Mercedes is preparing to wind down several four cylinder AMG performance models, reshaping the lower end of its high performance range just a few years after betting heavily on compact, electrified drivetrains. The shift reflects a mix of regulatory pressure and lukewarm customer response, and it will start to bite by 2026 as production of some of these cars is reportedly phased out.
What is emerging from internal memos and regional reporting is a picture of an automaker that is being forced to rethink how it builds fast, relatively affordable AMGs in an era of strict noise rules and tightening emissions limits. I see a brand that is trying to protect its halo products while quietly backing away from four cylinder flagships that never fully won over traditional enthusiasts.
Four cylinder AMGs head for the exit by mid 2026
The clearest signal of change is that a group of four cylinder AMG models is now reportedly on a firm timeline to end production by May of 2026. Earlier in Nov 2025, detailed reporting described how a number of these so called four popper AMGs are scheduled to be discontinued by May of that year at the latest, with internal planning already treating that date as a hard stop for several niche variants that never became core sellers. That same reporting, published on Nov 19, 2025, framed the move as a response to both market reality and the cost of keeping these complex drivetrains compliant in multiple regions, especially in Europe.
Additional coverage on Nov 16, 2025, cited an internal roadmap that pointed to the same May cutoff, describing how a variety of four cylinder AMG models would be wound down in the first half of 2026 and explicitly tying that decision to the limited affection these cars have earned among traditional buyers. According to that German language reporting, which was summarized in English, the plan is to let existing orders run their course and then quietly end production of several little loved AMG derivatives by May, before a new wave of regulations arrives in July of the next year. I read that as Mercedes using the calendar to its advantage, exiting marginal products before compliance costs spike.
Noise rules, not just demand, are driving the retreat
Customer demand is only part of the story, because regulators are about to make life much harder for loud performance cars of every size. Earlier in Nov 2025, analysis of European policy warned that Mercedes and AMG may have to curtail production of several models due to noise, pointing directly to Phase 3 of a United Nations Economic framework that tightens external sound limits for new vehicles. The reporting explained that this Phase would apply to a broad range of cars and could affect American model availability as well, since manufacturers prefer to engineer one global package rather than build separate exhaust and sound systems for each market.
Another detailed breakdown on Nov 17, 2025, focused on a new rule set for July 2026 that targets the sound levels emitted by vehicles in urban environments, effectively squeezing out some of the loudest performance variants. That piece described how the July deadline is forcing AMG planners to look closely at which models can be made a lot quieter from 2026 onward and which are better retired, and it cited an internal memo seen by several outlets that laid out the likely casualties. When I connect those dots, the timing of the four cylinder AMG phase out by May of 2026 looks less like coincidence and more like a deliberate move to step away from marginal, noisy products before the July rule takes effect.
The controversial C63 plug in hybrid is caught in the crossfire
Among the most high profile casualties is the four cylinder, plug in hybrid Mercedes AMG C63, a car that was meant to showcase the brand’s electrified future but instead became a lightning rod for criticism. Reporting on Nov 17, 2025, noted that this model, which pairs a turbocharged four cylinder with a powerful electric motor, is now reportedly headed for the chopping block after just a few short years on sale. The same coverage linked its fate directly to the external noise limits that are tightening in Europe, explaining that the complex exhaust and sound management hardware required to keep the car compliant would be difficult to justify for a model that has not fully captured the hearts of long time AMG fans.
Another Nov 17, 2025, summary, drawing on Germany based sources, reinforced that narrative by stating that, according to Germany and Elektro reporting, the C63’s four cylinder plug in hybrid layout has struggled to win over buyers who associate AMG with larger displacement engines and a more traditional soundtrack. In that context, the decision to end production of this controversial flagship alongside other four cylinder AMGs by May of 2026 looks less like a one off reversal and more like part of a broader reset of AMG’s electrification strategy at the performance sedan level.
Internal memos, AMG leadership, and the future of the V8
Behind the scenes, internal documents and executive comments are shaping how this transition is understood. An internal memo, seen by several outlets and discussed in mid Nov 2025, reportedly spelled out that the AMG lineup would have to become a lot quieter from 2026 onward, with specific references to models that could not realistically be adapted to the new sound limits. That same memo was cited in coverage of the July 2026 rule, which targets urban noise levels and effectively forces AMG to choose between heavy acoustic engineering or strategic withdrawals from certain segments.
In public, AMG’s CEO, Michael Schiebe, has been keen to reassure loyalists that the V8 is not going away even as four cylinder AMGs are trimmed. According to the reporting that summarized his comments, Schiebe reaffirmed that the V8 is not on the chopping block and positioned it as a core part of AMG’s identity, even as the brand prepares to make its cars a lot quieter from 2026 onward. I read that stance as a clear signal that AMG intends to protect its most iconic powertrains while using the four cylinder models as a pressure valve, cutting them first to stay within regulatory limits and preserve the emotional appeal of its higher end cars.
How European rules ripple into global AMG availability
Although the regulatory trigger points are European, the impact will not be confined to that market. Analysis published on Nov 13, 2025, explained that Phase 3 of the United Nations Economic noise framework would affect not only European deliveries but also American model availability, because Mercedes and AMG prefer to engineer their cars to a single global standard. The report noted that Mercedes AMG may have to curtail production of several models due to noise, and it highlighted how the cost of building separate versions for different regions would be hard to justify for lower volume four cylinder AMGs.
Complementary reporting on Nov 16, 2025, which drew on German language outlet Elektroauto News, described how the internal plan to discontinue a variety of four cylinder AMG models by May of 2026 was shaped with this global picture in mind. According to that German and Elektro coverage, the strategy is to align the end of production with the July 2026 regulatory step so that AMG does not have to invest in new exhaust and sound systems for cars that are already struggling to justify their place in the lineup. From my perspective, that approach underscores how European rules increasingly set the tone for performance cars worldwide, even when the most vocal buyers live in markets like the United States.
Why these AMGs struggled to win hearts
Regulation may be the catalyst, but the four cylinder AMGs being retired were not exactly darlings of the enthusiast community. Reporting on Nov 19, 2025, described them bluntly as unloved four popper AMGs and detailed how some of these models, including compact sedans and wagons, failed to generate the kind of demand that would justify heavy investment in future compliance. The same coverage noted that they are now expected to be discontinued by May of 2026 at the latest, a timeline that reflects both their modest sales and the looming regulatory deadlines.
On Nov 16, 2025, another report, again drawing on German and Elektroauto News sources, referred to these cars as little loved AMG variants and emphasized that, according to that German reporting, the decision to end production was as much about customer sentiment as it was about noise rules. When I look at that language, I see a pattern: these four cylinder AMGs were technically impressive but emotionally misaligned with what many buyers expect from the badge, especially when priced close to six cylinder or V8 alternatives. In that light, their retirement by May of 2026 feels less like a shock and more like an overdue correction.
What this means for AMG’s performance roadmap
Stepping back, the phase out of several four cylinder AMGs by May of 2026 and the arrival of a new noise rule in July 2026 together mark a turning point for Mercedes performance strategy. The brand is being pushed to reconcile its ambitions for electrified, downsized powertrains with the realities of customer expectations and the hard limits set by regulators. Internal memos that call for a lot quieter cars from 2026 onward, combined with Michael Schiebe’s reassurance that the V8 is not being abandoned, suggest that AMG will double down on its most iconic engines while being more selective about where it deploys complex four cylinder hybrids.
For buyers, the near term effect will be fewer choices at the entry point to the AMG range and a likely shift toward either fully electric performance models or more traditional six and eight cylinder flagships that have been carefully engineered to meet Phase 3 of the United Nations Economic noise framework. The reporting from Nov, including the detailed accounts of how Mercedes and AMG may have to curtail production of several models due to noise and how a variety of four cylinder AMG models will be discontinued by May of 2026, paints a consistent picture of a lineup in transition. I expect that, as these four cylinder AMGs disappear, the brand will work hard to ensure that whatever replaces them, whether electric or hybrid, feels more authentically AMG than some of the outgoing cars ever did.
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