These Mercedes Models Could Soon Use BMW Powertrains

Yes, you are reading that right. The two luxe German marques that have spent the best part of the last century competing with each other are in advanced talks about Mercedes-Benz utilizing one of BMW’s finest modern engines under the hood of a whole swathe of new models that are to be released in the next few years. While nothing is fully confirmed by either luxury German brand yet, the latest reports suggest that in the coming years, they are putting their differences aside and teaming up.

The so-far unconfirmed plans are for a fair few Mercedes-Benz sedans and SUVs to boast the BMW B48 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-four to meet looming emissions regulations in Europe, and for the two German heavyweights to potentially share an engine plant here in the U.S.A. We think it is a great idea and will certainly give some Mercedes models a different sporty edge; here are the Mercedes-Benz models that could benefit from the new partnership.

Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class

Base Trim Engine

2L I4 Hybrid

Base Trim Transmission

8-speed auto-shift manual

Base Trim Drivetrain

Front-Wheel Drive

Base Trim Horsepower

221 HP @5500 RPM

Base Trim Torque

258 lb.-ft. @ 1800 RPM

Next year’s Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class will again hit hard in the luxury compact SUV market, with a blend of sporty performance and a high-end cabin. Next year’s GLA will have a starting price of $41,500 and will be available with a choice of two engines: a 221-horsepower 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-four mild-hybrid under the hood of the GLA 250, or a much more powerful 302-horsepower turbocharged inline-four for the AMG GLA 35.

Because both models utilize an inline-four already, we can see a potential BMW engine swap as being relatively “straightforward,” compared to swapping engines from a V-engined model. Plus, the B48 is a modular engine, so if the two German stalwarts end up sharing an engine plant, we hope to see some parts being interchangeable.

The 2026 GLA is going to deliver a refined, techy cabin as standard, with dual 10.25-inch digital displays, a Nappa leather steering wheel, front 8-way power seats, dual-zone voice-activated climate control, and premium MB-Tex upholstery.

You are also going to be able to upgrade the interior with heated seats, a panoramic sliding sunroof, memory seat trim in natural wood grain, and a 360-degree camera. Outside the reported engine sharing, we expect the GLA-Class that gets the BMW engine to carry on being as plush inside.

Mercedes-Benz GLB-Class

Base Trim Engine

2L I4 ICE

Base Trim Transmission

8-speed auto-shift manual

Base Trim Drivetrain

Front-Wheel Drive

Base Trim Horsepower

221 HP @5500 RPM

Base Trim Torque

258 lb.-ft. @ 1800 RPM

Like the GLA-Class, next year’s GLB-Class SUV will come equipped with the 221-horsepower turbocharged inline-four. The GLB is slightly more expensive at build, with a starting price of $43,800, but you do get a bigger SUV that offers up to 62 cubic feet of storage space and the same kind of luxury driving you’d expect from a German SUV.

As standard, next year’s GLB-Class will come equipped with 4-wheel independent suspension, Direct-Steer, DYNAMIC SELECT, torque vectoring braking, and an 8G-DCT dual clutch auto box, so it is going to be more than just a comfortable ride.

If you want to take things a little further, optional extras include adjustable suspension with Mercedes’ Adaptive Damping System, a sports brake system, third-row seating, ambient lighting, sport front seats, a heated steering wheel, and leather upholstery.

It may come with quite a lot to start with, but there is a huge amount you can do to personalize the GLB-Class and make it a bit more athletic.

Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class

Base Trim Engine

EV

Base Trim Transmission

Automatic

Base Trim Drivetrain

Rear-Wheel Drive

Base Trim Horsepower

268 HP

Base Trim Torque

247 lb.-ft.

Throwing a lot of modern powertrain tech at the new CLA-Class, Mercedes is offering it up as a fully-electric model and a hybrid model. The hybrid model will boast a 1.5-liter turbocharged mill paired with a 48-volt hybrid rig. Power output hasn’t been confirmed yet, but Mercedes has confirmed that it will be offered with two different power ratings and in either front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive.

While we expect to see the 268-horsepower CLA-Class EV sedan retain its impressive dual-motor configuration in the future, the hybrid models could well be earmarked for the slightly larger BMW B48 inline-four. If the BMW engine makes it to the coupe-looking CLA-Class sedan, we can also expect the B48 to be paired with a hybrid system like we have seen in the BMW 330e for a larger-displacement and potentially more powerful setup.

Mercedes-Benz C-Class

Base Trim Engine

2L I4 Hybrid

Base Trim Transmission

9-speed automatic

Base Trim Drivetrain

All-Wheel Drive

Base Trim Horsepower

255 HP @5800 RPM

Base Trim Torque

295 lb.-ft. @ 2000 RPM

Currently available with a starting price of $48,500 for the 2025 C 300 Sedan, the C-Class blends a classic luxury sedan style with a slightly muscular tone and a very techy cockpit, and we expect that to continue if it receives the BMW B48 inline-four in the coming years.

Inside, you get voice-activated controls, an 11.9-inch touchscreen, the MBUX system, a very driver-centric design throughout the cabin, and a sporty edge that can only get better with a powerful BMW engine.

This year’s C-Class comes standard equipped with a respectably powerful 2.0-liter inline-four mild-hybrid that can kick out 255 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque.

You can, of course, go for the more potent and sporty AMG C 43 and AMG 63 E Performance models, which boast 416-horsepower and 671-horsepower engines, respectively, but as the B48 inline-four standard horsepower generally ranges from 255 horsepower to 312 horsepower, the addition of it to a future entry-level C-Class could up the performance credentials while still complying with the new Euro 7 emissions controls, which will undoubtedly have a knock-on effect on how European cars are turned out here in the U.S.A.

Mercedes-Benz E-Class

Base Trim Engine

2L I4 Hybrid

Base Trim Transmission

9-speed automatic

Base Trim Drivetrain

Rear-Wheel Drive

Base Trim Horsepower

255 HP @5800 RPM

Base Trim Torque

295 lb.-ft. @ 2000 RPM

As one of the standout mid-size luxury sedans for fans of German cars, the 2026 Mercedes-Benz E-Class looks to be continuing its run on potent, very luxe, and aggressive-looking models. With a starting price of $64K and a reported RepairPal reliability rating of 2.5 out of 5, there isn’t much that doesn’t scream luxury about it.

Next year’s E-Class will come equipped with a 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-four mild-hybrid, which boasts direct injection, multi-spark ignition, and NANOSLIDE cylinder wall tech, paired with a 9G-TRONIC automatic transmission. The entry-level engine is good for 255 horsepower, with all this power being tamed by Mercedes’ Agility Control, torque-vectoring braking, and 4-wheel multi-link suspension; so even at base level, you are in for a sporty ride.

You can beef up what the E-Class can offer, though. Either by opting for the E450 4MATIC, which boasts a 375-horsepower turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six mild-hybrid and the 4MATIC all-wheel-drive system (which we can presume will keep hold of its inline-six), or by adding AIRMATIC suspension, 4.5-degree rear-axle steering, and the Adaptive Damping System Plus (ADS+) to the admittedly very expensive base trim.

Mercedes-Benz GLC Class

Base Trim Engine

2L I4 Hybrid

Base Trim Transmission

9-speed automatic

Base Trim Drivetrain

All-Wheel Drive

Base Trim Horsepower

255 HP @5800 RPM

Base Trim Torque

295 lb.-ft. @ 2000 RPM

Another Mercedes-Benz SUV that could be receiving the BMW B48 inline-four is the GLC Class, or more specifically, the GLC 300. Currently, and in next year’s model, another 2.0-liter inline-four mild-hybrid takes center stage. Again, 255 horsepower is the power output, and you get a decent rest-to-60 time of 5.9 seconds, which is why we can make a presumption that the B48 mill will fit nicely under the hood of it.

As standard, the GLC 300 comes equipped with the third-gen MBUX package, a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, an 11.9-inch touchscreen, biometric authentication, OTA software updates, and a steering wheel with touch control buttons. You get a lot, but all of this can be juiced up with the Exclusive Trim ($2,200) or the Pinnacle Trim ($4,150), which includes:

• More ambient lighting (Exclusive Trim).
• Illuminated front door sills (Exclusive Trim).
• Burmester 3D Surround Sound System (Exclusive Trim).
• Sound Personalization (Exclusive Trim).
• Digital Light LED headlamps (Pinnacle Trim).
• MBUX Augmented Video for Navigation (Pinnacle Trim).
• HUD (Pinnacle Trim).
• Heat and noise-insulating glass (Pinnacle Trim).

Mercedes-Benz “Baby” G-Class

Base Trim Engine

4L AMG V8 Hybrid

Base Trim Transmission

9-speed automatic

Base Trim Drivetrain

All-Wheel Drive

Base Trim Horsepower

577 HP @6000 RPM

Base Trim Torque

627 lb.-ft. @ 2500 RPM

We all love the Mercedes-Benz G-Wagen; it is a proper icon, it has become a cult hero, and it is available with some very potent powertrains. Mercedes-Benz is talking about bringing in a ‘ Baby G-Class,’ which is tipped to be cheaper and smaller than the iconic G-Wagen, but still as gnarly-looking, luxurious, iconic, and useful both on and off-road.

Current thoughts are that there will be an EV Baby-G and potentially a model boasting a V8 (likely to be the same or similar to what is utilized in the 510-horsepower GLE 580), but, because of the talks between BMW and Mercedes-Benz, maybe we will see a potent B48 turbo-four under its hood.

Some of the most powerful variants of the BMW B48 inline-fours include the units utilized in the BMW M135i xDrive (306 horsepower) and in the 2025 BMW X3 M50 (393 horsepower), so with the Baby-G being smaller than the older, larger models, and with BMW’s mild-hybrid setup able to kick out some proper power (even under the hood of SUVs), we think it may suit it very well.