Skip to main content

Mercedes-AMG may hire Linkin Park to develop electric car sounds

Mercedes-AMG GT four-door concept
Image used with permission by copyright holder
Electric cars offer serious performance without the penalty of emissions, but they don’t offer much in the way of sound. That’s led many enthusiasts to worry that something vital will be lost in the transition to electric power. Which is why Mercedes-Benz is considering a rather unusual idea.

The German automaker may lean on Linkin Park to develop sounds for future electric versions of its AMG performance models. In an interview with Australian car magazine Wheels, Mercedes-AMG CEO Tobias Moers said AMG is working with a wide variety of experts, including Linkin Park. So expect AMG electric cars to make people really nostalgic for the early 2000s.

“We’ve had a cooperation with Linkin Park for years,” Moers said. “We’re really close.” Mercedes-AMG unveiled a race car with a livery designed by the band last year. It’s also sponsored Linkin Park tours, and the band participated in some of AMG’s 50th-anniversary celebrations this year. But how do musicians make music for cars?

Moers said AMG has been working on artificial sound for several years. Considering that many internal-combustion cars already have their natural engine sounds augmented by noises piped into the cabin by speakers, it’s admittedly not a stretch to imagine automakers generating completely artificial sounds for electric cars. In theory, those sounds could be anything. Engineers could synthesize the sound of a V8, or make something completely alien.

We probably won’t find out right away. While parent Mercedes-Benz is aggressively pursuing all-electric cars, AMG will start out with hybrids and plug-in hybrids. Its upcoming Project One supercar will feature a Formula One-style hybrid system, meaning there will probably be plenty of engine noise. Moers said the AMG GT four-door concept (picture above) that debuted at the 2017 Geneva Motor Show is also a good indicator of the brand’s electrification plans.

Billed as a four-door version of the AMG GT sports car, the concept is rumored to be on the fast track to production. It relied on a combination of AMG’s 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V8 and electric power to produce 805 horsepower, and AMG said it would do 0 to 60 mph in less than three seconds. That’s pretty exciting, regardless of the soundtrack.

Editors' Recommendations

Stephen Edelstein
Stephen is a freelance automotive journalist covering all things cars. He likes anything with four wheels, from classic cars…
The Mercedes-AMG EQE might be the best luxury EV right now
The Mercedes-Benz EQE sedan exhibits the same bulbous looks as every Mercedes EV.

The EV world is seriously heating up. Great EVs are getting cheaper, and cheap EVs are getting better -- and while we still have a long way before they're truly affordable for everyone, that reality seems to be at least in sight. But not everyone wants a great car at a reasonable price. Some simply want a luxurious driving experience and are willing to pay for it.

If that's you, I think I've found the car for you -- the Mercedes-AMG EQE.

Read more
Mercedes-Maybach EQS SUV is old-school luxury — electrified
Front three quarter view of the Mercedes-Maybach EQS SUV.

Mercedes-Benz is preparing for an electric future with its EQ models, a line of EVs with futuristic aerodynamic styling and all of the latest infotainment tech. With several EQ models already in production, Mercedes is shifting focus to more traditional luxury.
The Mercedes-Maybach EQS SUV is the first all-electric vehicle from Maybach, the ultra-luxury subbrand of Mercedes. It takes the EQS SUV launched in 2022 and bathes it in opulence, adding more chrome on the outside and more creature comforts on the inside.
Scheduled to go on sale in the U.S. this fall, the Maybach is an unusual EV proposition, taking what is supposed be a forward-thinking design and wrapping it in old-school luxury. Ahead of its launch, Digital Trends got an up-close look at the Maybach EQS SUV to see how Mercedes is trying to balance those two aspects.

Germany's Rolls-Royce goes electric
The Maybach name has great historical significance for Mercedes. Wilhelm Maybach was one of the earliest automotive engineers. He designed the first Mercedes-branded car for the Daimler company (now Daimler-Benz), but struck out on his own after a falling out with company management. His eponymous company built Zeppelin engines, luxury cars, and, during World War II, engines for German military vehicles.
Daimler-Benz took control of Maybach in the 1960s, but left the passenger-car business dormant. Mercedes then revived the Maybach name in the early 2000s as a competitor to the likes of Rolls-Royce and Bentley, both of which are owned by rival German automakers. Given Wilhelm Maybach's history with Mercedes, it essentially brought things full circle.
The 21st-century Maybach brand started out with standalone models in the form of the Maybach 57 and Maybach 62 sedans (as well as the stunning Exelero prototype), but production ended in 2012 amid dwindling sales. Mercedes then switched to making Maybach-branded versions of existing models like the S-Class sedan and GLS-Class SUV, a pattern that continues with the Maybach EQS SUV.

Read more
Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV first drive review: ’90s look, cutting-edge tech
Front three quarter view of the 2023 Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV.

Mercedes-Benz is one of the oldest automakers in existence, but it's been among the quickest to launch a lineup of electric cars. It may not have the freshness of a startup, but what it does have are actual cars to sell to customers.

The 2023 Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV is the middle child of Mercedes' electric SUV lineup, slotting between the entry-level EQB and the flagship EQS SUV, and targeting electric luxury SUVs like the Audi E-Tron, BMW iX, and Cadillac Lyriq. Like the EQS, the EQE SUV is based on an existing sedan, hence the "SUV" suffix. In a previous first drive, we found the EQE sedan to be a good balance between luxury and livability, giving the SUV version a lot to live up to.

Read more