ECR - Mercedes-AMG - History and information

About

Two men with a passion for motorsport and engineering founded AMG. Hans Werner Aufrecht and Erhard Melcher saw an opportunity on every wide open road, an invitation in every curve, an affirmation in every victory: for more performance and more power.

Takeover by DaimlerChrysler AG

Hans Werner Aufrecht transferred a majority stake in the steadily growing company to DaimlerChrysler AG on January 1, 1999. On January 1, 2005 DaimlerChrysler acquired 100 per cent of the shares. This allowed the newly founded Mercedes‑AMG GmbH to benefit to an even greater extent from the Group's resources and global standing. In 1999 as well, the motorsport department was transferred to company founder Hans Werner Aufrecht's firm, H.W.A. GmbH (now H.W.A. AG). Located in close proximity to Mercedes‑AMG GmbH, some 200 employees now work there together with Mercedes-Benz Motorsport to manage the two companies' long-standing involvement in the German Touring Car Championship (DTM).

Make Timeline

Two men, three letters

Over 50 years ago, a unique company arose as a result of an overwhelming passion for motorsports. A as in Aufrecht, M as in Melcher and G as in Großaspach: the names behind these three letters were the starting point for the rapid development from a two-man operation to a global brand. The story starts in the 1960s: the two engineers, Hans Werner Aufrecht and Erhard Melcher, were working on the 300 SE racing engine in the Development Department at Daimler-Benz until the company discontinued all motorsports activities. Yet the hearts of Aufrecht and Melcher beat unabated for motorsports. In Aufrecht’s house in Grossaspach, they spent their spare time further honing the performance of the engine. In 1965, Manfred Schiek, a colleague at Daimler, went to the start in the German Touring Car Championship with the 300 SE engine that Aufrecht and Melcher had developed, and won ten times! Schiek’s triumph formed the foundation of Aufrecht and Melcher’s reputation as experts for sustaining and optimizing the performance of Mercedes-Benz vehicles.

Road vehicles inspired by successful racing cars

Reputation was not enough for Aufrecht, however: his vision was to offer road vehicles modeled after the successful racing car. In late 1966 he left Mercedes-Benz and persuaded Melcher to venture into a shared business with him. In 1967, they founded the Aufrecht Melcher Großaspach Ingenieurbüro, Konstruktion und Versuch zur Entwicklung von Rennmotoren ( Aufrecht Melcher Großaspach engineering firm, design and testing for the development of racing engines'). The headquarters were a former mill in the nearby municipality of Burgstall. Very quickly, the engines that were revamped there became a must for private racing teams. The first milestone in terms of racing was in 1971 during the 24 Hours of Spa, which went down in the annals of the company: the AMG Mercedes 300 SEL 6.8 was the champion in its class and won second place overall. A heavy luxury sedan pulling a fast one on the competing lighter race cars. It caused a sensation, and the name AMG spread throughout the world.