INSIDE LINE ON AMG

WHAT IS MERCEDES-AMG? PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE OF THE BRAND

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From the 'Red Pig' to the AMG XX concept, we find out what makes Mercedes' performance division tick on a visit to AMG's head quarters in Affalterbach

FOR a manufacturer with a history that goes back to the very first motor car 140 years ago, it's incredible to think that Mercedes choosing to buy a tuning firm that was started by two of its own employees in an old mill in rural eastern Germany could transform public perception of the brand in just over 25 years.

Nevertheless, AMG did what some deemed impossible, because it injected excitement into Mercedes which, at the time, was burdened with the image of being relatively old-fashioned and stuffy, despite its investment in technology - something the car maker continues to do today.

To really get to the core of what AMG represents and how its merger with Mercedes has brought a whole new audience and image for the brand, we visited AMG's home at Affalterbach and also sat down with some of the company's bigwigs to see what might be coming next.

WHAT DOES AMG STAND FOR?

For those unaware, AMG actually stands for 'Aufrecht, Melcher und Großaspach' - the surnames of the company's two founders, Hans Werner Aufrecht and Erhard Melcher, plus the name of a small village on the outskirts of Stuttgart where the pair first set up shop.

WHERE WAS AMG FOUNDED?

Contrary to popular belief, AMG wasn't founded in Affalterbach, but instead in an old mill in Burgstall, near Affalterbach (below). Following the disaster at the 1955 Le Mans 24-hour race in which a car flew off the track and resulted in the deaths of 83 spectators, Mercedes decided to pull out of motor racing and focus on its road-car division.