Mercedes-AMG GmbH, commonly known as AMG (Aufrecht, Melcher, Großaspach), is the high-performance subsidiary of Mercedes-Benz AG. AMG independently hires engineers and contracts with manufacturers to customize Mercedes-Benz AMG vehicles. The company has its headquarters in Affalterbach, Baden-Württemberg, Germany.
AMG was originally an independent engineering firm specializing in performance improvements for Mercedes-Benz vehicles. DaimlerChrysler AG took a controlling interest in 1999, then became the sole owner of AMG in 2005. Mercedes-AMG GmbH is now a wholly owned subsidiary of Mercedes-Benz AG, which is in turn owned by the Mercedes-Benz Group.
AMG models typically have more aggressive looks, higher performance, better handling, better stability and more carbon fibre than their regular Mercedes-Benz counterparts. AMG models are typically the most expensive and highest-performing variant of each Mercedes-Benz class. AMG has also made special variants of some Mitsubishi and Honda models.
AMG variants are usually badged with two numerals, as opposed to regular Mercedes-Benz vehicles, which have three (e.g. "E 63" as opposed to "E 350"). The numerals do not always indicate engine size, but are rather a tribute to earlier heritage cars, such as the 300 SEL 6.3 litre. For example, newer-model AMG V8s such as the E 63 actually have 4.0L V8s.
The world's first stand-alone Mercedes-AMG dealership, AMG Sydney, was opened in Sydney, Australia in 2018.
History
AMG was established in 1967 as a racing engine manufacturer under the name AMG Motorenbau- und Entwicklungsgesellschaft mbH (translated from German as "AMG Engine Production and Development Limited") by former Mercedes-Benz engineers Hans Werner Aufrecht and Erhard Melcher in Burgstall an der Murr, near Stuttgart. The name "AMG" is derived from the initials of Aufrecht, Melcher, and Großaspach (Aufrecht's birthplace). In 1976, the majority of AMG's operations moved to Affalterbach, with racing-engine development remaining in Burgstall. At this time, Erhard Melcher ceased his partnership but continued working at the Burgstall location.
By 1993, AMG became a high-profile purveyor of modified Mercedes-Benz vehicles. That year, Daimler-Benz AG and AMG entered into a cooperation agreement, enabling AMG to use Daimler-Benz's dealer network and to develop joint vehicles, the first being the Mercedes-Benz C36 AMG.
On 1 January 1999, DaimlerChrysler AG (as it was called between 1998 and 2007) acquired 51 percent of AMG shares, and the company was renamed Mercedes-AMG GmbH. The racing engine division was separated and continues to operate in Burgstall under the name HWA, derived from Aufrecht's initials. On 1 January 2005, Aufrecht sold his remaining shares to DaimlerChrysler, and since then, Mercedes-AMG GmbH has been a wholly owned subsidiary of the Mercedes-Benz Group.
Development of the product range
AMG started off by designing and testing racing engines. It expanded its business into building custom road cars based upon standard Mercedes cars. AMG initially produced a range of unofficial upgrade and accessories packages mainly for the Mercedes-Benz R107 and C107 (1971–1989 SL roadster), Mercedes-Benz W116 (1972–1980 S-class), Mercedes-Benz W123 (1976–1985 E-class predecessor), Mercedes-Benz W124 (1984–1997 E-class), Mercedes-Benz W126 (1979–1992 S-class), Mercedes-Benz R129 (1989–2001 SL roadster), and Mercedes-Benz W201 (1990–1993 C-class) models.
During the early 1980s and up until 1990, AMG offered a variety of engine performance packages, alloy wheels and styling products as an entirely independent company from Daimler-Benz. In 1990, AMG signed a co-operation agreement with Daimler-Benz, and AMG options and cars were then offered in Mercedes-Benz showrooms; in 1999 Daimler AG, then known as DaimlerChrysler AG, bought the controlling share of AMG and made them part of the official Mercedes-Benz line-up.
Typical AMG performance enhancements, which the buyer could custom order, included increased engine displacements (5.2 litre, 5.4 litre), performance top ends with port and polished heads and intake, lightened valve train, and more aggressive cams. The DOHC 32V engine had also just been developed and was the pinnacle of AMG performance. A Getrag five-speed manual transmission could be ordered from AMG, and Mercedes had not offered a manual transmission V8 since the early 1970s.
The performance wheels offered during the same period were 15-inch or 16-inch ATS AMG Five Spoke Road Wheels, typically coupled with an AMG performance suspension package that included uprated and lowered springs, and re-valved shock absorbers.
Also popular were AMG body kits. These ranged from subtle front spoilers to aggressive Wide Body kits for the W126 coupes (reaching more than $700k on the classic market in 2022). Other options included Recaro seats, smaller diameter steering wheels, instrument clusters, chrome delete option (all brightworks colour-coded or painted satin black), refrigerators, shift knobs, hi-fi stereo systems, custom upholstery and enhanced interior wood packages.
An AMG-modified W124 E-Class was claimed to be the world's fastest passenger sedan in 1986. Nicknamed the Hammer, it featured an AMG-tuned 5.6-litre DOHC Mercedes-Benz V8 in a midsized sedan. Advanced for its time for a street engine, it had four valves per cylinder and was claimed to push the car faster than a Lamborghini Countach from . Later models were even more powerful and introduced the 17-inch AMG Aero 1 Hammer wheels.
Through the early 2000s, AMG focused principally on supercharged V8 and V6 engines, but the company officially abandoned this technology in 2006 with the introduction of the naturally aspirated 6.2 L M156 V8. On 16 January 2006, Mercedes-AMG Chairman Volker Mornhinweg told AutoWeek that the company would use turbocharging for higher output rather than supercharging. For 2011, AMG released the M157 5.5L bi-turbo V8, which has supplanted the M156 in its full-sized cars such as the S-Class and CL-Class (and is trickling down to the CLS, E-Class, and ML-class). In 2012, Mercedes-AMG Chairman Olla Kallenius said that Mercedes-AMG will not produce diesel engines to compete with BMW's tri-turbo diesels (BMW M Performance range).
Although there were some AMG models in the 1980s with manual transmissions, almost all recent models have used automatics (5G-Tronic, 7G-Tronic and later 9G-Tronic with Speedshift), in contrast to BMW M, which used manual and recently automatic transmissions (the current type being a dual clutch transmission).
Although these are considered the most well known in-house tuning divisions, Mercedes-AMG has a considerably different philosophy than BMW M. Compared to BMW M, Mercedes-AMG is "less narrow in its sporting focus, yet still combining sledgehammer performance with relaxed handling, cultured comfort, and practicality".
While founders Hans Werner Aufrecht and Erhard Melcher had emphasized proper racing cars, Mercedes-AMG had diverged considerably from this philosophy in recent years, with their offerings being well known for straight-line acceleration but poor handling dynamics. However, current Mercedes-AMG chairman Volker Mornhinweg has urged the division to return to its roots of building sports cars.
Motor racing
In the late 1960s and early 1970s, AMG entered the big Mercedes-Benz 300SEL 6.3 V8 saloon, affectionately named the "Red Sow", in the 1971 Spa 24 Hours, and the European Touring Car Championship. AMG and Mercedes worked together on Mercedes-Benz W201 cars for the 1988 Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft (DTM, German Touring Car Championship). AMG was made the official partner.
When DaimlerChrysler acquired a majority share of AMG in 1999, the motor racing department was divested into HWA AG. Their first car was the ill-fated Mercedes-Benz CLR. Since 2000, HWA builds and runs the cars for Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters (DTM), as well as the M271 engine tuned for use in Formula 3.
In 2000, an extensively modified one-off Mercedes-Benz AMG CLK 55 was built by the AMG Factory as a purpose-built race car to compete in the 2001 Targa Tasmania 7 day road race. Mick Doohan was the works Mercedes-Benz AMG driver.
Six successive lightly modified Mercedes-Benz AMG models (including, most recently, a C190 GT Black Series) have acted as the safety cars for the FIA Formula One World Championship.
Since 2010, the SLS AMG GT3 and the AMG GT3 have been competing in GT competitions around the world, such as the FIA GT3 European Championship, Blancpain Endurance Series, Blancpain Sprint Series, VLN, 24 Hours of Nürburgring, British GT Championship, Super GT, Australian GT Championship, Bathurst 12 Hour, Dubai 24 Hour, Macau GT Cup and Pirelli World Challenge.
In late 2011, after the end of the Formula One season, Mercedes GP Petronas announced that it would be using the AMG branding for its F1 efforts, changing its name to Mercedes AMG Petronas from the 2012 season onwards.
Three AMG E-Class V8 Supercars competed in the Australian Supercars Championship from 2013 to 2015, operated by Erebus Motorsport under the AMG Customer Sports Program.
Relationship with Pagani AMG also provides engines for Pagani's Zonda, Huayra and Utopia cars. The M297 7,291 cc displacement V12 engines were originally used in the 1998 Mercedes-Benz CLK GTR Straßenversion and made later available for the Zonda. It was the largest displacement naturally aspirated engine provided by AMG.
Relationship with Aston Martin On 25 July 2013, Aston Martin Lagonda Ltd and Daimler AG announced moves towards a technical partnership with Mercedes-AMG GmbH. The deal will see Aston Martin access significant Mercedes-AMG GmbH and Mercedes-Benz Cars' resources, allowing the development of bespoke V8 powertrains and the use of certain components of electric/electronic architecture. Daimler AG now owns a stake of 5% of non-voting shares in Aston Martin, joining existing shareholders Investment DAR, Adeem Investment and Investindustrial. The technical partnership will support Aston Martin's launch of a new generation of models and newly developed bespoke V8 powertrains.
Since the 2021 Formula One World Championship, the German marque shares the role as the official Safety Car supplier with Aston Martin.
Relationship with Lotus AMG also provides engines for the Lotus Emira. The M139 I4 engine was originally used in the CLA 45 AMG.
Leadership Hans Werner Aufrecht and Erhard Melcher (1967–1999) Wolfgang Bernhard (1998–2000) Ulrich Bruhnke (2001–2003) Hubertus Troska (2003–2005) Volker Mornhinweg (2005–2010) Ola Källenius (2010–2013) Tobias Moers (2013–2020) Philipp Schiemer (2020–2023) Michael Schiebe (2023–present)
AMG trim Mercedes-Benz allows customers to upgrade nearly any model by adding an AMG trim or styling package. So customers can customize Mercedes cars to look like an AMG car, minus the AMG engine and transmission. AMG trim can include things such as a rear spoiler, body styling, deep front air dam, AMG style wheels, sport front seats, sport steering wheel, AMG floor mats, sport suspension, sport brakes, and more.
Current AMG models
All AMG engines – with the exception of the "35", "43" and "53" models, as well as the PU106B 1.6 L V6 E-Turbo Hybrid F1 engine used on the AMG One – are hand built using a "one man, one engine" philosophy at the current AMG plant in Affalterbach, Germany. To signify this, each AMG engine builder stamps the engines they produce with an engraved plaque depicting their signature. According to Mercedes-Benz, there are only about 50 AMG engine builders.
As part of the official Mercedes product line, the AMG models are sold side by side with regular production models, unlike those offered by other Mercedes tuning firms such as Brabus.
"35" M60 2.0 L Inline-4 Turbo Mercedes-AMG A 35 Mercedes-AMG GLA 35
"43" M139 2.0 L Inline-4 Turbo Mercedes-AMG C 43 Mercedes-AMG SL 43 Mercedes-AMG GLC 43