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Dr. Mercedes Jacobson , MD - Free Doctor Profile - Clinical... healthgrades.com | Testimonials - AMG associatedmedicalgroup.or... |
Mercedes-AMG GmbH, commonly known as AMG, is a subsidiary of the Mercedes-Benz car company specializing in high-performance luxury cars. AMG models are typically the most expensive and highest-performance of each nameplate. AMG models typically have more aggressive looks, higher performances, better handling and better stability than their regular Mercedes counterparts.[1]
[edit] HistoryAMG was founded as a racing engine forge in 1967 under the name AMG Motorenbau und Entwicklungsgesellschaft mbH (AMG Engine Production and Development, Ltd.), by former Mercedes engineers Hans Werner Aufrecht and Erhard Melcher in Burgstall an der Murr, near Stuttgart. The letters "AMG" stand for Aufrecht, Melcher and Großaspach, Aufrecht's birthplace (but at no time an AMG location). In 1976 most of AMG moved to Affalterbach, with the racing engine development remaining at the old location in Burgstall. At this time Erhard Melcher ceased to be a partner, but continued to be an employee at the Burgstall location. In 1990, with AMG having become a high-profile purveyor of modified Mercedes cars, Daimler-Benz AG and AMG signed a contract of cooperation, allowing AMG to leverage Daimler-Benz's extensive dealer network and leading to commonly developed vehicles (the first one being the Mercedes-Benz C 36 AMG, in 1993). On 1 January 1999 DaimlerChrysler, as it was called between 1998 and 2007, acquired 51 percent of AMG shares, and AMG was renamed to Mercedes-AMG GmbH.[2] Racing engine development was divested and continues to exist in Burgstall under the name HWA (Aufrecht's initials). On 1 January 2005 Aufrecht sold his remaining shares to DaimlerChrysler, and since then it has been a wholly-owned subsidiary. [edit] Development of the product range AMG started off by designing and testing racing engines. It expanded its business into building custom road cars based upon standard Mercedes cars. AMG initially produced a range of unofficial upgrade and accessories packages mainly for the Mercedes-Benz W107,[3] Mercedes-Benz W126, Mercedes-Benz W124, Mercedes-Benz R129 and Mercedes-Benz W201 models. There were no official tie-ups until the mid 1980s, when AMG started to supply the company with aftermarket alloy wheels and automotive styling products. Typical AMG cosmetic and performance enhancements from 1979 to 1985, which could all be custom ordered by the buyer, included 15" or 16" ATS for AMG 5 spoked Penta wheels, Recaro seats, painting of all external chrome parts to the car's body color or to black, a smaller diameter AMG steering wheel, lowered and stiffened suspension, aerodynamic AMG front air dam and spoiler kit, modified cams, a custom exhaust to increase base horsepower, and a 5 speed manual transmission.[3]  The release of the AMG Hammer sedan in 1986, based on the Mercedes-Benz W124, took AMG's performance modifications for a fast compact sedan to a new level. AMG made the world's fastest passenger sedan at the time, nicknamed the Hammer[4], by squeezing Mercedes 5.6-liter V8 tuned by AMG to 360 hp into a midsized 300-series sedan. It was very aggressive for the era, with 32-valve cylinder heads and twin camshafts, and said to be faster than the Lamborghini Countach from 60 to 120 mph.[5] Later models were even more powerful and introduced the 17" AMG Aero 1 Hammer wheels. Through the early 2000s, AMG focused principall on supercharged engines, but the company officially abandoned this technology in 2006 with the introduction of the M156 V8. On 16 January 2006, Mercedes-AMG Chairman Volker Mornhinweg told AutoWeek that the company would use turbocharging for higher output rather than supercharging.[6] [edit] Motor racing In the late 1960s and early 1970s, AMG entered the big Mercedes-Benz 300SEL 6.3 V8 saloon, affectionately named the "Red Sow", in the 1971 Spa 24 Hours, and the European Touring Car Championship. AMG and Mercedes worked together on Mercedes-Benz W201 cars for the 1988 Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft (DTM, German Touring Car Championship). AMG was made the official partner. When DaimlerChrysler acquired a majority share of AMG in 1999, the motor racing department was divested into HWA GmbH. Their first car was the ill-fated Mercedes-Benz CLR. Since 2000, HWA builds and runs the cars for Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters (DTM), as well as the M271 engine tuned for use in Formula 3. Six successive lightly modified Mercedes-Benz AMG models (including, most recently, an SL 63 AMG) have acted as the safety cars for the FIA Formula One World Championship. [edit] Relationship with PaganiAMG also provides engines for the Pagani Zonda supercar. The engines used are variants of the M120 7,291cc displacement V12 engine originally used in the SL73 AMG. The M120 is the largest displacement naturally-aspirated engine provided by AMG and is now exclusively used by Pagani. [edit] Current AMG modelsAll AMG engines are hand built, using a "one man, one engine" philosophy at the current AMG plant in Affalterbach, Germany. To signify this, each AMG engine builder stamps the engines they produce with an engraved plaque depicting their signature. As part of the official Mercedes product line, the AMG models are sold side-by-side with regular production models, unlike those offered by other Mercedes tuning firms such as Brabus. [edit] 55The main engine is a 5.5 L V8 engine, designated the M113, that carries the "55" designation. This engine comes in two configurations.
AMG phased out both the naturally aspirated and supercharged 5.4 L engines in favor of the new M156 V8 beginning in 2006. For the Model Year 2009:
[edit] Previous 55 AMG Models
[edit] 63AMG developed its own V8 engine (dubbed M156 in development) for the DTM series. This naturally aspirated V8 will also be used to replace most of the "55" models. The published output according to Mercedes varies from 457 PS (336 kW; 451 hp) on the C63AMG, to 525 PS (386 kW; 518 hp) on the C/CLK/R/ML/GL/S/SL/CL/E 63 AMG.
Despite its badging, the 2001 S63 AMG and 2001 CL63 AMG have completely unrelated engines, sporting a naturally aspirated 6.3L V12 producing 444 PS (438 hp/327 kW). In 2009, AMG developed M159 engine which based in M156, used in SLS AMG. [edit] 65These are the only AMG vehicles using a 5-speed automatic transmission, as the newer 7G-Tronic cannot handle the torque from the V12 engines.
[edit] Black SeriesThe AMG Performance Studio located in Affalterbach is responsible for the upgades which make an AMG into an AMG Black Series model. The Black Series treatment is only available on 2 door vehicles, which includes weight reduction, bucket seats and exterior alterations.
[edit] Previous AMG modelsIn addition to the models listed below, there were also predecessors to the current AMG models. There are also other AMG models no longer in production:
[edit] 30[edit] Competing Mercedes-Benz performance specialists[edit] See also
[edit] References
[edit] External links
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