Pagani, Mercedes-AMG say V12s are separate

Italian sports-car maker Pagani and Mercedes-AMG, the high-performance division of Mercedes-Benz, on Thursday said that the engine for the future Pagani C9 supercar is not the same engine used in the Mercedes-Benz SL65 AMG Black Series roadster.

The unusual announcement--automakers typically don't comment on future-product programs--refutes reports about the Pagani C9's engine.

In January, Road and Track magazine reported that the V12 for the C9 was derived from the V12 in the SL65 Black Series. U.K. enthusiast magazine Autocar reported in October that the C9's engine will be a derivative of the V12 in the Black Series. The magazine report said the engine for the C9 will include twin turbochargers and produce an estimated 700 hp and 730 lb-ft of torque.

In Thursday's joint statement, Pagani and Mercedes-AMG said: "The engine of the Pagani C9 is not a derivative of the AMG V12 engine developed for the SL65 Black Series, nor is the AMG V12 engine in the SL65 Black Series derived from the engine AMG is currently developing for the Pagani C9."

Pagani and Mercedes-AMG did not explain why the joint statement was released.

The Pagani C9 will replace the Zonda, which debuted in 1999, as Pagani's supercar. The Italian automaker has not released any official details on the Pagani C9.

By Brad Constant