A significantly updated one Mercedes-Benz S-Class According to reports, the sedan will be unveiled this year and will be powered by a more powerful V8 gasoline engine. The automaker has confirmed that it will use a flat crankshaft.
The new engine is part of what Mercedes-Benz calls the “most comprehensive update of a generation.”
Accordingly AutocarThe current seventh-generation S-Class is set to undergo a major makeover in the coming weeks, including an updated exterior design, a significantly improved cabin and the aforementioned V8 engine.
A flat crankshaft not only gives an internal combustion engine (ICE) a distinctive timbre, but also provides performance benefits such as lighter weight and the ability to turn faster, resulting in a faster-revving and more responsive engine.
With the 2020 AMG GT Black Series, Mercedes-AMG switched to a flat-plane crank, with its 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8 – codenamed M178 LS2 – producing 537kW between 6700 and 6900rpm and 800Nm between 2000 and 6000rpm.
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For the updated 2026 S-Class: Autocar reports that the new M177 V8 will replace the previous M176 engine’s cross-plane crankshaft with a flat-plane design, while retaining its 4.0-liter displacement and twin turbochargers mounted in the engine’s V.
The M177 engine family can already be found in cross-plane form under the hood of several Aston Martin models, including the DB12 and DBX SUVs, and is introduced in the S580 as part of a mild hybrid setup. Switching to a flat-plane crank should also help reduce emissions.
Mercedes-Benz said Autocar The updated engine will deliver more power, with power increasing from the 370kW of the previous V8 S-Class to around 395kW, allowing for a claimed 0-100km/h acceleration time of around 4.0 seconds.
With the production release just weeks away, six-cylinder engines will power lower-spec S-Class models, although the automaker has not yet confirmed details on the more powerful S63 AMG.
Mercedes-Benz Australia has not confirmed the local timing for the updated S-Class, but has confirmed an update for the V8-powered Maybach SL in the second half of 2026.
The news of the revised V8 engine comes after Mercedes-Benz Chief Technology Officer Markus Schäfer told the media that production of V8 and V12 internal combustion engines will continue.
The brand confirmed in early 2025 that it was developing a “full range of future-proof (Euro 7 emissions standards) engines with four to eight cylinders”.
A plug-in hybrid version of the V8 has been introduced for the AMG GT four-door, while Mercedes-Benz also offers four- and six-cylinder PHEVs for other models.
This follows the brand’s decision to back away from its previous electric vehicle (EV) ambitions, as well as its admission that replacing the V8 in the C63 with a four-cylinder PHEV was a mistake based on customer reactions.
Crosstown rival BMW is developing both an internal combustion engine-powered version of the M3 – the C63’s arch-rival – and an electric M3 on a separate platform, with the Munich brand also focusing on V8 engines in the future.
Nevertheless, Mercedes-Benz will continue to develop electric vehicles, both in the regular lineup and high-performance models, including the 1000 kW Concept AMG GT XX electric supercar.
“AMG will continue its dual strategy – two pillars. The electric pillar will grow significantly. But the second pillar – hybridized combustion engines – will also remain in place,” Schäfer told journalists in mid-2025.
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