Maybach V12 Soldiering On
When Mercedes confirmed the V12 would live on in the Maybach S680, we car nuts had reason to celebrate. These days, downsizing and electrification are the default, so seeing a 12-cylinder luxury sedan stick around feels almost defiant. The V12 isn’t just an engine for Maybach – it’s part of what makes the brand special. There’s just something different about a flagship sedan with a big, twin-turbo V12 up front.
But it’s not just enthusiasts who care. Real Maybach buyers still want twelve cylinders, especially in the US.
Customers Specifically Ask for Twelve Cylinders
Speaking during a media roundtable, Mercedes-Maybach boss Markus Bauer said demand for V12-powered Maybachs remains strong in key markets. Road & Track reported Bauer saying,
“If somebody comes in and says, ‘I want a V-12,’ it’s hard to convince them to buy a V-8,” Bauer said, according to Road & Track. He also added that the company is happy the US remains one of the strongest markets for the engine.
At the moment, the Maybach S680’s 6.0-liter twin-turbo V12 puts out 621 horsepower and 664 lb-ft of torque. You can still get it in North America, China, South Korea, Japan, and the Middle East. Europe, on the other hand, has moved on to electrified six-cylinder and V8 options.
Mercedes points out that some of its latest electrified V8s come close to matching the V12’s performance. The new flat-plane-crank 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8, for example, makes over 530 horsepower. Still, Bauer says the V12 just fits the Maybach flagship. In his words, “The V-12 and Maybach go very well together. Our ambition is always to offer the V-12.”
These days, there aren’t many four-door luxury cars left with twelve cylinders. Rolls-Royce still has them in the Ghost and Phantom, but BMW has dropped the V12 from the 7 Series, and Bentley’s W12 is history. That makes the Maybach S680 one of the last classic luxury sedans still flying the flag for twelve cylinders.
Mercedes-Benz
Emissions Rules Catching Up With the V12
The reason Europe is losing the V12 Maybach largely comes down to regulations. Mercedes confirmed that incoming Euro 7 emissions standards would make the M279 6.0-liter twin-turbo V12 noncompliant in European and Certificate of Conformity markets. Countries following those standards will instead receive the updated V8-powered version as the range-topper.
Mercedes also admits that demand for V12s in Europe has dropped off compared to places like the US and China. That probably made it tough to justify reworking the engine to meet stricter rules.
For now, America’s ongoing love for big engines is helping keep the V12 alive. Whether it sticks around for a few more years or fades out by decade’s end, Mercedes-Maybach looks set to offer twelve cylinders for as long as the rules let them.
Mercedes-Benz
