AMG is all about powerful V8s and the latest engine from Affalterbach fits right in the family. Now we have the official specs on the motor that will make its home in the 2015 Mercedes-AMG GT. How does 510 horsepower and 480 pound-feet of torque sound?
The M178 weights 460 pounds, comes with "hot inside V" turbos, and has dry sump lubrication. Mounting the turbos inside the V configuration rather than on the outside of the cylinder banks makes for a compact engine while also helping throttle response and fuel economy.
Dry sump lubrication not only allows the engine to be installed lower, but also let's you push your Mercedes-AMG GT as hard on the track as you dare.
We pretty much know how the car looks and we also heard AMG's new V8 before, but now, we also have the full specifications of this exciting engine which might even make it into an Aston Martin at some point.
For all the engine geeks out there:
| Cylinder arrangement | V8 |
| Cylinder angle | 90° |
| Valves per cylinder | 4 |
| Displacement | 3982 cc |
| Bore x stroke | 83.0 x 92.0 mm |
| Cylinder spacing | 90 mm |
| Compression ratio | 10.5 : 1 |
| Output | 510 hp at 6250 rpm |
| Output per litre | 128 hp/litre |
| Max. torque | 650 Nm at 1750 – 4750 rpm |
| Torque per litre | 163.2 Nm/litre |
| Maximum engine speed | 7200 rpm |
| Maximum charge pressure | 1.2 bar |
| Peak pressure | 130 bar |
| Engine weight (dry) | 209 kg |
| Emissions standard | Euro 6 |
If any of this looks familiar, your not alone. Basically, they doubled the 2.0 turbo you find in the A 45 AMG, CLA 45 AMG and GLA 45 AMG. It's got the same piezo injectors and cylinder bore surfaces hardened by Mercedes' Nanoslide technology. They've been using that since 2006 and it has proved its worth so far in the previous AMG V8 as well as in the current AMG F1 cars.
With a redline at 7,200, it has more about torque as usual from AMG, giving you full thrust from as low as 1,750 rpm. That will equate to rapid acceleration at any speed, in any gear. I would expect lots of tire smoke too.
The 4.0's dry sump system circulates nine liters of engine oil and lowers the engine by 2.16 inches. With a capacity to move 250 liters per minute, its control unit adjusts engine oil suction depending on how hard you hit the gas. Cylinder heads are made of zirconium alloy for durability, while direct injection pushes fuel into the cylinders at pressures up to 2,900 psi.
The turbos rev at a maximum speed of 186,000 rpm, have electric blow-off valves and push 2.3 times more oxygen into the chambers as an N/A engine would. The exhausts come with variable flaps.
I would expect all of you use to use the loud settings at all times.