Vehicle emissions targets set years ago are starting to have an effect on what cars we can buy now, with Mercedes-Benz to cut back on AMGs.

MERCEDES-BENZ WILL reduce the availability of AMG models next year according to a report by the Financial Times.

Suggested to FT by sources at the German maker, dealers will be heavily cut from AMG product next year as Mercedes-Benz figures out how to reduce its fleet carbon emissions. The cutbacks could be as large as 75 per cent.

Currently, Mercedes-Benz’s average CO2 emissions measure 138g/km and it needs to be under 100g/km to meet European targets. If it doesn’t achieve this next year, it will face heavy fines from the EU in 2021.

These emissions targets apply to all manufacturers in Europe and are beginning to have ramifications on what vehicles will be available in other countries. For electric vehicle manufacturers, it is not a problem, even if the production of the vehicle’s battery produces high emissions, as they do not produce tailpipe emissions. And hybrid and plugin hybrids are much more emissions-friendly than diesel and petrol-only counterparts.

READ MORE: Mercedes-Benz EQC Review

This is much of the reason for the proliferation of new hybrid electric vehicles coming from many manufacturers, and fully electric vehicles such as the Mercedes-Benz EQC. But it could also mean an end to many big engines, with a report from Autocar suggesting the 2022 Mercedes-AMG C63 will ditch its 4.0-litre V8 bi-turbo for a 2.0-litre hybrid four.

It appears that Benz’s extensive AMG performance lineup is now almost at a head with creating a ‘climate-friendly’ fleet. That doesn’t mean it has to reduce the models available, but it will need to change how they are powered.

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