The German-based carmaker Mercedes-Benz is cutting off its twelve-cylinder flagship engine across some regions in Europe and the US, leaving it where high demand is still possible. And once Euro 7 becomes available, the V12 will no longer be available, at least not in Europe.
The V12 is not yet dead, at least not for the luxury Mercedes-Maybach S 680. It will be introduced in 2027, and the new luxury car will be equipped with the same 6.2-liter twin-turbo V12 engine but will be more powerful with 621 horsepower and 900 Nm of torque.
2027 Mercedes-Maybach S-Class The V12 will be paired with a 9-speed automatic transmission and 4-wheel drive (4MATIC) system, giving the car a 0 to 100 km/h time of 3.7 seconds. It will still have a top speed of 250 kph electronically limited.
The V12 engine will be mated to a nine-speed automatic gearbox and an all-wheel drive system (4MATIC), allowing the car to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 3.7 seconds. It will still be electronically capped at 250 kph.
Another “great news” is that Mercedes has also launched the 2027 Mercedes-Maybach S-Class fitted with the M177 Evo. This particular V12 engine has 621 horsepower and 664 lb-ft of torque, and equips the S 680 variant; the S 680 in question remains the only one in the lineup to still use the famous V12 engine.
Mercedes confirmed that the V12 cannot continue under Europe’s next emissions framework. A spokesperson told Motor1 the decision is tied directly to Euro 7, which takes effect on November 29, 2026. Germany loses it, all European Union countries lose it, and even non-EU destinations such as the UK, Norway, and Monaco are included in the withdrawal. The reason given is simple enough: producing the model for only a narrow collection of nearby markets would not be profitable.
Outside that region, however, Mercedes still keeps the twelve-cylinder available. The United States remains on the list. China does too. The Middle East also continues receiving it, where local emissions requirements are described as less restrictive than those now applying in Europe.
The story of the V12 is a long one, starting in 1991. Mercedes unveiled the first of its V12 engines, the M120, fitted in the W140 S-Class models, known as the 600 SE and 600 SEL. The first engine was a 6.0-liter, 48-valve.
Today, Mercedes-Benz remains the sole German-based automaker still utilizing this V12 engine until its eventual shutdown.
And the German-based luxury automaker has also decided to end the production of the 2022 M760i xDrive Final Edition model after a 36-year run; the model was equipped with a V12 N74 6.6-liter twin-turbo engine.
Mercedes-Maybach V12 Engine – Photo Gallery
