Loading
Yes, Mercedes-Benz has acquired the AMG company. And it was not done at once. The history of the process of AMG integration into Mercedes-Benz is a process that lasted a few years. It began as a partnership, and later on, it transformed into 100 percent ownership.
Now, here is where we can simplify it all, so it is easier to comprehend the evolution of AMG to the entry of Benz to the scene and how this move revolutionized the landscape of the performance car scene as we know it.
Briefly, just before we proceed to the ownership aspect, we should learn what AMG is.
The AMG is an abbreviation that is made up of Aufrecht, Melcher, and Grossaspach. These are the names of the two founders and the town in which one of them was born. AMG is a company that started in 1967 and was founded by two engineers who worked at Mercedes-Benz. Their names are Hans Werner Aufrecht and Erhard Melcher.
Both of them had an interest in performance and racing. They began AMG as a small company that changed the Mercedes-Benz cars to enhance them by making them fast, stronger, and thrilling. After some time, AMG turned out to be recognized as a company that builds some of the wildest and powerful Mercedes cars to ride on the road.
During the years 1970s and 80s, the AMG cars were attracting attention. Not of an official Mercedes make, they were constructed on the basis of them. AMG was something like a tuning shop: upgrade the engines, equip with special parts, convert luxury cars into racing machines.
By the 1990s, AMG had earned a lot of respect, and Mercedes-Benz decided to collaborate with them more closely.
That was the case in 1990 when Mercedes-Benz contracted with AMG. It enabled AMG to come up with Mercedes performance cars in an authorized role. This marked the start of a deadly relationship between the two companies.
Mercedes did not purchase AMG in one go. All of this occurred in phases.
Yes, then, Mercedes-Benz officially purchased the AMG company in 2005. Since then, AMG has been integrated in its entirety into Mercedes-Benz.
As soon as AMG was entirely owned by Mercedes-Benz, things began to gain momentum. As of now, AMG is not only a tuning brand anymore but also an inseparable part of the Mercedes family. That was how it meant this:
Absolutely. Although being a part of Mercedes-Benz, AMG has its way of doing things. For example:
So, although AMG is now part of the Mercedes-Benz family, the brand still has not lost its hardcore. It is actually true that being a part of Benz meant that AMG had more money, more resources, and a larger reach to make even better cars.
Great question. They had a couple of large explanations:
Not in the least. Although most of the models will have the AMG logo on them, you will notice that genuine AMG cars are constructed. A big difference exists between an AMG Line trim (a car that mostly appears to be sporty) and an authorized AMG model (that is performance-tuned inside and out).
When the badge reads something like C63 AMG, you are getting the real score upgraded engine, suspension, exhaust, and brakes, among others.
In order to clearly answer the main question:
Yes, Mercedes-Benz acquired the AMG company, and it owned it fully in 2005. Since that day, AMG has been the performance division of Mercedes-Benz, and it has created some of the most potent and fun cars to drive in the market.
A1: In 1967, Hans Werner Aufrecht and Erhard Melcher founded AMG. Mercedes-Benz entered as a performance company, and it was an independent firm.
A2: No, AMG is now a wholly owned subsidiary of Mercedes-Benz, but it is the performance arm of the company.
A3: Mercedes-Benz acquired a commercial stake in AMG in 1999 with an amount of 51 percent and full ownership in 2005.
A4: High-performance AMG models are the only ones with hand-built engines and the signature of the builder. It is not the case with AMG trim packages on other models.
A5: AMG cars are more performance-oriented, are aggressively styled, more engineered, and have a different drive feel, which makes them distinguishable from the regular Mercedes cars.