There’s no replacement for displacement, especially when Mercedes is hanging onto a dozen cylinders like a bakery clutching its last tray of cronuts.
And hey, while a baker’s dozen is 13, Stuttgart’s dozen is still 12… but it comes glazed with twin turbos and a side of swagger.
Mercedes’ tech boss Markus Schäfer confirmed it at the Munich motor show: the brand will keep offering V12 engines “into the next decade.” In a world where emissions rules read like a final boss fight, that’s a headline that makes enthusiasts grin like kids in a candy shop.
The push comes even as more burdensome Euro 7 regulations loom in Europe, which had many of us worried the big twelve would be retired for good. Schäfer didn’t dive into engineering specifics, but he hinted the engine will be made compatible with EU7—suggesting the wizards in Affalterbach and Sindelfingen still have a few spells left.
What Gets the V12 Now—and What Might Get It Next
Right now, the only Mercedes model that still packs a V12 is the Maybach S680, a 603bhp limo that turns every freeway on-ramp into a velvet-roped lounge. AMG’s old S65, CL 65, and SL 600 have long since left the stage, which made the S680 feel like the last torchbearer. With this confirmation, the torch isn’t just flickering—it’s officially got more candles left to burn.
The company also floated the idea that V12 models could be offered selectively by market, which tracks with how different regions are handling combustion engine timelines. Translation: if your ZIP code (or postal code) still allows it and customers want it, the twelve could roll on.
The Broader Ice Picture at Mercedes: Straights, Eights, and Strategy
There’s more good news for piston-people. Mercedes plans to move away from the controversial four-cylinder plug-in setup in the C63 and GLC 63, replacing it with updated straight-sixes or an all-new V8 that’s “almost finished” with EU7 compliance. In other words, the brand’s performance bench is getting deeper, not thinner.
Of course, Mercedes acknowledges that places like the EU and US have 2035 combustion end dates on the books—but other markets (think the Middle East, parts of Asia) may not. That’s where the V12 and friends can continue to make noise, legally and gloriously, so long as people keep ordering them.
Why This Matters to Enthusiasts
Because the V12 isn’t just an engine; it’s an experience. It’s the creamy, off-idle torque that feels like an elevator hauled by silk rope. It’s the way a Maybach S680 whispers at 80 mph like it’s idling in a cathedral. And it’s the symbolism: if the strictest regulations can be met without abandoning the twelve, then maybe the future isn’t binary.
Perhaps we get cutting-edge electrification and some beautifully over-engineered dinosaurs—refined, homologated, and still very much alive. For those of us raised on the idea that significant displacement is a kind of poetry, Mercedes keeping a V12 in the lineup feels like the epilogue we actually wanted.
The Road Ahead
No detailed model roadmap is available yet, and there are no tech breakdowns of how the V12 clears EU7. But with Mercedes saying it’ll keep selling them “where possible,” and with a fresh EU7-compliant V8 nearly ready, the message is clear: the brand isn’t phoning in its combustion swan song. It’s tuning it.
And if you’re lucky enough to live in a market that still allows a twelve, your next decade just got a lot more musical.