AMG Hybrids Coming Eventually, Diesel Unlikely
AMG isn’t worried about building anything other than gasoline-powered engines for now, but when that changes the brand will look to hybrid systems.
“Hybrid is going to be in the future of even sports cars. When will there be a pure-performance, high-tech AMG hybrid? We still have a lot of areas of improvement in the (conventional) AMG engines we have,” Mercedes-AMG chairman Ola Källenius said to Edmunds.
Despite the impending arrival of hybrid technology in mass-produced sports cars, AMG seems reluctant to take the step.
“We will do the hybrid when the market is ready for it and in markets due to their regulations,” Källenius said.
But when that becomes the case, it won’t be difficult because AMG will have Mercedes’ product portfolio to draw from.
But building a performance hybrid still comes with drawbacks. The battery systems add weight, and it’s one of the big reasons AMG is avoiding the systems as long as possible.
AMG’s latest revelation, the CLA 45 AMG, is a prime example of that. The 2.0-liter turbocharged four cylinder makes 355 hp and is at the limit, according to Källenius, for what a modern 2.0-liter engine can produce.
Meanwhile, Mercedes’ German competitors are sliding diesels into their performance lines — something AMG isn’t willing to entertain.
“We should never say never to a diesel or anything else, but I cannot see a circumstance that would change that possibility for us — what the diesel cannot do compared to a direct-injection gasoline engine is the aggressiveness and pure delivery and sound,” Källenius said.
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GALLERY: 2014 Mercedes-Benz CLA 45 AMG live pictures
GALLERY: 2014 Mercedes-Benz CLA 45 AMG
[Source: Edmunds]
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Luke is an energetic automotive journalist who spends his time covering industry news and crawling the internet for the latest breaking story. When he isn't in the office, Luke can be found obsessively browsing used car listings, drinking scotch at his favorite bar and dreaming of what to drive next, though the list grows a lot faster than his bank account. He's always on <A title="@lukevandezande on Twitter" href="http://twitter.com/lukevandezande">Twitter</A> looking for a good car conversation. Find Luke on <A title="@lukevandezande on Twitter" href="http://twitter.com/lukevandezande">Twitter</A> and <A title="Luke on Google+" href="http://plus.google.com/112531385961538774338?rel=author">Google+</A>.
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