In a world where change is the only constant, it's always nice to hear an automaker like Mercedes Benz intending to preserve the V8 as a foundation for its vehicles as it looks towards the future.
Its V8-powered models, from the Mercedes-AMG C 63 right up to its flagship AMG GT coupe have all been true bastions of this engine layout, and it must be comforting that Mercedes-Benz's R&D chief, Professor Dr Thomas Weber, has come out with a strong endorsement for this particular philosophy.
"We are completely convinced we will stay with V8s, forever maybe," he told Drive AU. To all AMG fans and petrol heads alike, this is definitely good news. Nonetheless, I'm sure there are many of you out there, including yours truly, who would have wished for Mercedes-Benz to confirm such news for the V12s as well.
Alas, we live in a world where emission regulations are getting more stringent and all this talk about autonomous cars does bring a certain sense of doom and gloom to what many see as the eventual death of proper motoring experiences that are all about fun and reckless abandon.
Dr Weber does state that impending 2020 emission regulations will force car makers to come up with novel techniques to achieve tailpipe CO2 outputs of just 95g/km.
He believes that the company's V8s will continue to reduce in terms of displacement, citing the latest AMG twin-turbo 4.0 litre V8 that took over the mantle from the 5.5 litre bi-turbo, itself smaller than AMG's iconic 6.2 litre naturally-aspirated V8.
Dr Weber does point out that while the V8s will survive into the future, it will have to evolve radically with elements such as cylinder deactivation, electric harvesting like in F1 cars and ultimately, electrification.
"The make-up [of our V8s] may be different in the future. How small can you go? I'm not sure just at the moment, but with the strategy we have now, the next question is electrification in terms of performance. That is for sure in the future," he said.
He believes the power units in F1 could be the foundation of the future for Mercedes-Benz, and does concede quite forlornly that the "age of the naturally-aspirated engine is definitely over and done with."
So, in a nutshell, there has never been a better time to buy a Mercedes-Benz with a traditional naturally-aspirated V8 before they become expensive display units in a museum.
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