The 4.3-litre 90° V8 in question was based on the unit found in Mercedes’ W210 class E 430, production of which had got underway in August 1997.

These Type M113 E 43 units ran a single overhead camshaft per bank, three valves per cylinder (two intake, one exhaust), twin spark ignition, wet-sump lubrication and sequential fuel-injection. Other equipment included an aluminium oil pan and pistons, iron-coated piston skirts, hollow forged steel connecting rods, single-piece cast camshafts and a magnesium intake manifold. The block itself was fashioned from Alusil (an aluminium-silicon alloy).

Displacement was 4266cc thanks to a bore and stroke of 89.9mm and 84mm respectively.

With a compression ratio of 10.0:1, peak output was 275bhp at 5750rpm and 295lb-ft at 3000 to 4400rpm.

Unlike the standard 4.3-litre V8 built in Unterturkheim, the AMG versions assembled in Affalterbach came with an array of upgrades to increase output, particularly at higher engine speeds. These included stiffer valve springs, modular instead of cast camshafts with modified timing (to provide additional overlap), a shaved and polished crankshaft, a higher pressure oil pump, oil jets to cool the bottoms of the pistons, bigger fuel injectors, a new free-flow twin-tube air-cleaner and a ported magnesium intake manifold. The ECU was also re-mapped.

The net result was an additional 27bhp and 7lb-ft with 302bhp at 5850rpm and 302lb-ft at 3250rpm.