Watch the International Engine + Powertrain of the Year
Awards 2019 highlights
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450PS to 550PS
Results
| ENGINE | POINTS |
|---|---|
| WINNER! - Mercedes-AMG 4-litre biturbo V8 (Mercedes-AMG GT, GT S, GT C, GT R, S, C, E, G, GLC, Maybach S, Aston Martin Vantage, DB11) |
244 |
| Porsche 4-litre boxer (Porsche 911 GT3, 911 R) |
228 |
| BMW M 3-litre twin-turbo six-cylinder (BMW M M3, M3 Competition, M4, M4 Competition, M4 CSL) |
171 |
| Porsche 3.8-litre boxer turbo (Porsche 911 Turbo, 911 Turbo S, GT2 RS) |
154 |
| McLaren 3.8-litre twin-turbo V8 (McLaren 540C, 570S, 570GT, 600LT) |
149 |
| Fiat Chrysler 2.9-litre V6 twin-turbo (Alfa Romeo Giulia QV, Stelvio QV) |
119 |
Winner's Video
Winner's Interview
Cars
MERCEDES-AMG’S 4-LITRE V8 TOOK THIS YEAR’S TITLE
THE BITURBO ENGINE POWERS AMG’S LATEST E-CLASS
JUST 16 POINTS SEPARATED FIRST AND SECOND PLACE
THE V8 POWERS A NUMBER OF MERCEDES-AMG CARS
❝ Mercedes-AMG manages to stir the soul with a proper V8 soundtrack and performance to match in many applications ❞
Nicol Louw, Car South Africa
Review
Technical Specification
Mercedes-AMG GT
- engine capacity: 3,982cc
- number of cylinders: 8
- power output: 486-517PS
- bore x stroke : 83 x 92mm
- compression ratio: 10.5:1
A brand synonymous with creating transcendent V8s, Mercedes-AMG’s guttural 4-litre biturbo M178 is a hand-built masterpiece that never fails to propel passengers into a state of giddiness, whether applied in a Mercedes-AMG GT, GT S, or Aston Martin DB11.
In the judges’ scoring, the OEM’s eight-cylinder bested Porsche’s 4-liter boxer by a relatively narrow margin but beat BMW’s M three-litre twin-turbo six-cylinder hands down.
Innovation lies at this engine’s heart, where two turbochargers
are mounted on the inside in a ‘V’ configuration, rather than on the outside as has traditionally been the case. It’s the first sports car engine to feature this ‘hot inside V’ feature and dry sump lubrication, which offers the benefits of a more compact design and can be installed lower in the car for a more road-hugging centre of gravity and greater lateral dynamics. The system also ensures an optimum amount of fresh air to both exhaust gas turbochargers, as well as electronically controlled blow-off valves, delivering a highly precise performance where 2.3 times more oxygen atoms are channelled into the turbocharged engine than would be the case in an atmo.
The result is motor racing level performance with an output range from 468PS to 517PS with the block in the Mercedes-AMG GT S pushing 163Nm of torque per litre for a white-knuckle maximum of 650Nm at 6,250rpm. All from a lightest-in-its-class block weighing just 209kg.
But power is just one facet of this V8’s appeal – its notorious snarling soundtrack is also an essential (and expected) element of the experience, which doesn’t disappoint. Here, the M178 engine has been specifically engineered with its own distinctive tonal notes for the GT, notes that can be physically felt when the exhaust flaps open under full load.
John Carey, who writes for Cars Guide in Australia, claims, “The 4-litre twin-turbo V8 from Mercedes-AMG is a versatile beast, at home in everything from an SUV to GT.” And we couldn’t agree more.
In the judges’ scoring, the OEM’s eight-cylinder bested Porsche’s 4-liter boxer by a relatively narrow margin but beat BMW’s M three-litre twin-turbo six-cylinder hands down.
Innovation lies at this engine’s heart, where two turbochargers
are mounted on the inside in a ‘V’ configuration, rather than on the outside as has traditionally been the case. It’s the first sports car engine to feature this ‘hot inside V’ feature and dry sump lubrication, which offers the benefits of a more compact design and can be installed lower in the car for a more road-hugging centre of gravity and greater lateral dynamics. The system also ensures an optimum amount of fresh air to both exhaust gas turbochargers, as well as electronically controlled blow-off valves, delivering a highly precise performance where 2.3 times more oxygen atoms are channelled into the turbocharged engine than would be the case in an atmo.
The result is motor racing level performance with an output range from 468PS to 517PS with the block in the Mercedes-AMG GT S pushing 163Nm of torque per litre for a white-knuckle maximum of 650Nm at 6,250rpm. All from a lightest-in-its-class block weighing just 209kg.
But power is just one facet of this V8’s appeal – its notorious snarling soundtrack is also an essential (and expected) element of the experience, which doesn’t disappoint. Here, the M178 engine has been specifically engineered with its own distinctive tonal notes for the GT, notes that can be physically felt when the exhaust flaps open under full load.
John Carey, who writes for Cars Guide in Australia, claims, “The 4-litre twin-turbo V8 from Mercedes-AMG is a versatile beast, at home in everything from an SUV to GT.” And we couldn’t agree more.