Mercedes-AMG GmbH is the high-performance division of Mercedes-Benz, headquartered in Affalterbach, Germany. It originated in 1967 as AMG, an independent engine-building and tuning operation founded by Hans Werner Aufrecht and Erhard Melcher, with the G in the name referencing Aufrecht's hometown of Großaspach. AMG gained early recognition through motorsport, particularly with a heavily modified Mercedes 300 SEL 6.8 that finished second in class at the 1971 Spa 24 Hours. Mercedes-Benz progressively deepened its relationship with AMG through the 1990s, acquiring a controlling stake in 1999 and eventually absorbing the company fully in 2005, rebranding it as Mercedes-AMG GmbH. Today the division produces factory performance variants across virtually the entire Mercedes-Benz lineup, ranging from turbocharged four-cylinder models to handbuilt V8 and V12 engines, with the GT series and the 63-designated models representing its most driver-focused offerings.
