A very sad new to the enthusiast quotient from Mercedes in the coming 2019 Geneva Motor Shownext month could unfortunately be “The S65 Final Edition, which crowns and brings to an end the long success story of the 6.0-liter V12 biturbo engine in the S-Class Saloon.” That’s right, the S65 Sedan will be no more after this Final Edition, much like the recently revealed SLC Final Edition will bid adieu to the roadster formerly known as SLK.
While this is certainly a sad announcement for big-engined car enthusiasts, it’s not all that surprising. After all, Mercedes-AMG boss Tobias Moers warned us twice last year about the gradual retirement of the AMG powerhouse. It has already started taking into account there won’t be a new G65 based on the latest-generation G-Class, while the SL65 is nowhere to be found in the German or U.S. Mercedes-Benz configurators.
Now, it’s the Mercedes-AMG S-Class Sedan’s turn to lose the V12, and it’s probably only a matter of time before the two-door AMG-branded coupe and convertible will follow suit.
Silver lining? The V12 isn’t being retired altogether. Tobias Moers told Car and Driver nearly a year ago about AMG’s plans to build the engine for other sub-brands. In other words, the Maybach brand will retain the legendary powertrain found in the S650. For how long? Your guess is as good as ours.
In today’s downsizing-obsessed automotive world in which many European compact cars have puny three-cylinder engines, the V12 is like a dinosaur facing extinction. A recent report indicates BMW will not only drop the M760Li’s V12 for the next installment of the 7 Series, but the Bavarian flagship might even lose the V8. Bugatti has already admitted the Chiron’s quad-turbo 8.0-liter W16 is the “last of its kind,” while Audi will ditch the W12 engine after the current-generation A8.
Source: Motor1
