- A new report reiterates that the Mercedes-AMG CLE 63 will get a V8 engine with new details.
- That’s a departure from the PHEV turbocharged four-cylinder from other recent AMGs.
- The report claims that Mercedes will add fake exhaust sounds to amplify the noise in the cabin.
V8 lovers can rejoice, as Mercedes has heard your pleas and is bringing back the engine for its AMG lineup. The upcoming CLE 63 will indeed get a V8, but there’s a twist. While it’s exciting news, the engine appears to have traded a bit of its soul, as it might not sound quite like the ones you remember, especially if you switch off the speakers.
Carscoops reported back in May of 2024 that Mercedes would bring back the V8 for some of its AMG lineup. What we didn’t know then was all of the details surrounding that shift and how it would take place. Today, we’ve learned a little more and the details are a bit of a mixed bag.
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Yes, the V8 is on the menu in the upcoming CLE 63. That’s been pretty evident for several months. We, however, noticed in January that the prototypes running around in the wild don’t sound like the old-school AMG V8s we’re accustomed to. That’s likely because they use petrol particulate filters that muffle the burble and rumble typical of this engine. We surmised at the time that AMG might employ some fake exhaust noises to balance things out.
The Flat-Plane Crank Twist
According to Autocar, that’s exactly what Mercedes will do. In fact, it says that there’s another reason that the new V8 is quiet beyond new filters. Rather than use a cross-plane crankshaft, it’ll leverage a flat-plane crank. That’s the same type that you’ll find in older Audi S4s and the Ford Mustang Shelby models. While they don’t burble at low rpm, they sound great at the top of the rev range.
That said, Mercedes will use speakers to feed back in some of that lower rumble customers loved about the old AMG V8s. “To compensate for the higher-pitched, more aggressive sound of the flat-plane crank V8, AMG plans to provide future models with an artificial sound generator to simulate the burbling soundtrack of its most celebrated models,” says the magazine’s report
The new V8 is also expected to feature a mild-hybrid 48V system with an integrated starter motor within the gearbox, providing extra power and improved efficiency. It’s worth noting that there have been rumors about a plug-in hybrid variant, though those might remain just that—rumors.
For context, the current C63’s PHEV powertrain consists of a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, a rear-mounted electric motor, and a lithium-ion battery, all working together to produce 671 horsepower and 752 lbs of torque.
More: Thank God The 2026 Mercedes-AMG CLE 63 Has A Roaring V8
What do you think about this change? Should Mercedes scrap the fake sounds and embrace a higher-revving V8 that could make its own mark in history? Or should it go ahead and blend in as much old-school rumble as it can? Tell us in the comments below!
