Although the idea of having an AMG Black Series running on ethanol or a hybrid model seems far-fetched considering what AMG has come to stand for ever since it tweaked its fist car, we are likely to see any of the two in a very near future. “(...) we have the technology to improve economy and performance – and you’ll see it sooner than you think,” said AMG boss Volker Mornhinweg in a recent interview to CAR Magazine.
According to the same source, the German tuner has already reached a climax in power and torque output research and is currently looking for ways of channeling resources into development of cleaner vehicles. Before getting knee deep in new engine development and alternative power source conversion, the blokes over at AMG are trying to lower their cars' emission levels and improve fuel efficiency by some rather “raw” methods. “Power is not a problem for us, so we’ll be focusing heavily on materials technology to lower weight and boost the power-to-weight ratios of our cars,” Mornhinweg said.
Although petrol-heads may have to pop a few Tylenols to digest the news, there is no way for any of the auto-producers to avoid the massive landslide that has already caught some European, Japanese and US producers under cubic-feet of spine-braking car-reinvention. Of course, cars running on photosynthesis are a thing of the distant future while hybrids and electrical cars are steadily growing in numbers.
Asked about how an AMG hybrid would work, Mornhinweg described a vehicle with start-top and energy recuperation technology while pointing out a functionality that is to improve the current 6.2 L V8 fuel and emission efficiency by nearly 30%. Expected to go on public display by the end of the decade, the vehicle is likely to borrow a lot of features from today's going S400 Blue Hybrid car.
Having freshly taken a new path, the German tweak-smith is also likely to explore other fuel-efficiency options, including adding a new Diesel power unit.
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