Latest news with #Schiebe
Newsweek
21-07-2025
- Automotive
- Newsweek
Next Year's New Electric Cars Will Sound Like Classic V8s
Today's electric cars sound like vehicles from a sci-fi movie. They emit sounds ranging from ethereal to high-pitched whines to rocket-like noises and simulated flatulence. Those sounds pair with slow motion and simulated shifts to create a new-age ambiance that has many car enthusiasts longing for the sounds of engines past. As Mercedes-AMG works to create the electric performance cars of the future, the company isn't keen to fully let go of its gasoline-powered past. Its upcoming C590 battery-electric sedan, built on the new architecture, aims to blend old sounds with new powertrain performance. "We want to set the benchmark when it comes to electric high-performance driving... We use a speedboat to give a little hint how the electric future will look like when you talk about AMG electric cars," Michael Schiebe, chairman of the board of management of Mercedes‑AMG, the performance arm of the company, and head of Mercedes‑Benz G‑Class and Mercedes‑Maybach business units, told Newsweek. "We want to use the car to break some records. This is what it's all about. Because if you claim yourself to be a performance brand, then you need to beat your competitors on the track. It's not just the talking, you need to prove it," he continued. Front of the Mercedes-AMG C590 prototype. Front of the Mercedes-AMG C590 prototype. Mercedes-AMG AMG's performance history is storied. "AMG was born on the racetrack. From the beginning, performance has been in our DNA—whether on the track or the road. Every split second matters, and the relentless pursuit of more has fueled us since day one. It's what drives us to give everything, every single day," Schiebe said. The electric era is a new frontier for the company. Though it has been including hybrid technology in its most recent cars, including the C 63 S E Performance and CLE, C590 will be a first-of-its-kind AMG vehicle developed on a platform designed to meet key performance indicators (KPIs) earmarked by AMG rather than leaning on a Mercedes-Benz base then amplifying it, the formula for much of the recent lot of AMG offerings. "When we are talking about going into the electric era, we always say it's about continuous performance, because this is the real differentiator," Schiebe said. "Most of the electric cars will be able to accelerate very fast from zero to 100 or zero to 60 [mph]. It doesn't matter. This will not be the real differentiator in an electric era in the future. "When we started with the development of the we defined certain criteria... we know that we have a very strong heritage when it comes to combustion engines and V8s and so we have a very strong customer base. And customers just love that, especially in the U.S. So if we, as a brand, come up with an electric car, we need to jump even further, because otherwise customers will just say, 'Why don't you just stick to your V8s,' and that is why we put our targets so ambitiously high, and we said we really need to jump really, really far to convince our customers." Scheibe linked performance and design to emotion, citing a combination of KPIs that make a performance AMG car a must-buy for the company's customers. One of the aspects of emotion is sound, an emotional touchpoint that battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) have struggled to wrangle. For the C590, "we actually created the feeling that our customers are used to from our beloved V8s," he said. The formula for the C590 combines the sound of previously beloved AMG vehicles with a variety of driving triggers to deliver a fully engaged sensory experience to the driver. Schiebe pointed out: "If I talk to my engineers driving the car on the Nordschleife, for example, they are not driving the cars and looking to the RPM meter all the time. They are actually driving it by all their senses; they hear the sound of the engine and everything. You need to get feedback to make a fast lap on the racetrack." Rear of the Mercedes-AMG C590 prototype. Rear of the Mercedes-AMG C590 prototype. Mercedes-AMG C590 owners will be able to experience the sounds of V8 and V12 driving in the BEV thanks to technical experts who captured the sound of those engines after blind sound tests that Schiebe compared to wine tasting. "We were standing next to the track, and then some of our young engineers were just driving by back and forth and back and forth, and we were listening," he said. After narrowing down the possibilities, engineers went to a specially engineered sound room in Affalterbach, Germany, the home to the brand, and listened to the noise in isolation. "We invested a hell of a lot of hours just to optimize it, because we think it's of such high importance. It's not just something that you delegate to one of your engineers and say, 'Please come up [with this],' because it is part of our DNA." The sounds tested for transfer from the company's extensive engine portfolio include those from the first-generation Mercedes-AMG GT, Mercedes-AMG C63 and third-generation Mercedes-AMG C-Class (W204), among others. What Is It Like to Drive? With ample acceleration on rural roads around Affalterbach, a Mercedes-AMG engineer showcased the capabilities of the forthcoming car. While dressed in camouflage and switched into its Sport+ drive modes, the prototype C590 rode as aggressively as the driver wanted, delivering simulated shifts at what felt like the appropriate torque points, matched with sounds that echoed through the cabin as if there was a real engine under the hood. Although mostly authentic-sounding, the noise would occasionally sound electronic, particularly around the end notes of a downshift brap. The experience heightened the senses, much like riding in a gasoline-powered car, though it's still not a 1:1 match. Will it be enough to persuade drivers to switch from gas to electric? That's the question. "Buying an AMG is always an emotional decision. You can go from A to B in a much cheaper [car]. So if you decide for such a car from our brand, it's an emotional topic, and this is why we invested a lot of attention, resources and money to make those cars really emotional," Schiebe said. Mercedes-AMG intends to unveil the production version of the C590 soon.
Miami Herald
30-06-2025
- Automotive
- Miami Herald
Mercedes-AMG will keep its V8 as long as possible
Mercedes-AMG just unveiled the AMG GT XX concept, a 1,341-horsepower preview of the performance division's first dedicated EV. But AMG has no plans to give up on its signature V-8 engines. In an interview with Motor1, AMG CEO Michael Schiebe said the Mercedes sub-brand's next V8 will arrive in 2027, and that-despite the emissions-related push for electrification-there's not firm date for when it will be retired. "Since we are just in the development of a new V8, there is not a natural end date that we have defined," Schiebe said. "We keep on going as long as we see that there is customer demand, and especially, you know, when it comes to the U.S., for example, we see that there are still customers that just want the V8, a pure V8. And so this is why we are investing in the technology." While current European Union rules put the bloc on a path to ending sales of new internal-combustion cars by 2035 (unless synthetic fuels enter widespread use), the V8 could live on past that point outside AMG's home market, Schiebe noted. "There is, at the moment, a natural ending in Europe," the AMG CEO said, adding that this isn't the case right now for other markets. "In the U.S., in the overseas market, where there is no certain end date, I'm pretty confident that we will carry them a couple of years, beginning of the [20]30s, middle of the [20]30s." For now, the next-generation AMG V8 is being engineered to comply with the Euro 7 emissions rules that will be in place when it arrives. These will be the last round of EU emissions rules before 2035, when stricter rules will call for new cars to have zero carbon-dioxide emissions. Synthetic fuels have been discussed as a workaround to this, but given the difficulty in scaling them up at affordable prices, a change in the rules may be the only way to keep AMG V8s alive in their home market past the middle of next decade. AMG is already leaning on plug-in hybrids as a compromise between stricter emissions rules and performance. The current iterations of the AMG C63 sedan and GLC63 crossover ditched their V8s for turbocharged four-cylinder engines fortified by plug-in hybrid systems. They may not have the delightful soundtrack of their predecessors, but these AMG models' 671 hp is nothing to sneer at. A similar plug-in hybrid system is coupled to AMG's current 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 in the S63 SL63, and GT63, increasing performance while keeping engine displacement in check. And the AMG E53 offers an EPA-rated 43 miles of electric range but can still accelerate from zero to 60 mph in 3.9 seconds. Vehicles like these could continue to play an important role at AMG. Ola Källenius, CEO of parent Mercedes-Benz, recently said the hybrid version of the redesigned CLA-Class compact would continue longer than expected due to fluctuating demand for EVs. The CLA launches with Mercedes' latest electric-powertrain tech, but the automaker is still hedging its bets with the hybrid version. It wouldn't be surprising for AMG to do the same. Copyright 2025 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Motor 1
25-06-2025
- Automotive
- Motor 1
AMG Says Its New EV Powertrain Is 'The Best V-8 We've Ever Developed'
Mercedes-Benz performance division AMG unveiled the GT XX concept Wednesday, previewing the brand's first production EV with a claimed 1,340 horsepower, 223-mph top speed, and a wild synthetic 'engine' sound. According to AMG CEO Michael Schiebe, one unnamed board member called AMG's first bespoke electric powertrain 'the best V-8 we have ever developed' during a closed-door executive drive session of a GT XX prototype. That's a bold claim for a company whose legendary V-8s have included the 5.0- and 5.5-liter 'Hammers,' the 6.2-liter M156, and the current 4.0-liter bi-turbo 'hot vee' V-8. AMG's customers love V-8s so much that they've summarily rejected the current C63 for its four-cylinder hybrid powertrain. The AMG GT XX's front and rear electric drive units. Photo by: Mercedes-AMG Photo by: Mercedes-AMG 'This is the best V-8 we have ever developed.' The GT XX Concept gets its four-figure output from three axial-flux electric motors and a battery pack with direct-cooled cylindrical cells, a setup Schiebe says is designed for repeatable performance, such as multiple hot laps of a racetrack rather than a couple of acceleration runs before needing to cool down. 'Some of the electric cars, they are very fast in accelerating from zero to 60 … but they quickly lose steam once you push them really hard,' AMG's CEO told a media roundtable during the GT XX's preview event. 'You need to be able to push [the GT XX] like a strong AMG combustion engine car.' Of course, the V-8 experience is about more than just performance. It's about theater—a distinctive rumble at idle, wall-shaking revs, and rip-snorting downshifts. That's why AMG has bestowed the GT XX with a pair of speakers inside the headlight housings broadcasting a synthesized V-8 soundtrack. The steering yoke also has paddle shifters, presumably so the driver can shift through simulated 'gears,' like in the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N . Photo by: Mercedes-AMG "Our cars are bought by customers because they are very emotional." According to Schiebe, the element of theater and passion is essential in crafting a performance EV to appeal to AMG's combustion-crazy customers. 'What does it mean when someone gets into an electric car? Is it like a quiet car driving, you know?' he asked rhetorically. 'No, it will not be like this, because our cars are bought by customers because they are very emotional.' Whether or not AMG buyers will actually put their money down for an EV remains to be seen. The GT XX concept is still a ways off from becoming a production car, and in the meantime, AMG is developing a next-generation V-8 to power several of its combustion cars. But clearly, AMG's top brass believes its electric powertrain can woo its most loyal customers. More on AMG's Future AMG's New V-8 Will Be Around for as Long as People Want It, Says CEO Mercedes-AMG's New Super Sedan Revealed: Insane Power, V-8 Noises Get the best news, reviews, columns, and more delivered straight to your inbox, daily. back Sign up For more information, read our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use . Share this Story Facebook X LinkedIn Flipboard Reddit WhatsApp E-Mail Got a tip for us? Email: tips@ Join the conversation ( )
Motor 1
25-06-2025
- Automotive
- Motor 1
AMG's New V-8 Will Be Around for as Long as People Want It, Says CEO
Mercedes-AMG just unveiled the AMG GT XX, a 1,340-horsepower super sedan concept with an electric powertrain and synthesized noise that one board member called 'the best V-8 we have ever developed.' But fans of real, combustion V-8s needn't worry, as AMG has a new one of those in development, which the brand's CEO assures us will arrive in late 2027 and stick around for a while. 'Since we are just in the development of a new V-8, there is not a natural end date that we have defined,' AMG CEO Michael Schiebe told Motor1 when asked when the company might phase out its forthcoming V-8. Photo by: 'There are still customers that just want the V-8, a pure V-8.' 'We keep on going as long as we see that there is customer demand, and especially, you know, when it comes to the US, for example, we see that there are still customers that just want the V-8, a pure V-8. And so this is why we are investing in the technology.' Schiebe acknowledged the European Union's 2035 rule that new cars must create zero CO₂ emissions, which amounts to a ban on internal combustion unless automakers can invest in synthetic fuels quickly. 'There is, at the moment, a natural ending in Europe,' he said. But other countries don't face the same cliff. 'In the US, in the overseas market, where there is no certain end date, I'm pretty confident that we will carry them a couple of years, beginning of the [20]30s, middle of the [20]30s.' Schiebe acknowledged that Europe's rules could change. That's why Mercedes ensured the V-8 met stringent EU 7 emissions regulations. 'It wouldn't make any sense to just develop it for the US. And if you develop a new V-8 at the moment, of course, it has to comply with EU 7, because it's coming at the end of 2027 and 2028 so you have to fulfill the requirements.' The new V-8 powertrain in development is rumored to be related to AMG's existing 4.0-liter 'hot vee' twin-turbo engine, potentially with a flat-plane crankshaft. We don't know for sure yet which models it will make its way into, only that it won't power the C63 anytime soon. More on AMG's Future Mercedes-AMG's New Super Sedan Revealed: Insane Power, V-8 Noises AMG Says Its New EV Powertrain Is 'The Best V-8 We've Ever Developed' Get the best news, reviews, columns, and more delivered straight to your inbox, daily. back Sign up For more information, read our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use . Share this Story Facebook X LinkedIn Flipboard Reddit WhatsApp E-Mail Got a tip for us? Email: tips@ Join the conversation ( )
Newsweek
10-06-2025
- Automotive
- Newsweek
The Future of Mercedes-AMG Is Maybach-less
Michael Schiebe is running two divisions of Mercedes-Benz that have unique buyer sets, Mercedes-AMG and Mercedes-Maybach. AMG is the performance arm of the company and Maybach has super luxury vehicle buyers. Though they have one brand boss, they won't ever combine. "We will never, ever put those brands together, because they are different brands, and they are very special, and they are unique," Schiebe told Newsweek. The publication named Schiebe its World's Greatest Auto Disruptors Visionary Disruptor of the Year this year. Maybach and AMG are on similar paths, tasked with redefining themselves in customers' eyes as the brands find themselves part of the larger Mercedes-Benz technology and sustainability stories. While AMG is tasked with pushing the performance limits of the possible, Maybach is redefining what limits are for the company's most exclusive client set. Making a car an AMG or a Maybach isn't just about slapping upgraded finishes or parts on an existing Mercedes-Benz model. "Just to give you an example, when we turn an SL into a Maybach... We have different components in the car, different software, different suspension. We define certain criteria that a Maybach needs to fulfill to be a real Maybach, and if it doesn't fulfill this requirement, it does not qualify. We will never, ever sacrifice our high ambition for the requirements we have," Schiebe explained. Big Pilot's Watch and the Mercedes-AMG G 63. Big Pilot's Watch and the Mercedes-AMG G 63. Mercedes-AMG As the next generation of Mercedes-Benz cars comes to market, fresh platforms and power approaches will allow Maybachs to take on new levels of luxury. "I would say they should stay tuned when it comes to technology, because all the next generations of our existing portfolios and new cars, our job is to make it a Maybach. It doesn't matter whether it's an S-Class or it's a GLS, or whatever future portfolio position. They will become more comfortable than they are today," Schiebe said. "If you buy Maybach, you don't want to have the mainstream car. You want to differentiate yourself. This is why Maybach cars will never be like high-volume cars. It's a very, I would say, unique customer group. They want to show that they differ or differentiate themselves from mainstream customers. This is why, of course, the Maybach is also in a different price league than just our mainstream cars." Customers should not expect Maybach to be anything other than true to itself while pushing forward. "Talking about the future, I would say it's part of our job to constantly review the portfolio," Schiebe said. "I would say we can go further down with our [special] editions. We have been very successful with the Virgil Ablow edition... I see there is further room for, let's say, very special, low volume, very specific editions," Schiebe divulged. The Limited Edition Maybach by Virgil Abloh debuted in 2022 and was based on the S-Class sedan. The Mercedes-Maybach SL Monogram Series parked in Ibiza. The Mercedes-Maybach SL Monogram Series parked in Ibiza. Mercedes-Maybach Schiebe also hinted at a "small volume, special series" that is in the works, but refused to say which of the five Maybachs currently for sale (EQS Sedan, EQS SUV, S-Class, GLS-Class and SL-Class) would be part of the project. "[Special editions] fulfill different roles," Head of Mercedes-Maybach Daniel Lescow, told Newsweek. "Certainly, they help to draw attention to the brand, especially if we do it in a combination with the collaboration. It is a part of the brand building that is a building block." "Fortunately, we have seen the brand awareness rising over the past years. That's a very, very positive development. These editions certainly have a play in that... Customers who really want to go for that very, very, very special offer, and they find this in the editions," Lescow continued. Mercedes-Maybach will enhance the luxury of its in-person experience, a process that has been underway for the last decade. "We started with the atelier in Shanghai, which is a dedicated brand space. It's important to have people there, sales personnel, that can fully indulge into the Maybach world and are able to explain not only the car, but also the brand philosophy and the brand history. And this space in particular is the essence of the brand aesthetic. If you enter that space... you immediately get an understanding what the brand stands for," Lesow said. Much of the atelier experience comes down to appealing to a customer's senses — whether it's the smell of one of the brand's signature scents, the taste of a made-to-order espresso, the feel of supple leather options for the interior of a bespoke model or show cars that serve as inspiration. Maybach has their sights set on a level of service you'd find at a high-end hotel or restaurant. "You come in, we know you as our customers, and we treat you like in a five-star restaurant. We know what you want before you come to us and then we're going show it to you," Schiebe explained. Bottles from the Mercedes-Maybach Haute Parfumerie collection. Bottles from the Mercedes-Maybach Haute Parfumerie collection. Mercedes-Maybach Brand centers are designed to go further. The company is opening its first in Seoul, "A space in the middle of the very busy Gangnam area, a very stylish area in the middle of the top shopping [district]. This will be a very, very important expression of the brand," Lescow said. With its upgraded client services offerings, the Maybach brand is looking to raise the bar on super luxury car buying, besting those long considered the leads in the business, like Rolls-Royce, Lamborghini and Bentley.
