The head of Mercedes-AMG has suggested the Stuttgart-based firm’s performance division is likely to switch all of its models to all-wheel drive, with rear-driven AMG-badged models set to die out.

Speaking to Autocar, Tobias Moers said “customers have given us the answer, and most want four-wheel drive”.

“Back in the days when we had an AMG E-Class as rear-wheel drive and with four-wheel drive as an option, over 90 percent chose four-wheel drive. In the new E63 with drift mode, you have a real rear-wheel-drive car but with four-wheel drive also.”

Moers went on to hint even the Mercedes-AMG GT family would eventually ditch the rear-driven configuration.

“When I ask customers about the GT, they ask me about all-wheel drive. Regarding our competition, this is the downside of the AMG in terms of usability. People in Munich, for example, always, always ask for four-wheel drive – I think it’s for safety and stability,” he said.

Moers furthermore told the British publication “we are not going to push the performance output of the V8 in future”, with the Affalterbach-based company instead set to add hybrid technology to the mix.

In addition, he confirmed the S65 Final Edition would be the end of the V12 in the Mercedes-AMG stable.

“We’re still responsible for V12s – maybe Maybach is going to use them in the next-generation S-Class, but not AMG. Having a high-powered competitive V12 would be a new engine, and in the new times there is no room to do that,” he said.

Original article from Car