To AMG or not to AMG

[RogerSausage]

Im not sure it ever was factory fit to put AMG badges on a non-AMG car.

Sure, a dealership could do before handover if requested, but at the factory? I find that hard to believe.

The ones I remember being factory in the early days were on the front valance. Cars like the W202 C280 Sport or W210 E320 spec'ed with the AMG wheel/tyre/suspension package had a discreet badge in the centre of the front bumper at the bottom. Not on the boot lid though, although these tended to be added at PDI at the buyer's request.

 

[ALFAitalia]

Years ago my friend bough a new 209 CLK had lots of AMG stuff (aero, wheels etc)....that came with the AMG badge he was not expecting. Maybe its added at dealer level on UK cars with lots of AMG bits.

 

[Spider10]

How it should be

 

[MisterE]

My 500 has AMG wheels and floor mats.
It has no badges at all. I know what’s under the bonnet. I don’t care what anyone else thinks.

 

[Smitty1]

Talking of which I have a 2014 C class coupe AMG sport edition and it has the AMG badge at the back, would that have been factory fitted or added? i dont know if they would have come with an AMG badge from new?

If they didnt i'll probably take mine off, but if its a factory fitted badge i'll probably leave it

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

Talking of which I have a 2014 C class coupe AMG sport edition and it has the AMG badge at the back, would that have been factory fitted or added? i dont know if they would have come with an AMG badge from new?

If they didnt i'll probably take mine off, but if its a factory fitted badge i'll probably leave it

On such a recent car, unless it’s a 63 model then the AMG badge would have been added later. Leave it on if you like it.

 

[popuptoaster]

I'd love to know how you came to that conclusion.

What you're effectively saying is, after 2030 they're going to give up on making anything that is remotely quick, fun or interesting to drive. They'll just blend their product in with all the other press-and-go EV's that'll be ten-a-penny by then. For them to do that, also means their market will have to have dried up - are you suggesting that all EV's are 'fast' and there will be no need for a halo brand making high performance versions?

What I'm saying is that there will be no "custom" AMG electric motors in the same way there used to be specific AMG engines, it'll be the same platform as all the other models maybe with an dual motors on one axle and a single on the other rather than two singles and some different software and trim and an AMG badge slapped on it.
I mean come on, Mercedes themselves have said no new engines now until they go all electric so the current crop of AMGs are only a software tune up from the lower end models, what was the last model to have an AMG specific engine in it? Face it, the badge is now just a trim and computer update option, the cars may be fast still but they are not the same as the AMGs of yesteryear, for better or worse.

 

[popuptoaster]

They normally have the standard model number with a zero on the end and the AMG badge if its the trim package, the AMG tuned cars don't have the zero, E55, E63 etc so anyone who knows will know and any one who doesn't wont care unless it's someone who likes to judge a person by how much they spent on a car, in which case the AMG badge is fine if you need to impress them.

 

[Smitty1]

On such a recent car, unless it’s a 63 model then the AMG badge would have been added later. Leave it on if you like it.

Oh right ok, thought it was a little strange that there is no C250 badge but an AMG badge, i'll probably take it off

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

What I'm saying is that there will be no "custom" AMG electric motors in the same way there used to be specific AMG engines, it'll be the same platform as all the other models maybe with an dual motors on one axle and a single on the other rather than two singles and some different software and trim and an AMG badge slapped on it.
I mean come on, Mercedes themselves have said no new engines now until they go all electric so the current crop of AMGs are only a software tune up from the lower end models, what was the last model to have an AMG specific engine in it? Face it, the badge is now just a trim and computer update option, the cars may be fast still but they are not the same as the AMGs of yesteryear, for better or worse.

When did they make the AMGs worth having?

 

[Riccigolly]

As some of you probably know, I bought a CL500 at the weekend and very nice it is too. Now, it came with the AMG styling pack so deeper bumpers, side skirts and 20" AMG wheels. It also came with an AMG badge which I believe is a factory fit.

The thing is, I'm torn. I like an AMG, I own a full bore one in the form of my CLS63 but is it a bit too try hard to leave the AMG badge on this one? I mean no it's not a four cylinder diesel with an eBay badge on it but it's also not a hand assembled full on AMG, but it is a V8. First world problems eh!! hahaha

It’s a sexy looking car, deserves the AMG badge

 

[Deleted member 126251]

Talking of which I have a 2014 C class coupe AMG sport edition and it has the AMG badge at the back, would that have been factory fitted or added? i dont know if they would have come with an AMG badge from new?

If they didnt i'll probably take mine off, but if its a factory fitted badge i'll probably leave it

Added.

 

[jayboy222]

I think if you put them on you non AMG car....that's a bit sad......but if its factory policy to put them on cars with AMG pack items then its a factory fitted part as far as I'm concerned and that's fine.
I do have a pair Cloverleafs (Quadrifoglio) on my ALFA 159 (genuine factory ones from a Giulietta.....not cheap eBay knockoffs) which upsets a few purists.....but traditionally the Cloverleaf was for good luck on ALFAs race cars an only used by ALFA on the faster or higher spec ones more recently....there was even a factory 1.9 diesel Cloverleaf! If you drive a ALFA you need all the luck you can get!!! I don't consider myself to be faking anything because anyone in the know will realise that ALFA never made a cloverleaf version of the 159....one of very few ALFA models never to wear the badge..
At the end of the day OP....your car, your choice!!
View attachment 128827

So it's sad when OP does it but you come up with a convulated, ridiculous explanation for why it's ok when you do it on your Alfas?

Surely as our resident used car valuation expert, that's knocks thousands off the price off your Alfas.

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

So it's sad when OP does it but you come up with a convulated, ridiculous explanation for why it's ok when you do it on your Alfas?

You make an interesting observation


I have an AMG badge on my Mercedes - it’s a genuine badge - similar in design to those on Lewis’s car no less - but on a car which is obviously not a racing car. Does that mean it’s not sad afterall?

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

what was the last model to have an AMG specific engine in it?

By “AMG specific” I assume that you mean an engine which has been designed and built for use in AMG models only, and not based upon a shared architecture with another Mercedes engine?

It shouldn’t be a surprise that there hasn’t been an AMG model with an “AMG specific” engine for quite a while, because there has only ever been one - the M156/9 - in AMG’s 55 year history.

With the exception of the M156/9, AMG models have shared architecture with a non-AMG engine, whether it was modified after production in the early days or designed from the outset like in recent times.

The M156/9 was the anomaly, from the outset it was intended to go racing, in the SLS GT3 and GT GT3. The GT GT4 uses a derivation of the M178, based on the M133, which in turn is based on the M270.

So I’m not sure the lack of an AMG specific engine has much to do with electrification, more to do with it making good business and engineering sense to share architecture with a non-AMG engine.

 

[ALFAitalia]

So it's sad when OP does it but you come up with a convulated, ridiculous explanation for why it's ok when you do it on your Alfas?

Surely as our resident used car valuation expert, that's knocks thousands off the price off your Alfas.

It's not ridiculous at all....you obviously don't understand the history of the Cloverleaf on ALFA cars. I'm not trying to say that my car is something its not....they never made an ALFA 159 Cloverleaf (QV as we say). It's just a good luck charm (or was unto recently when the marketing department got hold of it). It's a good luck charm....nothing more.
They did however make AMG versions of most Merc models....so putting an AMG badge on something that was not there from the factory is trying to convince people that you car is something that it's not....like whacking an M3 badge on a 316d!
My 209 had an AMG badge on it....probably because of the staggered AMG wheels, spoiler and skirts it had....took it off the first time I washed it.....so no....not the same thing at all.

 

[Deleted member 126251]

It's not ridiculous at all....you obviously don't understand the history of the Cloverleaf on ALFA cars. I'm not trying to say that my car is something its not....they never made an ALFA 159 Cloverleaf (QV as we say). It's just a good luck charm (or was unto recently when the marketing department got hold of it). It's a good luck charm....nothing more.
They did however make AMG versions of most Merc models....so putting an AMG badge on something that was not there from the factory is trying to convince people that you car is something that it's not....like whacking an M3 badge on a 316d!
My 209 had an AMG badge on it....probably because of the staggered AMG wheels, spoiler and skirts it had....took it off the first time I washed it.....so no....not the same thing at all.

I’ve always associated the cloverleaf with Alfas & seem to recall it on a lot of models in my early days of driving.

On the otherhand, the AMG badge is intended for cars that AMG have done their magic on.

My SL 'AMG Line’ has the same AMG body styling as the AMG (plus other AMG bits and pieces) and it is still not an AMG.

Sticking an AMG badge on a car that is not an AMG is just phoney. But then there is a massive market for fake clothing, watches, sunglasses etc so it shows that there is a market segment that likes fake stuff.

"And I know I'm fakin' it, I'm not really makin' it.” (Simon & Garfunkel)

 

[jayboy222]

It's not ridiculous at all....you obviously don't understand the history of the Cloverleaf on ALFA cars. I'm not trying to say that my car is something its not....they never made an ALFA 159 Cloverleaf (QV as we say). It's just a good luck charm (or was unto recently when the marketing department got hold of it). It's a good luck charm....nothing more.
They did however make AMG versions of most Merc models....so putting an AMG badge on something that was not there from the factory is trying to convince people that you car is something that it's not....like whacking an M3 badge on a 316d!
My 209 had an AMG badge on it....probably because of the staggered AMG wheels, spoiler and skirts it had....took it off the first time I washed it.....so no....not the same thing at all.

It was used as a good luck charm on Alfas in the 1920s, but is defo known and used now to indicate a performance Alfa, but no, clearly only you understand Alfas. So yes, same thing.

Using your own rationale, was the cloverleaf badge on your Alfa from factory. If not, then I don't know what your argument is.

 

[MikeInWimbledon]

“ it's also not a hand assembled full on AMG, but it is a V8.”

Sorry about this, but no, AMG’s aren’t “hand assembled full on AMG’s.”

The AMG engine is hand assembled in the Affalterbach site, but an AMG is built on on the “normal” mass production line at Sindelfingen, alongside other CL500’s. All of the other AMG componentry is “just” AMG selected sports spec, mass-produced stuff inserted in the car on the normal production line by the same robots.

I know that’s what you probably meant, but an AMG is the carefully calculated sum of its parts, not just that engine. The pleasure of doing 200kph in the thing is the AMG it all comes together, not the engine alone.

As for the badge: who cares? It makes no difference.

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

The AMG engine is hand assembled in the Affalterbach site, but an AMG is built on on the “normal” mass production line at Sindelfingen

Even AMG engines aren’t reeeeaaaally hand assembled, which is why it’s described by Mercedes as “one man one engine” rather than hand assembled.

One person (not just men) is responsible for the final assembly of the engine, which is semi robotised and brings together ready made sub-assemblies.

For example a human might guide a sub-assembly into position but a robot will simultaneously tighten all fastenings to the specified torque.

It may not be hand assembled but it’s impressive all the same, especially if you can walk the line following an engine. There are videos on YouTube though.