NEW YORK MOTOR SHOW: Hybrid tech for AMG fours

Benz's hot shop is working with Benz's hottest shop to deliver the next generation of four-cylinder powerhouses. And they'll be hybrids.

Just when you got used to the idea that Mercedes-Benz could deliver 265kW and 450Nm out of a four-cylinder engine, a tie up with the Formula One team promises even more performance from the next generation.

Mercedes-AMG President Tobias Moers confirmed the Brixworth, England, based Mercedes-AMG Formula One team were involved in developing the next generation of four-cylinder powerplants for AMG's road cars.

"We were close to them with the next generation four-cylinder engines for AMG," Moers said in New York.

"We have an engineering group up in Brixworth all the time, ever since the Brixworth guys helped us with the SLS Electric car."

Oddly, though, using the word "were" implies that the development work on the new powertrain has already been done, even though the most recent model to use the engine (the GLA 45 AMG) only launched last year.

All three models using the current engine are all-wheel drive and are based off Mercedes-Benz's small modular architecture. The quickest of them, the CLA 45 AMG, hits 100km/h in just 4.6 seconds and stretches up to an electronically limited top speed of 270km/h.

"If we want to increase the specific power we have to take care of a lot of things, with looking at a lot of parameters and that's what they're good at in Brixworth," Moers said.

But while Moers warned to expect the next generation to be even faster, just as critically, he expects them to use less fuel.

"We have had a look for electrification to boost the range, but it's not that easy.

"Regarding what hybrid programs that we have started, Brixworth is involved as well. Part of the powertrain division we have up there is developing the electrification.

"But if it's electrically boosting the turbo, the engine, the crank, the electrification and boosting is always Brixworth. Look at the Formula One power units and it's clear how good they are at it."

Electric boosting would bring more instant throttle response to cover criticisms that the four-cylinder models have too much turbo lag and that they use too much fuel in urban situations. Mr Moers said the most likely idea would be to use electric boosting to spin up the turbocharger at lower rpm, before the exhaust gases build up enough to help.

Electrification would come with significant complications for Mercedes-AMG, though, with three very different layouts to cover.

Moers said that the front drive-based A-, CLA- and GLA-Class architectures would require a completely different architectural layout for electrification than the traditional front-engine, rear-drive C-, E- and S-Class chassis and the rear-drive transaxle layout of the stand-alone GT and GT S. And then there are the SUV models and the ancient architecture of the G-Wagen – and 50 percent of G-Wagen production is sold as AMG G63 or G65 models.

But while Moers clearly favours electrifying the powertrains of his brand's machines, that enthusiasm doesn't stretch to eventually embracing fuel cells.

The output of fuel cell is not enough for us," he explained.

"You cannot do a performance car or even a full luxury car with this for the foreseeable future.

"Maybe you could do a real, pure city car, but not an AMG."