Mercedes Confirms Next-Gen S-Class Will Retain V12 Engine
Daimler CEO Ola Kallenius surprises by confirming that Mercedes will retain its beloved V12 for 2021 and beyond.
These days, engine displacement continues to shrink with each and every passing model year. The days of naturally-aspirated V8, V10, and V12 engines appear to be nearly over, which is a sad thing for enthusiasts of all brands. Mercedes is no exception to this rule, which is why we pretty much assumed that the S-Class would eventually lose its beloved V12 option, especially since the AMG version dropped theirs earlier this year. But in a recent interview with GT Spirit, Mercedes boss Ola Kallenius surprisingly revealed that the next-gen S-Class will in fact be available with a V12.
Outside of that fact, Kallenius didn’t reveal any details about which particular models would receive the V12, nor did he confirm any technical details about the engine. The only thing he did confirm was that the Mercedes-Maybach GLS will not be receiving one. GT Spirit does believe that the new V12 will be a revised version of the existing 6.0-liter present in the Maybach S650, however. In current guise, that engine produces 621 horsepower and 731 lb-ft of torque.
That engine would have to be revised somewhat to help it meet stricter emissions laws. But clearly, Mercedes feels confident that they can in fact clear those hurdles when the new S-Class debuts in 2021. We’ll know more about the V12 and the which particular models it’ll bestow at some point next year, at least. For now, there’s no telling if it would only be available in Maybach trim or in the regular S-Class. All we know for sure is that AMG has already cut ties with V12s after building the S65 Final Edition.
Regardless of what it looks like on paper or what models it’s available in, this is great news for automotive enthusiasts in general. Clearly, we don’t expect to see big displacement engines make a widespread comeback anytime soon. But at least Mercedes seems determined to keep at least one of them around for the foreseeable future. Though we’d wager that if you really want a monster motor, this might just be your last chance to get one. Even in the world’s finest large luxury machine.
Photos: Mercedes-Benz
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