From a two-man start-up to one of the most lauded performance marques in the world today, Mercedes-AMG is a veritable success story. This year, the company celebrates its 55th anniversary by spotlighting this extraordinary achievement and setting its sights on the future.
The incredible success of Mercedes-AMG is one for the history books. The company has not just repeatedly set standards in the performance and sports car market over its 55-year corporate history, but won hearts and brand recognition beyond compare.
A Pioneering Vision
The story began in 1967, when engineers Hans Werner Aufrecht and Erhard Melcher founded an independent firm specialising in performance improvements for Mercedes-Benz vehicles. The initials of AMG stands for Aufrecht, Melcher and Großaspach, which was Aufrecht’s hometown in Germany. Despite its modest beginnings, this local start-up went on to achieve a stellar reputation for designing racing engines and developing custom road cars.
The company eventually became the high-performance subsidiary of Mercedes-Benz AG, and has never once stopped in its tracks in building on its position as one of the leading performance and sports car brands in the world. Today, Mercedes-AMG is based in Affalterbach in a state-of-the-art development site with its own engine manufacturing facility, more than 2,000 highly qualified employees and a unique vehicle portfolio.
To fully appreciate Mercedes-AMG’s lineage of motoring excellence and spirit of fearless reinvention, one only needs to look back on its most legendary award-winning icons – the 300 SEL 6.9 AMG racing touring car, the 300 E 5.6 “The Hammer”, the CLK DTM or the SLS AMG Electric Drive. Whether a refined grand tourer or a sporty track-oriented car, these models have repeatedly confirmed the brand’s reputation as a gamechanger.
This glorious heritage is still true today in the sphere of electric motoring: the Mercedes-AMG ONE brings modern and efficient Formula 1 hybrid drive technology from the racetrack to the road for the first time in the world. With one combustion engine and four electric motors, the hypercar produces a total of 782 kW (1063 hp) and proves how Mercedes-AMG’s concept of the future of driving performance sets new records. The Vision AMG design study provides a glimpse of the future: Beneath the shell of the four-door coupé is the independent AMG.EA platform, which is currently being developed in Affalterbach for all-electric performance models with revolutionary e-drive technology.
In total, the current Mercedes-AMG portfolio comprises more than 50 vehicles. It ranges from performance vehicles in various body styles to completely independently developed sports cars such as the Mercedes-AMG GT 4-Door model and the new Mercedes-AMG SL. The range of powertrains has also been continuously developed in line with market requirements and customer wishes, and currently offers efficiency-optimised combustion engines with four, six or eight cylinders.
In addition, Mercedes-AMG is consistently pursuing the path of the Future of Driving Performance: Performance hybrids with an independent drive layout and technology from Formula 1 are offered under the E PERFORMANCE label. The portfolio also includes all-electric AMG derivatives based on the group’s own EVA2 platform. In the near future, completely independent battery-electric AMG models will also follow, which will be based on the new, completely in-house developed electrical architecture (AMG.EA).
Chairman of the board of management of Mercedes-AMG, Philipp Schiemer, elaborates on this brave vision: “AMG has been reinventing itself again and again for 55 years. As was once the case with our founding fathers, there is a very special spirit of optimism in Affalterbach today. The course is clearly set for an electrified future. And as in all the past years, our standards for future projects are extremely high.”
Dare To Make Change
To commemorate Mercedes-AMG’s illustrious history and point the way to the future, the company has launched a brand campaign entitled 55 years – Changing the Game. To inspire its fans throughout the world to adopt the company’s spirit of fearless reinvention and take on the role of a game-changer themselves, Mercedes-AMG employees and prominent brand ambassadors act as gamechangers for the company. “I am proud that we can rely on the best employees at our location. Because they are real gamechangers that make AMG so special. And we want to emphasise that just as much with our campaign,” adds Schiemer.
You might have already caught the recent campaign launch through a 360-degree social media blitz featuring authentic people and fascinating car stories.
Several AMG employees shared their experiences on “changing the game”, while brand ambassadors will.i.am, Susie Wolff, David Coulthard and Lewis Hamilton underlined the core message with their statements and build the bridge from tradition into the future. Their interviews are available on the Mercedes-AMG website, where you could also read editorial contributions and browse the 55th anniversary models such as the compact powerhouse Mercedes-AMG A-Class Hatchback Edition 55, the outstandingly unconventional Mercedes-AMG CLA 45 S Coupé Edition 55, and the statement-making Mercedes-AMG G 63 SUV Edition 55.
Other exciting highlights of the company’s 55th anniversary included iconic pairings of historic and current as well as future vehicles that demonstrate the brand’s unbroken innovative power, several exhibitions, as well as a special episode of the Inside AMG programme on YouTube (@Mercedes-AMG) that pays tribute to this milestone from different perspectives.
Head to the Mercedes-AMG website for more information
Yanni Tan
Editor-In-Chief
Yanni Tan began her journalistic career as a rookie reporter at a local newspaper, covering lifestyle, crime and education. She has since chalked up 20 years of writing and editing experience at a variety of women's and luxury magazines, mainly in the features, travel, and watches and jewellery beats. She currently oversees both the print and digital editions of Prestige Singapore magazine, and has a keen interest in luxury lifestyle, environmental conservation, private wealth and corporate leadership.