The History Of Mercedes And AMG

Posted by www.eMercedesBenz.com on October 14, 2005 at 10:32 AM CST

I have a question for all the Mercedes history buffs out there:   
"What year did Mercedes and AMG sign a cooperation agreement allowing  
AMG vehicles to be sold through Mercedes' dealerships around the world?"

The year was 1990, and Mercedes has never been the same since.  
Mercedes, a name synonymous with luxury and quality, could now add  
performance and power to their extensive list of qualities.

Yesterday, Daimler Chrysler published an article discussing the  
history of Mercedes and AMG, as well as detailing various milestones  
throughout the years.  If you, like many, have been a fan of Mercedes  
from childhood on, you'll probably recognize all the cars on the  
list.  If you're unfamiliar with the two companies' history, take a  
look at it and see where the current wave of high performance AMG  
models came from. The full press release follows.

To view the full press release with photos, visit us at:

http://emercedesbenz.com/Oct05/14TheHistoryOfMercedesAndAMG.html


OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE


Cooperation Contract Of 1990 Opens Up New Possibilities For AMG

The cooperation agreed between Daimler-Benz and AMG in 1990 opened up  
completely new possibilities for the medium-sized company. From then  
on, AMG cars were sold and serviced by the world-wide sales network  
of Mercedes-Benz – improving acceptance on the part of the customers  
decisively. Continued expansion led to the opening of plant no. 3,  
and the workforce grew to 400. In 1993, the German Patent and  
Trademark Office registered the acronym AMG as a trademark, thereby  
acknowledging the brand’s high level of recognition. The C 36 AMG  
launched in the same year was the first jointly developed AMG high- 
performance car of which over 5,000 units were produced until 1997.  
Similar successes were recorded with the E 50 AMG and E 55 AMG in the  
following years.
Another milestone was the integration of AMG in the DaimlerChrysler  
Group on January 1, 1999, when Hans Werner Aufrecht transferred 51  
percent of his stake to the newly founded Mercedes-AMG GmbH. The  
motorsport department was hived off and renamed H.W.A. GmbH. In the  
immediate vicinity of Mercedes-AMG, some 210 employees are now taking  
care of AMG’s long-term activities in the DTM (German Touring Car  
Masters) together with Mercedes-Benz Motorsport.

Modernization and expansion in Affalterbach starting in 2000

Parallel to this, the location in Affalterbach was expanded and  
modernized. New representative buildings and the latest test rigs  
demonstrate the exceptional position of this traditional company to  
visitors at first glance. In the new AMG engine manufacturing  
department, the most progressive production processes are applied to  
build the powerful AMG high-performance engines in keeping with the  
AMG philosophy “One Man, One Engine”. By 2005, the company premises  
had grown from 41,300 to 57,750 square meters; at the same time, the  
roofed area in all buildings more than doubled from some 20,000 to  
42,850 square meters.

In January 2005 DaimlerChrysler took over the remaining shares and  
has since been the sole stockholder of Mercedes-AMG GmbH. With this  
move, DaimlerChrysler secured the competence, the experience and the  
manpower of a partner who has over the years become the epitome of  
success in international motorsport, in manufacturing exclusive high- 
performance cars and in creating dynamic designs. This exemplary  
success story is borne out by the sales figures. Sales of Mercedes- 
AMG GmbH rose from 11,500 units in 2000 to over 20,000 units in 2004.  
The workforce also reached a new record level: some 680 people are  
currently employed at the location in Affalterbach (as per October  
2005).

Since September 1, 2005, the company management has been made up of  
Volker Mornhinweg (chairman), Wolf Zimmermann (Development and  
Production) and Domingos Piedade (Sales, Marketing and Global  
Relations).

Mercedes-AMG: Responsibility for all processes

Being the Performance Division of the DaimlerChrysler Group,Mercedes- 
AMG assumes responsibility for all processes in the development of  
chassis, engine, drive system, suspension, brakes, electronics,  
aerodynamics, interior, design and quality through to the approval of  
the complete AMG car. In addition, Mercedes-AMG takes care of all  
aspects which are relevant for marketing and sales – completely  
independently. A traditional strength of AMG is the realization of  
particularly individual customer wishes: in the AMG Manufacture,  
specialists come up with tailor-made and out-of-the-ordinary  
solutions and create unique, one-off cars to meet customer wishes –  
“one man, one engine” – incorporating the highest quality standards  
as a matter of course.

The AMG Manufacture is also the place where the SLK 55 AMG used as  
the official FIA Formula One Safety Car and the C 55 AMG station  
wagon serving as Medical Car were set up. AMG’s long-term commitment  
to Formula One began in 1984 with a specially developed Mercedes-Benz  
E-Class coupe for use as Medical Car. After sporadic activities in  
the following years, Mercedes-AMG has been providing the FIA Safety  
Car regularly in what is the ninth successive season now. It began  
with the C 36 AMG in 1996 and continued with the first CLK 55 AMG in  
1997, the CL 55 AMG in 2000 and the SL 55 AMG one year later. The new  
CLK 55 AMG made its debut in 2003, and since 2004, the new SLK 55 AMG  
has been ensuring safety on Formula One race-tracks.



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