The Golden Wheels

IT HAS BEEN 50 years since an overwhelming passion for motorsports led to the creation of Mercedes-AMG, a unique marriage of extreme performance with dynamism

- Gaurav Nagpal

A two-man operation that became an automobile revolution. A partnership that redefined performance motoring for years to come. The letters may number three, but the magic has lasted for over half a century, and is likely to last forever with its powerful portfolio. A for Aufrecht, M for Melcher (the founders) and G for Großaspach (the factory location) — these three letters and the names behind them led to the creation of what we know today as Mercedes-AMG.

The Start

In the 1960s, two engineers – Hans Werner Aufrecht and Erhard Melcher – were working on the 300 SE racing engine in the Daimler-Benz Development department. Unfortunately, for certain reasons, the company discontinued motorsport activities; that, though, did not deter the duo, who spent many hours in the former’s house in Grossaspach further honing the performance of the engine. Come 1965, and a Daimler colleague – Manfred Schiek – took part in the German Touring Car Championship with the 300 SE engine, and went on to win 10 times!

Aufrecht, though, wanted to offer road-going vehicles modelled on the successful racing car. In 1966, he moved out from Mercedes-Benz, persuading Melcher to join him in a shared business, which was founded in 1967 as the “Aufrecht Melcher Großaspach Ingenieurbüro, Konstruktion und Versuch zur Entwicklung von Rennmotoren” (“Aufrecht Melcher Großaspach engineering firm, design and testing for the development of racing engines”). And the rest, as they say, is history!

Roaring Reputation