Mercedes continues its downsizing program by making smaller V8s, more four-cylinders, and now reviving straight-six units.

This is going to make BMW feel so smug because they’ve been using I-6 engines stubbornly for years while Mercedes chose the V-6 instead. Now that Merc is coming to their way of thinking, they are kinda admitting BMW was right all along.

What’s more Mercedes is also thinking of making twin-turbo straight-six engines. That is something that BMW first thought of and is using it in a number of models. The question is, will an I-6 Mercedes be as nice as the good old 3.5 liter V6?

With the V6s gone, V8s are now feeling more and more worried about their future. Mercedes has already omitted the V8 option for many new models and will only offer it for AMG models. But even they are getting smaller and smaller. The old 6.3 has been repalced with a 5.5 liter, and that will eventually be replaced by a 4.0 liter unit.

These changes will happen gradually until 2015 when the whole Mercedes range could become very different than what we know today.

source: CAR