German car makers are dropping big engines

It’s the trend at the moment, and one that won’t go down very well with our American cousins, who are fond of saying that ‘There ain’t no substitute for cubic inches’, as the three big luxury German Car Companies – Audi BMW and Mercedes – are planning to move away from their big ‘V’ engines.

BMW V10 - on the way out

The news started last week, when Audi let it be known that their new S5 will not use the V8, but will instead use a supercharged V6. Earlier this week, news came from BMW that its next generation of ‘M’ cars will forsake the V10s so beloved of M owners, and will instead go for turbo versions of the V8. And now Mercedes is to get rid of the V12.

It’s easy to understand why these luxury car makers are going this route – Co2 targets. I won’t revisit that topic here, but it looks like the days of the ‘Big’ engine without forced induction are coming to an end. Turbocharged and Supercharged smaller engines tend to deliver the same power for less emissions, which is why this is happening.

But not competely, although that may change. The Mercedes ’63’ engines are normally aspirated V8s, and have just taken over from the old ’55’ engines, which weren’t. But maybe Mercedes will roll that back too on the next generation and stick a supercharged V6 in. I suppose it makes sense, but there is something glorious about these big engines. A silky-smooth V12 in a big Merc, or a barking V10 in an M5. Oh, well.