The AMG’s racing experience is also evident in this engine. The cylinders employ aluminium cast pistons which are cooled by special oil-spray nozzles. That means the pistons maintain an optimum temperature even at the highest level of stress. Composite camshafts, a twin-pipe air intake system and an independent variable intake manifold also ensure perfect cylinder filling. Out of a maximum torque of 510 Nm, 400 are already available at 2000 rpm. Simply tapping the gas pedal lightly is enough to mobilise the astounding pulling power of the naturally aspirated engine, which has an impressive displacement. Powerful but still light: at only 172 kg, the 8-cylinder engine offers the best conditions for optimum weight distribution in the vehicle – a prerequisite for good handling.

With the V8-KOMPRESSOR engine Mercedes-AMG has set a new standard. Its performance capability is not its only impressive feature. It also exhibits excellent power delivery which is designed for the highest dynamism without suppressing the effortless superiority of its generous 8 cylinders. Technical innovations are included: for example the mechanical turbocharger which is located between the two cylinder banks. Two aluminium shafts – one of which is coated with teflon – push up to 1850 kg of air per hour into the combustion chambers at a maximum engine speed of 23000 rpm. In the meantime the belt-driven supercharger is not running constantly but is activated by the engine speed and state of charge through an electromagnetic clutch. All this occurs in fractions of a second such that movements of the gas pedal are implemented almost instantaneously. The compact charging module contains an integrated charge air cooler which effectively cools down the air before it enters the combustion chambers. The low-temperature cooling unit, a powerful suction-type fan in the engine radiator and a separate oil cooler ensure that the supercharged engine functions within the optimum temperature range under all operational conditions.

Many years of racing experience were required to build this type of engine. Our dynamic high-tech engine test stands are definitely worth noting. But we can’t forget our special tools: the hands of our experienced technicians. To achieve an optimum air supply to the combustion chambers, it is necessary to have large cross-sections and optimise all the air-supplying parts which lead to the cylinders. This means the inlet ports must be extraordinarily steep and the valves are controlled via bucket tappets. The flow-optimised intake occurs through a dual-length intake manifold made of magnesium with two interior throttle valves. This patented technology is only available from Mercedes-AMG. In addition to all this there is one last detail which was previously reserved for racing: the closed lower section of the crankcase for a more rigid substructure and less pulsation losses. The result of all this effort: this AMG engine is the most powerful V8 naturally aspirated engine in the world.

AMG engines are famous due to their high torque figures, but the AMG V12 biturbo engine breaks new ground in this area. It produces 1200 Nm from as low as 2000 rpm, which is electronically limited in the vehicle to an impressive 1000 Nm. Practically unlimited however is the performance capability. To achieve such figures, there are hardly any significant engine components which have not been redesigned in terms of dimension and material. Two areas are particularly worthy of attention: the air flow in the cylinder and the engine cooling. The generous design of the compressor and turbine casing and the wheel blades in both turbochargers allow for an extraordinary amount of air in the cylinder, and with an optimum charging pressure of 1.5 bar. The camshafts with a large stroke and perfectly coordinated control times also provide longer opening times for the valves on the intake side. The pistons are cooled through one nozzle per cylinder, supplied by an oil pump which allows an unusually high flow rate. The oil cooler and radiator with the very large low-temperature cooling unit ensure a continually high power output, even under extreme operational conditions.