AMG badges on non-AMG Mercs

[MOCAŠ]

The trouble with that view is that you are really putting forward a policy for making the name AMG completely meaningless - a policy MB themselves appear to be following. Once the least powerful petrol and diesel engined versions of the C class coupe are officially called AMG it means nothing. It just means the marketing people think you are all stupid and will pay more if we stick this label and some naff body kit on a pretty basic C class.

Thing is, once Mercedes-Benz bought AMG, they took control of its destiny and thus of how the name should be used. Everyone can have their own opinion about which cars it should be applied to (and it seems they do), but only MB has the right to decide. Unplalatable, maybe, but a fact nonetheless.

We used to hear the same complaints when BMC started putting Riley and Wolseley badges on tarted-up Oxfords, Minis and 1100s (a process arguably started by Nuffield), and when Ford started putting Ghia badges on models that had never seen the inside of the Ghia studios.

MB aren't the first to take a company with a rich heritage and reduce it to a means of adding a little showroom appeal to an otherwise mundane car, and they won't be the last.

 

[Charles Morgan]

It is an AMG because AMG call it an AMG - they are followers of Wittgenstein. It is not an AMG because it has AMGness, that would be Platonic misapprehension.

Given that engine sizes are falling, are likely to continue falling and may well end up being a lot smaller than 1.8 litres, I am not inclined to bet against there being a 1.8 AMG, although given Mercedes long since stopped having engine sizes that matched the designation it might not be badged as such.

I of course have an AMG, with numerous badges telling me it is an AMG, plus of course, the largest indication of the lot - the sound of an AMG tuned V8.

 

[hawk20]

Thing is, once Mercedes-Benz bought AMG, they took control of its destiny and thus of how the name should be used. Everyone can have their own opinion about which cars it should be applied to (and it seems they do), but only MB has the right to decide. Unplalatable, maybe, but a fact nonetheless.

We used to hear the same complaints when BMC started putting Riley and Wolseley badges on tarted-up Oxfords, Minis and 1100s (a process arguably started by Nuffield), and when Ford started putting Ghia badges on models that had never seen the inside of the Ghia studios.

MB aren't the first to take a company with a rich heritage and reduce it to a means of adding a little showroom appeal to an otherwise mundane car, and they won't be the last.

Of course they can do what they like. Nobody is arguing against that.

But take your Ghia example. Ford misused the name to the point where it became worthless and my point is that if MB are not careful they will similarly destroy the worth of th AMG badge. Just visit the MB website and the sections on the C class coupe to see what standard fare is now being dressed up as an AMG.

It's not just the lack of a V8 monster hand-built AMG engine. It is the lack of any AMG engine at all, of any size.

The Mad Mercedes Hatter says the 'word' AMG means whatever I say it means.

To which I say, then very soon it will mean absolutely nothing.

 

[MB-BTurbo]

This thread has gone from people posting points as to why people shouldn't put AMG badges on their cars to making points slating Mercedes for watering down the AMG name leading me to think that the answer to the original question is 'yes, it is ok for people to do this' as if Mercedes are doing essentially the same thing who can criticise the owners.

 

[Davo]

Now I've traded in my AMG badged CL500, I think its really naff. I wanted to take the badge off on day 1, but never got round to it.

On the other hand, only an enthusiast would be any the wiser, Joe Public has no idea whats standard on a CL and what's not, but if so wouldn't know what AMG was either.

 

[MOCAŠ]

Of course they can do what they like. Nobody is arguing against that.

But take your Ghia example. Ford misused the name to the point where it became worthless and my point is that if MB are not careful they will similarly destroy the worth of th AMG badge. Just visit the MB website and the sections on the C class coupe to see what standard fare is now being dressed up as an AMG.

It's not just the lack of a V8 monster hand-built AMG engine. It is the lack of any AMG engine at all, of any size.

The Mad Mercedes Hatter says the 'word' AMG means whatever I say it means.

To which I say, then very soon it will mean absolutely nothing.

The paradox is that the "value" of AMG now lies not in what the company once did or stood for, but in the name itself (hence people sticking the badge on just for sake of it). It has acquired sufficient cachet to become a marketable asset, and MB would be doing their shareholders a disservice of they didn't maximise the income they derived from that asset.

That won't please the purists, of course, but then if AMG wanted to preserve their reputation they shouldn't have sold out to MB, whose own core values have also been heavily watered down in recent years.

 

[MB-BTurbo]

Now I've traded in my AMG badged CL500, I think its really naff. I wanted to take the badge off on day 1, but never got round to it.

On the other hand, only an enthusiast would be any the wiser, Joe Public has no idea whats standard on a CL and what's not, but if so wouldn't know what AMG was either.

Have to say that's not true. At my school around 50% of the kids love cars and they know what an AMG is and what it stands for. Probably 2% would know that it was a fake. My colleague drove a C180 with the full AMG body kit and AMG written on right hand side of the boot. He got some stick from other colleagues for driving a flash AMG to school just to show off to the pupils.

 

[The G.F.P]

mine had the full AMG kit with original AMG 17" alloys (w124 coupe) and had the badge, i took it off along with the E320 badge but if its got the kit then its ok, i would not though

 

[MB-BTurbo]

I personally think that debadging looks worse of all. Especially doing it to a genuine AMG model, it just says to me 'thats a good fake' its like you're trying to hide something.

 

[owen4220]

I got a set of door badges from here- Mercedes | AMG | Brabus - Sportsstyling Ltd
and they look great. Not everyone's cup of tea I know, but perosnally I love 'badged' cars.

 

[tasn1]

I don't have a problem with copycats...I'm honoured.

 

[npuk]

If it has an AMG engine it can have an AMG badge.

This thread reminds me of: http://www.mbclub.co.uk/forums/bodywork/114374-amg-badge-issue.html

 

[tasn1]

Every time I see a AMG kitted car, I feel like a footballer seeing his name on a replica shirt! Pride.

 

[Dr-Nab]

It could be worse, I saw an A208 CLK230K with not one but two badges on the back but not AMG badges, no M-Power badges... *facepalm*

 

[MOCAŠ]

It could be worse, I saw an A208 CLK230K with not one but two badges on the back but not AMG badges, no M-Power badges... *facepalm*

Worse still, some have Ferrari ambitions but only Chevrolet funds...

 

[tasn1]

Worse still, some have Ferrari ambitions but only Chevrolet funds...

In a weird way...it's cool!

 

[MOCAŠ]

In a weird way...it's cool!

I suppose he decided that if Aston Martin could have their Cygnet...

At least it's the right colour. Not sure about the tow ball, though.

 

[tasn1]

I suppose he decided that if Aston Martin could have their Cygnet...

At least it's the right colour. Not sure about the tow ball, though.

The tow bar is a £20k option...it's Fezza after all!

 

[ianrandom]

Haha that Chevrolet looks cool actually, funny. I had my red 2cv Ferrari badged for a while just for a laugh.

 

[Tazz666]

As you all know have a Clk55 copy, I didnt build it I bought it with the Clk55 badge on it just haven't to remove the 55 bit, But my car has the AMG body kit,bumpers, the AMG alloys. I think if the original owner of my car spent the extra to have the AMG kit put on the car, I am sure I can leave the AMG badges on it.
Except for the exhaust, it looks like an Amg version to the man on the street, But obviously I know I aint kidding those who know the difference.