AMG...what is it?From its beginnings 35 years ago as a specialist motorsport and tuning firm, Mercedes-AMG GmbH has grown into a supplier of exclusive high-performance cars with some 580 employees, an extensive model range now comprising 17 different AMG cars, customers across the world and a brand name which has gained a high level of recognition. The company was founded back in 1967 by Hans Werner Aufrecht (A) and his partner Eberhard Melcher (M), whilst Aufrecht�s birthplace of Gro�aspach (G) supplied the third letter in the company name. They officially described themselves as �engineering, construction and testing specialists in the development of racing engines�. The firm was based in an old mill in Burgstall (near Affalterbach).
AMG�s success was to spread well beyond the international motorsport stage. By the 1970s, customers were beginning to develop a taste for more individuality in their cars and the German company used this burgeoning appetite as the platform to develop their business. The transfer of technology from motorsport into series-produced cars already formed part of the company�s philosophy and, by developing impressive technology and first-class quality on the back of its involvement in motor racing, the company started to earn itself quite a reputation. Word quickly spread and the aims AMG had set itself soon made it one of the leaders in the refinement and tuning of premium cars.
The strong demand for refined and tuned Mercedes-Benz vehicles in the late 1970s led to a steady increase in the number of orders received by AMG. The company outgrew its base in Burgstall and moved to Affalterbach in 1978. AMG developed from the first Mercedes-Benz tuning company to a model for an entire branch of the automotive industry. The company�s impact was evident at the 1981 International Motor Show in Frankfurt/Main, where a total of 176 exhibitors were involved in tuning and accessories for the Mercedes-Benz brand. An important event in the history of AMG was the debut of the Mercedes-Benz 190 in 1983. The compact Saloon soon became the darling of German car tuners and helped AMG to tap into a whole new clientele.
One of the key milestones in the history of AMG came in 1990, with the signing of the cooperation agreement with Daimler-Benz AG. Under the terms of the deal, AMG products could now be sold at Mercedes-Benz sales and service outlets and dealers, significantly improving customer acceptance. Further expansion led in 1990 to the opening of �Werk III�, the third factory, and an increase in the workforce to 400 employees. In 1993 the company unveiled the first co-developed vehicle to be born out of the cooperation agreement: the Mercedes-Benz C 36 AMG.
On 1 January 1999, H.W. Aufrecht handed over a majority shareholding in AMG and the company was incorporated into DaimlerChrysler AG. This allowed the newly founded Mercedes-AMG GmbH to benefit to an even greater extent from the Group�s resources and global standing. The highly specialised subsidiary was given overall responsibility for the engine, transmission, chassis, brakes, aerodynamics, interior, design and sales and marketing of AMG-badged cars. The management team consisted of Dr. Wolfgang Bernhard (Chairman) and Domingos Piedade, with Ulrich Bruhnke taking over as Chairman in 2000.
some specs from the original AMG catalog.
more common was the non-widebody version with full de-chroming.
page 6 - Mercedes PERFORMANCE CARS - awesome stats
page 7 - other rides
