Mercedes-AMG GmbH, commonly known as AMG (Aufrecht, Melcher, Großaspach), is the high-performance subsidiary of Mercedes-Benz AG.

[2] AMG models typically have more aggressive looks, higher performance, better handling, better stability and more carbon fibre than their regular Mercedes-Benz counterparts.

On 1 January 1999, DaimlerChrysler AG (as it was called between 1998 and 2007) acquired 51 percent of AMG shares, and the company was renamed Mercedes-AMG GmbH.

[8] The racing engine division was separated and continues to operate in Burgstall under the name HWA, derived from Aufrecht's initials.

On 1 January 2005, Aufrecht sold his remaining shares to DaimlerChrysler, and since then, Mercedes-AMG GmbH has been a wholly owned subsidiary of the Mercedes-Benz Group.

During the early 1980s and up until 1990, AMG offered a variety of engine performance packages, alloy wheels and styling products as an entirely independent company from Daimler-Benz.

These ranged from subtle front spoilers to aggressive Wide Body kits for the W126 coupes (reaching more than $700k on the classic market in 2022[14]).

Other options included Recaro seats, smaller diameter steering wheels, instrument clusters, chrome delete option (all brightworks colour-coded or painted satin black), refrigerators, shift knobs, hi-fi stereo systems, custom upholstery and enhanced interior wood packages.

Advanced for its time for a street engine, it had four valves per cylinder and was claimed to push the car faster than a Lamborghini Countach from 60 to 120 mph.

Through the early 2000s, AMG focused principally on supercharged V8 and V6 engines, but the company officially abandoned this technology in 2006 with the introduction of the naturally aspirated 6.2 L 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.

For 2011, AMG released the M157 5.5L bi-turbo V8, which has supplanted the M156 in its full-sized cars such as the S-Class and CL-Class (and is trickling down to the CLS, E-Class, and ML-class).

[18] While founders Hans Werner Aufrecht and Erhard Melcher had emphasized proper racing cars, Mercedes-AMG had diverged considerably from this philosophy in recent years, with their offerings being well known for straight-line acceleration but poor handling dynamics.

Mercedes-AMG chairman Volker Mornhinweg has urged the division to return to its roots of building sports cars.

[19] 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.

When DaimlerChrysler acquired a majority share of AMG in 1999, the motor racing department was divested into HWA AG.

[20] Six successive lightly modified Mercedes-Benz AMG models (including, most recently, a C190 GT Black Series) have acted as the safety cars for the FIA Formula One World Championship.

On 25 July 2013, Aston Martin Lagonda Ltd and Daimler AG announced moves towards a technical partnership with Mercedes-AMG GmbH.

The deal will see Aston Martin access significant Mercedes-AMG GmbH and Mercedes-Benz Cars' resources, allowing the development of bespoke V8 powertrains and the use of certain components of electric/electronic architecture.

The technical partnership will support Aston Martin's launch of a new generation of models and newly developed bespoke V8 powertrains.

[23][24][25] Since the 2021 Formula One World Championship, the German marque shares the role as the official Safety Car supplier with Aston Martin.

Launched in the UK market in April 2015,[29] the 4-litre M178 V8 uses an unusual configuration where the position of the intake and exhaust are reversed, to create a more compact engine and hence vehicle design.

The M157 boasts 25% better fuel economy (10.5 litres per 100 kilometres versus 14.4 L/100 km in the European driving cycle) over the M156, meaning it avoids the US Gas Guzzler Tax for the first time ever, despite having up to 47 horsepower more.

These were produced in limited quantities for one month and only offered through AMG to select customers in Europe and Asia, purportedly state leaders.

The SL 55 AMG was sold in the R129 body style from 1998 to 2001 in limited numbers (5.4L V8, 354 PS (260 kW; 349 hp) at 5500 rpm).

[28] The SLS AMG Electric Drive has 740 horsepower and 738 lb-ft of torque, and Mercedes-AMG claims a 0–60 mph (0–97 km/h) time of 3.9 seconds.

The SLS AMG Black Series "demolished" the Motor Trend figure eight in just 23.1 seconds, beating the McLaren MP4-12C, Ferrari 458 Italia, Audi R8 V10 Plus, and the SRT Viper.

As of July 2024, the AMG GT Black Series is the second fastest sports car in Nürburgring Nordschleife, behind the Porsche 991 GT2 RS Manthey Performance Kit.

[68] AMG is primarily associated with Mercedes-Benz, having been fully owned by the company since 2005, but it has also produced special variants of some Mitsubishi and Honda models.

The vehicle was equipped with an AMG-tuned Mitsubishi 4G63 engine producing 170 PS (125 kW) and featured a body kit, alloy wheels, and a full leather interior.