Mercedes is currently working on how to adopt the hybrid technology in its near-future AMG models.
The news came from the mouth of Mercedes-Benz R&D boss Thomas Weber who spoke to Autocar, saying that the first petrol-electric AMGs could be ready by 2020. The increasing pressures on the industry to further reduce the CO2 output of the vehicles produced has lead Mercedes to this decision as it is the most effective and efficient way to achieve the strict targets.
“Every car line has to reduce fuel consumption — even AMG. No one part of our business can be carried on the back of another. It’s a huge task to reduce AMG fuel consumption but we’ve realized that it’s also a huge opportunity”, said Webber.
Mercedes could have easily added some of its hybrid tech into the AMG family already and with low cost as they have successfully introduced models like the Bluetec Hybrid lineup.
“We haven’t done it so far, because right now the customer wouldn’t buy it. AMG customers tell us they want the sportiest performance option available in any given sector of the performance market. We don’t know when they will be ready for hybrid”.
“But in our development department, we are already planning for the time when we will have to offer them something special. We have to be prepared that, by 2020, it could be necessary to introduce an AMG hybrid.”
If AMG has to go hybrid just to continue make its lunatic machines, I guess some of us are ready and waiting. All you have to do is imagine the added zero-rpm torque boost.
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