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| AMG |
Broadcast
date : 24th December 2006 |
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From a tiny tuning company in
Germany to the producers of some of the world’s most
sought-after cars is a long journey.
In 2007 AMG celebrates its 40th anniversary. What is today
Mercedes-Benz’s official performance division, AMG began
fitting hot cams and flowed cylinder-heads to Mercs in the
late 1960's in an old mill in the little known town of
Burgstall in Germany.
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The name derives from the two
founders Hans Werner Aufrecht and Erhard Melcher, while the G
bit comes from the town Grossaspach, Aufrecht’s birth place.
Earlier this year AMG opened its Performance Studio in its
headquarters in Affalterbach, and represents a return to its
roots, in a sense, from the days when it started out fitting
aftermarket equipment to Benz machines.
The new AMG Performance Studio offers all manner of components
in various combinations to Merc owners, which can be
retrofitted to cars that are ex-factory.
Special wheel-and-tyre combos, brakes, differentials, cooling
systems and complete interior re-trimming is now offered as
part of a performance pack on various models.
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The idea is for a customer to
tailor an individual car and take advantage of AMG’s vast
racing heritage, which began in 1971 when an old S Class with
a 6.3 litre V8 won its class in the Spa 24-Hour.
AMG, of course, is better known for its complete cars, and a
visit to the Affalterbach headquarters illustrates the
incredible remodeling of each AMG car that takes place.
Each AMG engine is hand-assembled by one technician, whose
signature is born on the engine plate.
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Perhaps the most dramatic modern
rendition of AMG’s handiwork is not one of its sports car
models, but the AMG S65, based on the beautiful new-generation
S-Class.
Here is a car that has taken the already dramatic shape of the
new big Merc and sculpted it to a degree of precision that’s
at once eye-catching and yet tasteful – no mean feat in this
age of stylistic pyrotechnics.
The 6.0 litre V12 engine pumps out 450 kiloWatts between 4750
and 5000 rpm, and maximum torque peaks at the magical 1000 Nm
mark.
Even as low as 1000 rpm the V12 is pumping out 570 Nm, enough
twisting power to turn an oak tree into a giant koeksuster.
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When we first laid eyes on the S
Class we had to take a deep breath to assimilate its shape.
Now the AMG has proven Mercedes designers were once again on
the button, and talking of buttons, how about the interior of
this car?
The reassuring presence of burr walnut trim is leavened with
an AMG sports steering wheel, AMG seats and an IWC Ingenieur
analogue clock.
Note the speedo which
reads to 360 km/h. Offically AMG 65s are limited to 250 km/h,
but we hear that AMG can be coerced to remove that speed
limiter in Germany.
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Yes, like the S65, the SL65 is
fitted with the same bi-turbo V12, with the same 360 km/h
speedo.
This is the premium version of the SL roadster which in 5.0
litre form made its debut here some five years ago.
The AMG-ised interior features subtle touches that are
appreciated by their owners to give the SL 65 that special
look.
The engine fitted to this car, available to a lucky few in
South Africa, has been thoroughly re-engineered for its 450 kW
output, and knowing Mercedes-Benz, this officially sanctioned
hot-rod is probably good for an easy 600 kiloWatts with only a
marginally reduced engine life expectancy.
The crankshaft is completely re-engineered and balanced,
special materials are used for the forged pistons to withstand
extreme combustion temperatures, and the main and big end
bearings are also made of special metals.
That sculpted nose houses a bigger charge cooler, with a 70
per cent greater capacity than on the standard V12 Merc
installation.
This uses an air-to-water heat exchange system rather than a
straight air-to-air system of conventional intercoolers.
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Now here’s car that is a
sure-fire candidate to have its 250 km/h rev limiter attacked
by a virus.
Just a couple of years ago an AMG-massaged M-Class Merc was
considered a bit of an oddity. Now we have one with 375
kiloWatts of deep-lunged, naturally-aspirated V8, entitled the
ML 63 AMG.
What this means is an SUV with a claimed 5 second 0-100, an electronically
limited 250 top speed and more styling cues to indicate its
special place in the Kingdom of the Car than a Boulevard Bling-mobile.
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The amount of re-engineering
that goes into these cars is stupefying, illustrating how far
AMG has moved from a purveyor of performance add-ons, since
its absorption by Mercedes-Benz in 1999.
Production of AMG cars has doubled since then to current
figures of over 20000 annually.
It’s certainly come a long way since the old mill in
Burgstall and that first victory by the fire-engine-red
6,3-litre S Class in 1971.
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