Euro · 10 models
AMG turned a humble tuner shop into the brand BMW M chases. The 300SL was the original supercar. The G-Wagen will outlast civilization.
EuroMercedes-Benz is the oldest car maker still in continuous operation, founded in 1926 from the merger of Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft and Benz & Cie. Karl Benz built the first automobile in 1886. The brand identity is luxury, durability, and (since AMG joined the family) genuine performance. The 300SL Gullwing of 1954-1957 is the foundational halo car. Direct fuel injection, six-cylinder, gullwing doors, and 161 horsepower made it the fastest production car of its era. Production was limited (around 1,400 cars), and clean examples now sell for over $1 million. AMG (Aufrecht Melcher Großaspach, named after the founders and the village where it started) was an independent tuner founded in 1967. By the 1990s it had become Mercedes in-house performance arm. The C36 AMG of 1995 was the first official factory AMG product. The C63 AMG, E63 AMG, and S63 AMG carried the formula through three subsequent decades. The M156 6.2 liter naturally aspirated V8 in the C63 AMG (2008-2014) and the M157/M177/M178 twin-turbo V8s in subsequent cars represent the engineering peak. The G-Wagen is the other Mercedes story. Originally developed for military use in the 1970s, the W463 chassis remained almost unchanged from 1990 through 2018. The current generation is more refined but maintains the boxy design and three locking differentials. The G63 AMG with the twin-turbo V8 has become a status symbol unlike any other vehicle in the segment. On WhipJury, Mercedes submissions span E55 and E63 AMGs (especially the M113 supercharged V8 era), C63 AMG sedans and coupes, G-Wagens, classic R107 SLs, and the occasional 300SL or modern GT/AMG GT.
AMG started as an independent tuning house specializing in Mercedes engines. The Hammer of the 1980s (an E-Class with a 6.0 liter V8 swap) put AMG on the global map. Mercedes acquired a majority stake in 1999 and full ownership in 2005. The W210 E55 AMG, W211 E55 AMG, and W211 E63 AMG covered the early modern AMG era; the W212 E63 AMG and current W213 E63 AMG are the modern flagships.
The M156 V8 is widely considered AMG masterpiece. Naturally aspirated 6.2 liters, hand-built with one engine per technician, 451 to 525 horsepower depending on application. The C63 AMG with the M156 (2008-2014) is one of the great modern muscle cars. Subsequent twin-turbo V8s have been faster but lack the same character.
The G-Class launched as the W460 in 1979 for military and government use. The W463 civilian version arrived in 1990 and ran almost unchanged for nearly three decades, a remarkable production run for a luxury vehicle. The current W463A (2018+) is mechanically a new vehicle but maintains the visual signature. The G63 AMG with the M177 twin-turbo V8 makes 577 horsepower in a chassis that retains live axles and serious off-road capability.
The community on WhipJury favors AMG cars heavily, particularly the M156-era C63s and E63s, plus modern GT and AMG GT 4-Door models. G-Wagens (especially custom Brabus-style builds) are common. Classic R107 SL submissions and W124 E-Class builds round out the older Mercedes presence.