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[MTI]

Super Power: AMG V8 proves there’s no replacing displacement
Autoweek
7/15/05

In what Mercedes-Benz claims to be the most powerful, naturally aspirated eight-cylinder engine extant, the firm’s performance arm has developed a powerplant that will make it into virtually all its high-horsepower models.

M-B claims the 6.2-liter V8 develops “a minimum� of 510 horsepower and 464 lb-ft of torque without a supercharger, and has 20 percent more torque than other free-breathing engines in class. Cars fitted with the engine will get a 6.3-liter badge.

The engine and cylinder heads are high-strength aluminum and created with the latest metallurgical technology. Cylinder walls undergo a process to minimize friction, increase durability and add strength: The cylinder walls are twice as hard as conventional cast-iron liners.

AMG developed the engine without Mer-cedes. It has a throaty exhaust note reminiscent of late-1960s Trans-Am cars. It not only sounds better than the supercharged 5.4-liter models it replaces, it is smaller and lighter—438 pounds vs. 485 pounds.

AMG fitted a CLK DTM street racer with an engine for drive impressions. A bit of a shell game, on-site engineers privately agreed the car developed near 580 horsepower. Regardless, at first blush and full throttle the engine is a torque beast. That the 6.3 can fit in a current C-Class lends expectations that of the 24,000 engines AMG can build annually, they will be spread across the lineup. The 6.3 debuts at this fall’s Frankfurt show in an M-Class. It will be available in the States next year.