Top 10 Things You Didn’t Know About Mercedes-AMG®

For 53 years, AMG® has represented the ultimate driving experience for Mercedes with supreme automotive performance, exclusivity, and highly dynamic driving pleasure. AMG® has a history full of surprises, lesser-known innovations and superlative, exclusive sports cars, so here are 10 things you didn’t know about Mercedes-AMG®

1. AMG® stands for Aufrecht, Melcher, Großaspach

These are the last names of its founding fathers Hans Werner Aufrecht and Erhard Melcher. Großaspach is where Aufrecht was born. These names were the starting point of the rapid development of AMG® from a two-man home-based operation to a global performance brand.

In the 1960s, Aufrecht and Melcher were working on the 300 SE four door sedan’s racing engine in the development department at Daimler-Benz until the company discontinued all motorsports activities. That did not stop the engineers; they spent their spare time working on the engine in Aufrecht’s house in Grossaspach.

In 1965, Manfred Schiek, a colleague at Daimler, went to the start in the German Touring Car Championship with the 300 SE engine that Aufrecht and Melcher had developed, and won ten times.

Schiek’s triumph formed the foundation of Aufrecht and Melcher’s reputations as experts for sustaining and optimizing the performance of Mercedes-Benz vehicles, leading to numerous Motorsports successes and the eventual formal partnership with Mercedes- Benz.

2. The first vehicle associated with AMG® started as a subdued four-door sedan

Perhaps AMG®’s most noteworthy vehicle started as a Mercedes-Benz 300 SEL four-door sedan and eventually became the iconic “Red Pig” racing car that helped build AMG®’s credentials as a motorsports powerhouse. After Aufrecht and Melcher’s extensive modifications, the finished vehicle produces 428 horsepower and 448 lb-ft. of torque (stock output was 247hp and 369 lb-ft.).

The duo also lightened the car extensively; although it was still likely the heaviest car on the grid at its racing debut in the 1971 24 hours of Spa, in which it secured a class win and second place overall result, immediately connecting the letters AMG® with motorsports success.

3. The first jointly developed high-performance vehicle from AMG® and Mercedes-Benz was the C 36 AMG®

The C 36 AMG® was also the first AMG® product to be officially sold in the United States at Mercedes-Benz dealerships in 1995. By 1988, AMG® and Mercedes-Benz was further solidified when Daimler acquired a majority stake of AMG®, setting the stage for a variety of high-performance Mercedes-Benz AMG® vehicles.

4. The rare AMG® Black Series Models represent the ultimate AMG® performance experience

One can think of the AMG® Black series as AMG®’s most extroverted, most track-focused and most exclusive, limited production models. Black Series models further enhance AMG®’s already exceptional performance models by modifying their powertrain, chassis and aerodynamics to optimize track performance and dynamic capabilities.

Thus far, only five special models have worn the distinctive AMG® Black Series badge. These include the CLK 63 Black Series, the C 63 Black Series, the SL 65 Black Series, the SLS Black Series, and the SLK 55 Black Series (which was not sold in the USA). However, the exclusive Black Series family will grow soon with the addition of the forthcoming GT Black Series, set to make its debut later this year.

5. The SLS AMG® was the first-ever car designed and developed fully by Mercedes-AMG®

Following the SLS was the AMG® GT 2-door sports car in 2015, and most recently, the AMG® GT 4-Door Coupe in 2019.

The iconic SLS AMG® featured vertically opening “gullwing” doors, inspired by the iconic original Mercedes-Benz 300 SL “gullwing” (produced from 1954 – 1957). These unique doors accommodated its lightweight alloy-tube frame, which extended higher than a standard frame, thus leading to these innovative vertically opening doors.
In the SLS AMG®, these iconic gullwing doors were paired with an unusual safety feature — two explosive capsules, capable of blowing the doors off for quick egress, in the unlikely event that the vehicle were to be flipped on its roof.

6. Mercedes-AMG® and the Cigarette Racing Team have been partners since 2007

This partnership has created 12 special edition, high-performance, ultra-exclusive boats. Most recently, this partnership produced the all-new 59-foot Tirranna AMG® Edition alongside a one-of-a-kind Mercedes-AMG® G 63 Cigarette Edition at the 2020 Miami International Boat Show.

The striking design of the 59′ Tirranna AMG® Edition as well as the Mercedes-AMG® G 63 Cigarette Edition is the result of close collaboration between the Cigarette Racing Team, the Mercedes-AMG® design team and Gorden Wagener, Chief Design Officer, Daimler AG.

7. All handcrafted AMG® models are built according to the “One Man, One Engine” philosophy.

This philosophy is an ironclad commitment to quality in which one master craftsman assembles each AMG® handcrafted engine from start to finish. This quality construction is honored by each builder by a special plaque, signed by the individual that assembled it and placed on the handcrafted engine upon completion.

8. Today, Mercedes-AMG® is headquartered in Affalterbach, Germany

Affalterbach is a small town northeast of Stuttgart in the state of Baden-Wüttemberg and is home to the management, administration, sales, development and design teams of AMG®, as well as the building of AMG® hand-crafted engines.  Mercedes-AMG® now employs approximately 1,800 people.

9. Mercedes-AMG® has a history of technology and performance related innovations

Many of these innovations are evident in our latest vehicles, for example, the next time you drive a Mercedes-AMG®, take note of the AMG® Dynamic Select toggle on the center console. Also note the optionally available AMG® Drive unit steering wheel controls if equipped.

These controls unlock performance potential and individualization possibilities. From “Comfort” to “Sport”, “Sport +”, “RACE” and “Individual”, the driver is able to influence the performance characteristics of their AMG® with up to five distinct driving modes. Recently, some of our latest AMG® models also offer the new AMG® Drive Unit controls, which add a new set of configurable controls on the lower part of the steering wheel.

A round control knob on the lower right side of the steering wheel can easily change the driving modes without removing your hands from the steering wheel, enabling the driver to focus on their performance. The lower-left steering wheel buttons also offer a variety of quick-access customizations, including functions such as the level of traction control as well as the AMG® Performance Exhaust setting, easily accessible via these new advanced steering wheel mounted controls.

10. The Mercedes-AMG® ONE hypercar is set to become the most powerful AMG® vehicle ever produced

This hypercar is capable of producing more than 1,000 hp and can reach top speeds of over 217mph. For the first time, this two-seater hypercar will bring the very latest and most efficient, fully-fledged Formula 1 hybrid technology directly from the racetrack to the road, delivering the ultimate in Driving Performance for years to come.