Aufrecht, Melcher and Großaspach. The AMG brand began with two passionate motorsports engineers in the 1960s. Hans Werner Aufrecht and Erhard Melcher used their spare time to perfect the performance on a 300 SE racing engine. The talented engineers were a part of the Development Department at Daimler-Benz, yet the company ended up discontinuing their motorsports activities. Aufrecht and Melcher refused to let the closure affect their love for motorsports so the new space for the development of this engine landed in Aufrecht's house in Grossaspach.
WHAT MAKES THE MERCEDES BENZ AMG SO SPECIAL?
AMG was becoming a global brand. That 300 SE engine that Aufrecht and Melcher developed was put to the test in 1965 at the German Touring Car Championship. An old colleague at Daimler, Manfred Schiek, raced and won ten times with the engine. Clearly, this was the beginning of something special. A disruptive innovation in the motorsports industry that began turning heads.
Additional races were won, Aufrecht and Melcher went into business together and soon the two were known as the go-to spot for private racing teams.
According to Mercedes-AMG, “AMG became an engine manufacturer in 1984 due to an innovation: Melcher developed a completely independent cylinder head with four valves per cylinder. In the late 1980s, Daimler-Benz and AMG began working together; first as official racing partners. The highlight of this period is the success story of the 190. The racecar, which was entered into the race by AMG with the support of the manufacturer, won a total of 50 DTM victories between 1988 and 1993.”
AMG's rich history has made them a top player in the motorsport and racing performance industry.
HAVE YOU HEARD OF THE AMG'S RED PIG?
In the 1971 24 Hours of Spa, a funny looking Mercedes-Benz 300 SEL 6.8 four-door sedan rolled onto the track. Compared to its sleek competitors, the beast was dubbed as the “Red Pig.” While the looks drew in attention for humorous reasons, the jokes subsided and a respect for AMG was gained when the race was over.
The Red Pig finished first in its class and second overall.
Aufrecht and Melcher created the Red Pig from a Mercedes-Benz 300 SEL 6.3 four-door sedan. According to Mercedes-Benz Media Newsroom USA, “After Aufrecht and Melcher extensively modified the car, including increasing the engine's displacement to 6.8 liters, the finished vehicle produced 428 horsepower and 448 lb-ft of torque, a huge improvement from the stock output of 247 hp and 369 lb-ft. The duo also lightened the car extensively; although it was still likely the heaviest car on the grid at its racing debut.”
MERCEDES BENZ AMG SERVICE
The innovation, passion and significance these gentlemen had in Mercedes' history is inspiring. Here at CK Auto Exclusive, we have over 30 years of experience working on Mercedes-Benz vehicles. Our master mechanic Paul Duckworth is considered by many as one of the most qualified technicians in the Santa Rosa area. We are passionate about enhancing our knowledge and expertise of these vehicles every single day.
For all your Mercedes-Benz services, maintenances, repairs, diagnostics and tunings, give us a call and visit our website for more information.