High Performance Hybrid

When people think of buying a hybrid, they think of fuel economy and practicality. And where fuel economy is concerned, speed is usually sacrificed.

Hybrid vehicles aren't associated with high performance.

A group of engineers however think otherwise.

Mercedes-AMG, the high performance division of Mercedes-Benz responsible for monstrous vehicles such as the S65 that boasted a V12 engine capable of delivering 604 hp, is planning to produce the first ever high performance hybrid car.

The new V8 in the company's lineup will have a Hybrid version labeled "Blue Power". Being a V8, the car is obviously performance oriented. However, the integration of the electric engine means that the car should still be able to have restricted zero-emission capability.

AMG Research and Development Director Wolf Zimmermann mentioned that he was excited with the challenge of being able to deliver a high end high-performance vehicle while still being able to meet ecological standards.

The project seems to be an attempt by Mercedes-AMG to respond to growing environmental concerns without destroying the division's essence.

It would be interesting to see how this whole project pans out.