A multi-cylinder internal combustion engine, wherein exhaust gas outlets of a first portion of the cylinders of the engine communicate with a first exhaust gas manifold section, and the exhaust gas outlets of the remaining cylinders communicate with a second exhaust gas manifold section. An oxidation catalytic converter is disposed in the first exhaust gas manifold section for converting nitric oxide into nitrogen dioxide. A hydrolysis catalytic converter is disposed in the second exhaust gas manifold section, wherein downstream of the catalytic converters the first and second exhaust gas manifold sections discharge into a common main exhaust gas manifold, in which is disposed a further catalytic converter. Upstream of the hydrolysis catalytic converter, a reduction agent can be introduced into the second exhaust gas manifold section; ammonia is adapted to be produced from the reduction agent via the hydrolysis catalytic converter.