving the Twin Turbo V8.
I actually have a 2007 S550 and my engine is 382 HP V8. They have a higher version 518 HP on the S63 AMG (which I wasn't willing to spend more for).
Who in God's name really needs the V12 604 HP ? Especially since my car and the others are SPEED LIMITED in AMERICA?????
No matter what I do, my car won't go past 155 mph not that i'd want it too. My car is LONG and on top of that, the mirrors are too small for sport driving. And the car handles HORRIBLY over 90mph because its the length of a Lincoln Navigator.
to date I've seen just 2 S600's in NYC and they were both privately owned by corporations.
http://www.300cforums.com/gallery/showgallery.php?cat=500&ppuser=17422
Bryant 11:08AM (11/29/2008)
@Flashpoint
My neighbor owns an SL600. Granted, it's from 1999, but it's still an SL600.
Personally, I think Merc might be able to do more 12cyl magic if they either license the W12 from VW or if they make one themselves. Something tells me that an SLK65 with a W12 crammed in there might be an amazing seller.
Don 9:26PM (11/29/2008)
Can't go wrong with the creamy power of a V12. Especially if you've got the dough to shell out for one.
I own one 6:00PM (11/28/2008)
Remember the article about Benz opening 175 AMG stores, say good bye to that idea.
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Jason 6:09PM (11/28/2008)
Simply Shut Up!
Eddie 6:33PM (11/28/2008)
Performance would still be exemplary without V12s. Look at the RS6, F430, Ford GT and 911TT. Those perform better than most V10/V12 cars.
Mobius_1 6:53PM (11/28/2008)
Not to mention GT-R, ZR1, Z06
aaron 6:01PM (11/28/2008)
Interesting how we go from an article reporting Honda eventually having V-8s to Mercedes phasing out V-12s.
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Red 6:28PM (11/28/2008)
I was just thinking the saaaaaaaame thing....
phewop 6:25PM (11/28/2008)
NOOOOOOOOOO!!!! These are some of the best engines available in the world!!! The V12 in the S600 is better than the V8 in the S63, while the AMG V12 in the S65/CL65 is the best production engine ever made by anyone. ever.
This is a crying shame.
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Jesse 6:30PM (11/28/2008)
I took my (lowly) C-Class in to get a part today and saw an S65 AMG. Beautiful. Just the sound of someone starting it up and moving across the parking lot made my knees weak. So did the nearly 200k tag on the window and 11 MPG city economy. I know the V-12s are hand built and rare, but the profit margin on that car must be as obscene as its carbon footprint.
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Michael 6:40PM (11/28/2008)
Or they could use W12 engines.
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The Doctor 6:44PM (11/28/2008)
Surely VW has patents for W engines pretty much sown up?
Sean 6:47PM (11/28/2008)
NOOOOOOOOO!
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Noah 6:53PM (11/28/2008)
This is the sound of 1000 oil sheiks crying.
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Lee 7:11PM (11/28/2008)
A sad day indeed. No S600, S65, SL600, SL65? What has to world come to?
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