The automotive industry used to deal with performance in a straightforward manner. Some automakers specialized on supercars, so they would only develop and produce that type of car. Urban ones eventually created coupés and roadsters as well, but their performance line-up revolved around modified versions of the bread-and-butter models with which they had built their image in the market.
In the 1990s and 2000s, those modified versions would feature more powerful engine, upgraded suspension, transmission and brakes, minor visual tweaks, and that was the end of it. Car fans would covet it and most of the other people would never even notice those cars on the streets. The situation went through the years like that until some cases of exception here and there called the attention of the industry.
Mercedes-Benz, among others, noticed at some point that there was room to establish a market niche and that it could be attractive to more people than wealthy car fans. This article is going to show you how have performance versions evolved from the standards of twenty years ago to become a complete secondary line of products like it is currently made available around the world.
How did AMG break through?
Luxury products are heavily dependent on image. It is safe to assume that all options available at a given market segment have similar levels of overall quality, so what can effectively persuade buyers to choose A over B is image. More specifically, what values and principles the company stands for, what is has done over time around the world, and how its products can benefit the owner’s personal image.
Mercedes-Benz has been a reference in that market for a long time but, at some point, it decided to venture into new segments. Instead of simply upgrading the powertrain of its AMG cars, it began to invest more in their style as well. Larger, more beautiful wheels here, sportier body kit there, tasteful applications of the logo in the cabin… performance became more and more attractive, and people started to notice it.
Over time, people became so interested in AMG’s style, not only its performance, that the accessories began to attract attention on their own. People at Mercedes-Benz noticed that many customers were interested in that appearance more than the performance which used to come along, especially because it also used to bring a sizable price increase. That idea was the starting point for the line-up AMG offers today.
In the sight, in the mind
Mercedes-Benz car models go through much more than receiving aftermarket-like accessories. AMG now has a visual identity of its own, so it executes pretty much a new interpretation of the original style. Nevertheless, the fact that modular design has become a priority in this industry has enabled the company to make AMG’s exclusive parts more accessible than ever — even to owners of regular Mercedes models.
AMG spare parts
The easiest and most affordable path is spare parts. Mercteil, for example, offers genuine AMG parts such as bumpers, door sills, grilles, rims, and spoilers. In this case, it is necessary to filter your search to find appropriate parts for your specific model, year, and body. After the purchase, make sure to have it installed at a specialized workshop so there will be no technical issues.
AMG-Line packages
The first option if you prefer to have Mercedes customize your car itself; all models are now released with this accessory package. In general, it includes revised body kit with larger air intakes, flashy wheels, discreet spoilers, and some minor tweaks in the cabin. Depending on the model, it is easier to see non-AMG units on the street with the AMG-Line package than without it.
As previously mentioned, both options consist exclusively of accessories. They are the most affordable to purchase and the simplest to have installed because they do not affect the car’s dynamic behaviour. While they are enough for many people, it is understandable that others still want to make use of AMG’s entire potential. That is why the traditional performance variations have been allowed to step up a bit.
Classic AMG, now even better
With the previous options taking care of cost-oriented customers, the traditional versions could go further on their purpose. Nowadays, an AMG car has “mixed DNA”: the base car was developed by Mercedes-Benz then heavily modified with the intention of achieving the balance between everyday functionality and high performance. Most of the car models currently available execute that balance in three levels.
Moderate AMG versions
These are usually named with the 35 or 53 codes and are more elegant than sporty; visual changes include all-black wheels and cabin, chrome details and a few red accents, and larger air intakes. Performance upgrades are substantial, but still leaving space for further increases. In practice, this level is the closest to the traditional concept of sporty version of an urban car.
Extreme AMG versions
Quintessential AMG cars not only have improved speed, handling and braking, but also follow the “one man, one engine” philosophy: most of its engines are hand-built in Affalterbach, Germany, and carry an engraved plaque with the signature of the respective engineer. Another interesting feature is that many AMG models use carbon-ceramic brakes, which are often expensive but deliver the best performance currently available.
While regular Benz cars use three-digit numbers to indicate their trim level, AMG ones remove the last one, which is always zero. Decades ago, those numbers were references to the respective engine displacements. Nowadays, the downsizing trend has made those numbers a nod to classic models produced decades ago; the largest AMG engine currently available is a twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 offered in several performance levels.
AMG from scratch
After reinventing so many models in so many variations throughout so many years, it was only natural that AMG would develop at least a concept car entirely on its own. The first one was the SLS, which was released in 2010 and claimed to be the most powerful naturally aspirated production series engine. It also received an all-electric version two years later and was produced in the coupé and roadster bodies until 2014.
The performance division, now officially named Mercedes-AMG, would release another supercar of its own creation in 2015. The GT started its career as a coupé but has been receiving more variations over the years: high-performance GT R, racing-oriented GT3 and GT4, and roadster and even four-door coupé body styles. This is the current flagship Mercedes-Benz car model available when it comes to performance driving.
As of 2021, Mercedes-AMG released the first model of what will be a whole new chapter in its history: the dedicated variation of the EQS sedan. It belongs to the all-new EQ line-up of fully electric car models, so it represents a challenge from the powertrain, because it is totally different from what AMG has always worked on, to the style, because the car required adaptions to use AMG’s famous Panamericana grille.
Most large automakers invest in performance-oriented versions because they create an emotional image which appeals to many people. AMG, however, went further because it had the space to grow. From a simple tuner of limited scope, it made its image increasingly stronger to the point of almost becoming a separate brand. Do you know any other interesting facts about AMG? Feel free to share them below!
