When Mercedes-AMG revealed the all-new C63 S last year, it surprised everyone including the enthusiasts. However, not everyone was thrilled with what the automaker did. That’s because it no longer has a V8 under the hood and instead has a 2.0-liter four-cylinder with an electric turbo for zero lag.

In addition, it’s now a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) as the inline-four is assisted by a rear electric motor powered by a 6.1-kWh lithium-ion battery pack. The result is a total system output of 680 PS with 1,020 Nm of torque. Despite halving the cylinders and displacement, Mercedes-AMG was still able to extract supercar-like performance figures from a 2.0-liter turbo and its electric motor.

The new 2.0-liter plug-in hybrid turbo by Mercedes-AMG

Alas, some enthusiasts were none too pleased. Some even said that it might not be enough to compete against the M3 despite the new C63 S having more power. In addition, the E63 will also reportedly drop the V8 engine for a plug-in hybrid inline-six. With the next-gen M5 set to be revealed with a twin-turbo hybrid V8, BMW M might outpace the Mercedes-AMG sedans.

Based on a new report however, Mercedes-AMG has apparently decided to bring back the 4.0-liter M177 twin-turbo V8 for the C-Class and E-Class in 2026. In an article published by Car & Driver, two independent sources shared that the eight-cylinder engine is being modified to meet Euro 7 emission standards.

The 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 by Mercedes-AMG

According to senior engineers involved in the matter, both the all-new C-Class and E-Class will only need minor bodywork revisions in order to accommodate the V8 engine and the plug-in hybrid setup. No exact output figures have been given but the hybrid V8 already makes an impressive 842 PS in the AMG GT63 S E Performance and 801 PS in the AMG S63.

Should the 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 make its triumphant return in either the C-Class or E-Class AMGs by 2026, we won’t be surprised if it will crank out more power and torque than the 2.0-liter version which already pumps out 680 PS, and over 1,000 Nm of pull.

Perhaps the only question now is, will the V8 engine be able to meet the stricter Euro 7 emission standard laws come 2026. More importantly, will it replace the 2.0-liter plug-in hybrid setup currently found in the C63 S E Performance?