Dynamic Duo

Now a wholly owned subsidiary of Daimler AG, Mercedes-AMG celebrates 50 years of motoring success.

At an old mill in a quiet German town, two former Mercedes-Benz engineers set up their first workshop, determined to independently develop a stupendous engine for the three point-star’s flagship model that would thrust the large luxury car into an unexpected limelight – that of motorsport success.

The year was 1967, and just four years later, Hans-Werner Aufrecht and Erhard Melcher achieved their objective. Their AMG 300 SEL 6.8, an underdog up against much lighter, purpose-built race cars, claimed the crown in its class and second place overall in the gruelling 24-hour competition at the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps.

Named after the initials of its founders’ last names and Aufrecht’s birth town, Grossaspach, AMG has enjoyed exceptional success over the past half a century. Throughout its early history, it developed cylinder heads that were adopted by Mercedes-Benz in its main line cars; constructed touring cars for Mercedes-Benz that were deployed in the German DTM championships; and even collaborated with Mercedes-Benz in 1993 to build and market the C 36 AMG sports sedan.

Daimler AG, the parent group of Mercedes- Benz, soon recognised the benefit of a closer working relationship with AMG, first taking majority ownership in 1999, before buying the rest of the shares in 2005. The financial backing bore fruit: Last year, Mercedes-AMG delivered a record 100,000 vehicles, an astounding 40 per cent growth over 2015.

And hence, from that two-man outfit, the company that specialised in enhancing the performance of stock Mercedes-Benz cars now employs around 1,500 employees and has additionally its own range of AMG GT models developed in-house.