Mercedes-AMG — BrandWiki

Mercedes-AMG

Overview

Mercedes-AMG GmbH

type	Subsidiary (GmbH)
fate	Acquired by DaimlerChrysler (1999), and operating under Daimler AG
foundation	1967 (as AMG Motorenbau und Entwicklungsgesellschaft mbH) Burgstall a. d. Murr, Germany
founders	Hans Werner Aufrecht Erhard Melcher
location city	Affalterbach

area served	Worldwide

key people	Michael Schiebe (Chairman of the Board)

industry	Automotive

products	High performance automobiles

services	Research and development

num employees	~2,900

parent	Mercedes-Benz AG

homepage	www.mercedes-amg.com

Mercedes-AMG GmbH, commonly known as AMG (Aufrecht, Melcher, Großaspach), is the high-performance subsidiary of Mercedes-Benz AG.[1] 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,[1] which is in turn owned by the Mercedes-Benz Group.[2]

AMG models typically have more aggressive looks, higher performance, better handling, better stability and more carbon fibre than their regular Mercedes-Benz counterparts.[3] AMG models are typically the most expensive and highest-performing variant of each Mercedes-Benz class.[3] 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").[4] 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.[5]

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).[6] 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.[7]

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.[8] The racing engine division was separated and continues to operate in Burgstall under the name HWA, derived from Aufrecht's initials.

Leadership

Hans Werner Aufrecht and Erhard Melcher (1967–1999)
Wolfgang Bernhard (1998–2000)
Ulrich Bruhnke (2001–2003)[27]
Hubertus Troska (2003–2005)
Volker Mornhinweg (2005–2010)
Ola Källenius (2010–2013)[28]
Tobias Moers (2013–2020)[29]
Philipp Schiemer (2020–2023)[30]
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.[31]

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.[32]

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.

PU106B 1.6 L V6 E-Turbo Hybrid

Mercedes-AMG ONE

"35" M260 2.0 L Inline-4 Turbo

Previous AMG models

"65" M275 6.0 L V12 Bi-Turbo

The models listed below were powered by a variant of the Mercedes-Benz M275 engine. This AMG powerplant had an all-new design of the bi-turbo system, which features larger turbochargers and a new, more powerful charge-air cooling system, and the increase in the engine displacement (to 5980 cc) as well as many other engine design measures.[34] This allows it to produce a claimed 621 horsepower and 738 lbft of torque.

"65" models used a 5-speed automatic transmission for a long time, as the newer 7G-Tronic wasn't able to handle the torque from the V12 engines. This was changed with the introduction of 2012 SL 65 AMG, which uses the same AMG SpeedShift MCT transmission as the rest of the AMG line-up.

Coinciding with the facelift of the CL-Class for the 2011 model year, the 2011 CL 65 AMG had an enhanced engine. AMG redesigned the exhaust gas turbochargers and added new engine electronics. It produced 621 horsepower, pushing the car from 0-60 mph in 4.2 seconds (0.2 seconds faster than the 2011 CL 63), with an electronically limited top speed of 186 mph. The update also improved fuel economy and reduced carbon emissions by 3.5% over the outgoing model.[35]

Black Series models

AMG Black Series models are exclusive flagship models with the maximum in performance technology for AMG road cars. The AMG Performance Studio in Affalterbach is responsible for the upgrades that make an AMG into an AMG Black Series model.[70] The Black Series treatment is only available on 2 door vehicles, which includes weight reduction, bucket seats, exterior alterations, interior alterations, higher power, greater traction, handling, and significantly greater overall performance. Black Series models are known as street-legal race cars. The SLS AMG Black Series was tested by Motor Trend to have a 0-60 mph time of 3.2 seconds, and a quarter mile time of 11.1 seconds at 129.8 mph. The SLS AMG Black Series "demolished" the Motor Trend figure eight in just 23.1 seconds, beating the McLaren MP4-12C, Ferrari 458 Italia, Audi R8 V10 Plus, and the SRT Viper.[71] The SLS AMG Black Series had the same 1:19 time as the Lamborghini Murciélago LP670-4 SuperVeloce, the Ferrari Enzo, and beat the Ferrari 458 Italia

Non-Mercedes AMG models

AMG is primarily associated with Mercedes-Benz, having been fully owned by the company since 2005, but it has also produced special variants of some Mitsubishi and Honda models.[73]

Mitsubishi AMG models

AMG's relationship with Mitsubishi began in 1987 with an enhanced version of the second-generation Debonair, known as the Mitsubishi Debonair V3000 Royal AMG.[73] This model did not feature performance upgrades but included a body kit, wheels, steering wheel, and AMG badges. A long-wheelbase version was later introduced.

In 1989, the Mitsubishi Galant AMG was launched, with about 500 units produced for the Japanese domestic market until 1991. The vehicle was equipped with an AMG-tuned Mitsubishi 4G63 engine producing 170 PS and featured a body kit, alloy wheels, and a full leather interior.

External links

Mercedes-AMG official website

References

AMG – The Company Mercedes-AMG GmbH, retrieved 29 June 2020^
About us Mercedes-Benz AG, retrieved 29 June 2020^
Mercedes-Benz AMG retrieved 8 February 2014^

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),[11] 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.[12]

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.[13]

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[14]). 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,[15] 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 60 to 120 mph.[16] 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).[17]

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".[18]

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.[19]

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.[20] 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

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.[23][24][25]

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.[26]

"63" M157 5.5 L V8 Bi-Turbo

The models listed below were powered by the M157 variant of the Mercedes-Benz M278 engine. Rumoured in 2009 and confirmed in 2010, AMG developed the M157, a 5.5-litre V8 with direct fuel injection and twin turbochargers. Power is rated at up to 577 bhp at 5,250-5,750rpm with a peak torque of 664 lbft made between 2,000rpm and 4,500 rpm (the amount of power and torque depends on model, but these are the maximum ratings).[37][38] Both engines are mated to Mercedes-Benz's 7-speed MCT transmission.[39][40] Unlike the M156 naturally aspirated 6.2 L V8, which was developed entirely within AMG, the M157 is based upon the M278 used in the regular Mercedes-Benz S-Class and CL-Class. The M157 boasts 25% better fuel economy (10.5 litres per 100 kilometres versus 14.4 L/100 km in the European driving cycle) over the M156, meaning it avoids the US Gas Guzzler Tax for the first time ever, despite having up to 47 horsepower more. The M157's increased torque from both the regular version and performance package means the engine can be shifted into a taller gear sooner, keeping engine revs and fuel consumption to a minimum. The new M157 has an engine start/stop mode and is lightweight at 204 kg.[39][40] The M157 is said to be ideal for powering full-size sedans such as the S-Class, but the older M156 remains in production, as its more precise throttle response is still well suited to smaller sportier models (the C-Class), until the 2015 model arrives, which is powered by a 4.0 liter V8.[41]

5.5 L V8 BiTurbo models carry the "63" model designation, shared with the 6.2L V8 models.[42] Visually, the 2011 S 63 AMG is differentiated from the 2010 model (itself face-lifted over the 2009 S 63) by the more angular design of the chromed dual exhaust tips, which also sport embossed AMG logos, as well as new forged wheels.[43] For the CL 63 AMG, the new M157 engine coincides with the facelift of the CL-Class for the 2011 model year.

Despite common belief, 63 AMG models are typically faster than their 65 AMG counterparts. An S 63 AMG accelerates faster and handles better than an S 65 AMG (due to 4-wheel drive and decreased weight), and an SL 63 AMG accelerates faster than an SL 65 AMG due to decreased torque, lower weight, and better balance by use of the V8.[44][45]

Since 2013, AMG models with the S-Model package feature all-wheel drive, which allows for better handling and better acceleration. The Mercedes-Benz CLS 63 AMG S has been tested to accelerate to 60 mph in just 3.2 seconds, with a quarter mile time of 11.6 seconds.[46] This made it the quickest production sedan at the time. MotorTrend tested the 2014 E 63 AMG S with the M157 engine to produce an estimated 676 bhp and 631 lbft.[47]

Mercedes-AMG CL 63 (C216)
Mercedes-AMG CLS 63 (C218)
Mercedes-AMG E 63 (W212)
Mercedes-AMG G 63 (W463)
Mercedes-AMG GL 63 (X166 pre-facelift)
Mercedes-AMG GLE 63 (W166 facelift)
Mercedes-AMG GLS 63 (X166 facelift)
Mercedes-AMG M 63 (W166 pre-facelift)
Mercedes-AMG S 63 (W222 pre-facelift)

"63" M156/M159 6.2 L V8

AMG developed its own V8 engine (dubbed M156 in development) for the DTM series. The M156, in various states of tune, was used in models such as the SL 63, E 63, CLS 63, and S 63 until it was replaced by the M157 5.5 L Biturbo V8. This naturally aspirated V8 replaced most of the "55" models. The published output according to Mercedes varies from 457 PS on the C 63 AMG, to 525 PS on the C/CLK/R/ML/GL/S/SL/CL/E 63 AMG. The 2008 S 63/CL 63/SL 63s that used the M156 engine at 518 horsepower edged out that of the S600/CL600/SL600, the latter powered by the 510 horsepower 5.5-liter twin-turbo V12, while also having a higher redline. However, the S600/CL600/SL600 is more expensive and has more torque at 612 lbft.[49] The S 63/CL 63/SL 63, however, do have quicker acceleration times than their S600/CL600/SL600 counterparts and are the fastest in the lineup in 2014, due to the added weight and torque of the 65s, thus decreasing the 0-60 times and the handling limits.

Compared to the "55" supercharged 5.4 L V8 engine—which was restricted to the Speedshift 5G-Tronic five-speed automatic transmission, as it had a torque capacity of 796 lbft—the reduced torque of the "63" M156 6.2L V8 means it can be mated with the more efficient 7G-Tronic, which can withstand a limit of 542 lbft. Despite the reduction in torque, the increased horsepower and more efficient transmission enable the 63 models to match or surpass the acceleration of the "55" models. Most of the M156-engined models used the 7G-Tronic automatic transmission, however the more recent 2009 SL 63, 2010 E 63, and 2012 C 63 use the 7-speed MCT transmission.

In 2009, AMG developed the M159 engine, which is based on the M156 engine, to use in SLS AMG. The M159 produces 583 horsepower and 489 lb-ft of torque in the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT, and 622 horsepower and 468 lb-ft in the SLS AMG Black Series.[50][51]

2008-2015 C63 AMG, C63 AMG Black Series, Edition 507 (Sedan and Wagon) (facelifted for the 2012 model year)
Mercedes E63 AMG (W211, 2009-2011, Sedan and Wagon)
Mercedes-Benz CLK63 AMG, CLK63 AMG Black Series [48] (introduced at the 2006 Geneva Motor Show) (used as Safety Car for the 2006 and 2007 F1 World Championship)
Mercedes-Benz S63 AMG (2008-2011)
Mercedes-Benz CL63 AMG
Mercedes-Benz ML63 AMG
Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG (W212, 2010–2012, Sedan and Wagon)

"55" M113K 5.4L V8 Kompressor

This model was nicknamed the "Hammer" after the original 1986 AMG Hammer (a W124 E-Class sedan with an AMG-tuned 360 hp 5.6-litre V8). The 2003 E 55 AMG could do 0–60 mph in 4.4 seconds.

The main engine is a 5.4 L V8 engine This engine comes in two configurations.

The supercharged 5.4 L 24 valve V8 engine was mated to the Speedshift 5-speed automatic transmission, which has a torque capacity of 796 lbft, as the newer 7G-Tronic introduced in 2003 is limited to 542 lbft, which is not enough to handle the torque from the supercharged V8.[64][65]

The V8 S 55 AMG had an output comparable to the V12-powered S600 throughout its production. The S 55 AMG (2001–02) was outfitted with a 5.4 L 354 hp V8 engine while the later versions (2003–06) sported the same motor, but supercharged to a rated 493 hp. The S600 (2001–02) was outfitted with a 5.8L 362 hp V12 engine while the later versions (2003–06) sported a twin-turbocharged (or Bi-Turbo) 493 hp 5.5L V12. The justification for having two models with the same power is that the S 55 AMG is sportier and more responsive, while the costlier S600 is more luxurious with a smoother ride.

AMG phased out both the naturally aspirated and supercharged 5.4 L engines in favor of the new M156 V8 beginning in 2006, which was paired with 7G-Tronic. However, some enthusiasts were disappointed because the naturally aspirated M156 produces less torque than the supercharged M113K.

For the Model Year 2009:

The first configuration is a naturally aspirated V8 with 354 PS that is used in the C 55 AMG, CLK 55 AMG, E 55 AMG (1999-2002), SLK 55 AMG, and ML 55 AMG. The C 43 AMG (model years 1998–2000) was powered by a naturally aspirated V8 engine from the M113 family, but at a reduced displacement of 4.3L, hence the '43' designation.
The other configuration is a similar unit but with a highly efficient Lysholm type twin screw supercharger, as manufactured by Eaton. This supercharger is found in the rest of the AMG 55 models, which are typically midsized or larger vehicles. According to Mercedes, the published output varies from 476 PS to 517 PS and 700 Nm to 720 Nm, depending on various methods of power measurements and different ECU programming, in accordance with nation-specific requirements. For instance, the E 55 AMG's engine was at the low end, yet nonetheless it was still Mercedes-Benz's fastest sedan at the time,[60] while the SL55 AMG's engine had the top output.[61]

M113 5.4 L "55" V8 models (naturally aspirated)
SLK 55 AMG
M113 5.4 L "55" V8 models (supercharged)
G 55 AMG

Previous 55 AMG models

1999–2002 E 55 AMG
2003–2006 E 55 AMG
2000–2003 ML 55 AMG
2003–2005 C 55 AMG
2001–2002 CLK 55 AMG
2003–2006 CLK 55 AMG
2004–2007 CLS 55 AMG
2001–2008 SL 55 AMG
2001–2006 S 55 AMG
2001–2006 CL 55 AMG
2005–2006 C 55 AMG

History

Leadership

AMG trim

Current AMG models

PU106B 1.6 L V6 E-Turbo Hybrid

"35" M260 2.0 L Inline-4 Turbo

Previous AMG models

"65" M275 6.0 L V12 Bi-Turbo

Black Series models

Non-Mercedes AMG models

Mitsubishi AMG models

See also

External links

References

Development of the product range

Motor racing

Relationship with Pagani

Relationship with Aston Martin

Relationship with Lotus

"43" M139 2.0 L Inline-4 Turbo

"43" M256 3.0 L Inline-6 Turbo

"45" M139 2.0 L Inline-4 Turbo

"53" M256 3.0 L Inline-6 Turbo

"53 E-Performance" M256 3.0 L Inline-6 Turbo PHEV

"55" M177 4.0 L V8 Bi-Turbo

"63" M177/M178 4.0 L V8 Bi-Turbo

"63 E-Performance" M139 2.0 L Inline-4 Turbo PHEV

"63 E-Performance" M177 4.0 L V8 Bi-Turbo PHEV

Mercedes-AMG EQ

"43" Dual-Motor

"53" Dual-Motor

"43" Dual-Motor

"53" Dual-Motor

"63" M157 5.5 L V8 Bi-Turbo

"63" M156/M159 6.2 L V8

"55" M152 5.5 L V8

"43" M276 3.0 L V6 Bi-Turbo

"45" M133 2.0 L Inline-4 Turbo

"30" 3.0 L I5 diesel

"32" 3.2 L V6 Kompressor

"55" M113K 5.4L V8 Kompressor

Previous 55 AMG models

Previous 55 AMG models

"63" M137 6.3 L V12

"60", "73", "70", "55"

Electric Drive

Honda AMG models