The V8 supercharged engine is undoubtedly one of Mercedes-AMG's finest achievements – a new legend for the road. Not only does it deliver scintillating performance, it also assures exceptionally dynamic power development, yet without compromising the poise and assurance typically associated with high-displacement 8-cylinder engines. The extraordinary torque and output figures promise a driving experience to be truly savoured. And as one would expect from an AMG powerplant, this V8 also incorporates our wealth of motor-racing know-how and a catalogue of technical innovations.

Take the belt-driven supercharger, for example, which is located between the two banks of cylinders. Two aluminium shafts - one of them coated in Teflon – push up to 1850 kg of air per hour into the combustion chambers, rotating at speeds of up to 23,000 rpm. Rather than operating continuously, the compressor is activated by an electromagnetic clutch as a function of the engine speed and charging status. All of this happens within a fraction of a second, meaning that the engine responds to even the slightest of accelerator pedal movements with practically no lag. The intercooler, which cools down the air effectively before it enters the combustion chambers, is integrated in the compact charger module.

The low-temperature cooler, a powerful suctiontype engine-radiator fan and a separate oil cooler ensure that the supercharged 8-cylinder engine runs efficiently in the optimal temperature range, whatever the operating conditions.

It is nigh on impossible to design or produce an engine of this calibre using conventional methods. This new AMG powerplant – whose defining characteristics are outstanding dynamism, supreme agility and incredible response times – is simply beyond the capabilities of even the best techniques currently employed in standard car production. Instead, motorsport experience is called for. And a single-minded approach aimed at transferring motor-racing genes to the road.

So it comes as no surprise that this particular V8 engine was developed in Affalterbach, from the first bolt to the last, and assembled in our engine workshops. None of this would be possible without highly sophisticated installations such as our new, dynamic, high-tech engine test rigs. Nor without the most specialised tools of all: the hands of experienced engineers. The best way to optimise the air supply into the combustion chambers, for example, is to introduce large cross-sections and optimise all the air-ducting components leading into the cylinders. This involves making the intake ducts extremely steep and using bucket tappets to control
the valves. Optimal airflow intake is assured by a dual-length variable intake manifold made of magnesium with two internal throttle valves – a patented technology that is only available from Mercedes-AMG. Then there is one final detail, hitherto the reserve of the motor-racing world: the lower section or bedplate of the crankcase is based on a closed-deck design, which makes for a more torsionally rigid engine and reduces pulsation losses. The result of this painstaking deve l - opment is the world's most powerful V8 naturally aspirated engine. All courtesy of AMG.

Another attribute for which AMG engines are renowned is their high torque. This is a crucial part of our philosophy, since torque, as opposed to other performance variables, is often the key contributor to driving enjoyment. When it comes to pulling power, the AMG V12 biturbo engine enters a new dimension, producing no less than 1200 Nm from just 2000 rpm, which the car electronically limits to an almost equally impressive 1000 Nm. Performance capability is, of course, practically unlimited.

In order to achieve these figures, nearly every major engine component had to be redesigned in terms of both dimensions and materials. Here the main focus was on two areas: in-cylinder airflow and engine cooling. An unusually high volume of air is able to enter the cylinders thanks to the generously proportioned compressor and turbine housing as well as the size of the vaned units in the two turbo chargers. All at an optimal charge pressure of 1.5 bar.

In addition, camshafts with an increased stroke and optimal timing allow the valves to remain open for longer at the intake end. The pistons are cooled by one nozzle per cylinder, supplied by an oil pump that permits an extremely high flow rate. The oil cooler and radiator, together with the extralarge low-temperature cooler, ensure a constantly high power output, even under extreme operating conditions.