Cool Facts You Probably Didn’t Know About Mercedes-AMG
From its roots as a two man operation, to its hi-po special editions; the world of Mercedes-AMG is full of gorgeous cars, interesting stories…and boats?
When it comes to exceptional rides, it doesn’t get much better that Mercedes-Benz. Well, until 53 years ago, when three letters came together to become synonymous with the ultimate in performance: AMG. The company Mercedes-AMG represents today is world-renowned for supreme automotive performance, exclusivity, and highly dynamic driving pleasure.
Although its strong reputation inspires admiration and desire among many, AMG has a storied history full of surprises, lesser-known innovations, and superlative, exclusive sports cars.
Origin Story
AMG stands for A: Aufrecht, M: Melcher, G: Großaspach. Combined, they are the last names of its founding fathers Hans Werner Aufrecht and Erhard Melcher, along with Aufrecht’s birthplace of Großaspach, Germany. The names behind these three letters were the starting point for the rapid development of AMG from a two-man, home-based operation to an unparalleled global performance brand.
The story started in the 1960s when engineers Aufrecht and Melcher were working on the Mercedes-Benz 300 SE four door sedan’s racing engine in the Development Department at Daimler-Benz. Unfortunately, the company discontinued all motorsports activities. Yet, Aufecht and Melcher didn’t stop working. In Aufrecht’s house in Grossaspach, they spent their spare time further honing the performance of their engine. In 1965, Manfred Schiek, a colleague at Daimler, went to the start in the German Touring Car Championship with the 300 SE engine developed by the pair. And then he won ten times. Schiek’s triumph formed the foundation of Aufrecht and Melcher’s reputation as experts for sustaining and optimizing the performance of Mercedes-Benz vehicles, leading to numerous Motorsports successes and the eventual formal partnership with Mercedes-Benz.
From Civilized to Rabid Racer
As the first vehicle associated with AMG (and certainly one of its most noteworthy) it is surprising that the “Red Pig” racer started its life as a subdued four-door sedan. The racing car–which helped build AMG’s credentials in motorsports–started its life as a Mercedes-Benz 300 SEL 6.3 four-door sedan.
It was necessary for Aufrecht and Melcher to extensively modify the car. By increasing the engine’s displacement to 6.8 liters, the finished vehicle produced 428 horsepower and 448 lb-ft of torque, a huge improvement from the stock output of 247 hp and 369 lb-ft. They lightened the car extensively; although it was still likely the heaviest car on the grid at its racing debut in the 1971 24 hours of Spa, in which it secured a class win and second place overall result.
Cool Facts You Probably Didn’t Know About Mercedes-AMG continued…
