Are all Mercs the same? Well, if you are looking at it from a luxury point of view, then maybe they are. But, if you are looking at it from a performance point of view then the answer is clearly no!
AMG is Mercedes’ performance division and the letters stand for Aufrecht Melcher Großaspach. Mercedes-AMG cars are built to be the ultimate beasts on both the road and track. The power and stamina from these machines make them some of the wildest and most aggressive sports cars on the market.
For 23 years now, Mercedes-AMG has delivered some of the best high-performance luxury vehicles. Here are the 10 best Mercedes-AMG cars ever made.
10 1971 AMG 300 SEL 6.8 - The “Red Pig”
This is the car that laid the foundation for all AMG vehicles. The 1971 300 SEL 6.8 AMG, nicknamed “The Red Pig,” is a modified 300 SEL sedan. AMG modified the fastest German sedan of that time giving it more power and stamina
They replaced the 6.6-liter engine with a 6.8-liter V8 engine that pushed out 419 horsepower. The doors on the 300 SEL sedan were replaced with lighter aluminum doors and the whole car was painted cherry red. AMG signed up the 300 SEL 6.8 AMG for the 24 hour race at Spa Francorchamps in 1971. To everybody’s surprise, this bulky beast won in its class and was second overall. Only five Red Pigs were ever made.
9 1987 190E 3.2 AMG – The Baby Hammer
After their 1971 win, AMG kept building fast Mercs - this time with full support from Mercedes. The 1987 190E 3.2 AMG was the first car to be sold under the Mercedes-AMG umbrella. A total of 200 units of the 190E 3.2 AMG were made and sold.
This ride was powered by a 3.2-liter inline 6-cylinder that pushed 231 horsepower and delivered 234 lb-ft of torque to the drivetrain. Nicknamed “The Baby Hammer,” the 190E 3.2 AMG was one of the most in-demand cars across Europe. Those who did not get a chance to own it bought the engines and body kits from AMG to retrofit their 190E.
8 1988 300CE 6.0 AMG – The Hammer
This is the second AMG car that was nicknamed “Hammer” - and it lived up to its name. The 1988 300CE 6.0 AMG was the hardest hitting coupe on the European market before it made its way across the pond to America.
The 1988 300CE 6.0 AMG’s engine was based on the W126 S-Class V8. With AMG’s magical touch, this engine was upgraded to a 6.0-liter that pushed 380 horsepower and delivered 417 lb-ft of torque to the drivetrain.
This beast accelerated from 0 to 60 mph in less than 5 seconds and had a top speed that went above the 186 mph mark. The 1988 300CE 6.0 AMG was a borderline supercar.
7 1997 CLK GTR
Two years before the finalization of Mercedes’ and AMG’s exclusivity deal, they had worked on one of history’s most iconic FIA GT1 racecars: the 1997 CLK GTR. Built to rival McLaren’s F1 GTR, the 1997 CLK GTR did not amount to its full potential on the track.
After the cancelation of the FIA GT1 classes in 1999, AMG fulfilled its promise of building 26 road-legal units of the 1997 CLK GTR, which included six roadsters. This car was powered by a mid-mounted 6.9-liter V12 engine that pushed 612 horsepower and delivered 572 lb-ft of torque to the drivetrain. This engine was paired by 6-speed sequential transmission. To make the car lightweight, the 1997 CLK GTR’s body was made of carbon fiber.
6 1997 SL73 AMG
This is one of the rarest AMG cars ever made. Only 85 units of the 1997 SL73 AMG were made between 1997 and 2001. This car was powered by a 7.3-liter V12 engine that pushed 518 horsepower and 553 lb-ft of torque to the drivetrain. The 1997 SL73 AMG accelerated from 0-60 mph in 4.8 seconds at a top speed of 186 mph.
For you to own a 1997 SL73 AMG, you had to own a Mercedes SL600 first, and then hand it over to AMG for the 1997 SL73 AMG. The 1997 SL73 AMG was the inspiration behind the Pagani Zonda.
5 2003 E55 AMG
2003 E55 AMG was the second generation Mercedes-Benz E55 AMG. It debuted during the 2002 Paris Motor Show and it was ready for launch in 2003. The 2003 E55 AMG was the perfect blend of luxury and power. This two-door sedan was powered by a 5.4-liter supercharged V8 engine that pushed 469 horsepower and delivered 520 lb-ft of torque to the drivetrain.
When the 2003 E55 AMG was pushed beyond the legal limits, it gained an extra 21 horsepower. The engine in this machine was paired with a 5-speed automatic transmission since it was the only one that could handle the power output from this beast.
4 2008 SL65 AMG Black Series
The AMG Black Series is AMG’s track line. When the first Black Series car, the SLK 55 AMG, debuted in 2006, the legacy was formed. The 2008 SL65 AMG Black Series is renowned for its horrible turning circles around detractors. Besides this little flaw that many overlooked, the 2008 SL65 AMG Black Series was way lighter than the regular 65.
It was powered by a 6.0-liter bi-turbo V12 engine that had a maximum output of 661 horsepower and monstrous torque of 740 lb-ft that was delivered to the car’s rear-wheel drivetrain. The retractable spoiler and wide-body kit completed the 2008 SL65 AMG Black Series sinister badass look.
3 2010 SLS AMG
It had been a minute since we last saw gullwing doors on a Mercedes. Gullwing doors made their debut on the iconic Mercedes 300SL. The return of gullwing doors on the 2010 SLS AMG was the best surprise from Mercedes-AMG in 2010.
The 2010 SLS AMG was the first car single-handedly built by AMG. This car was powered by the world’s most powerful naturally aspirate series production engine. This 6.2-liter M159 V8 engine pushed 563 horsepower and would end up delivering 622 horsepower in the Black Series model. The SLS’ styling and character make it one of AMG’s most iconic cars.
2 2011 W204 C63 Edition 507
The 2011 W204 C63 Edition 507 is only available as a coupe. This high-performance luxury ride features flared arches and a noticeable rear spoiler. This coupe is powered by a 6.2-liter M156 engine that pushed 510 horsepower. The use of this engine in the 2011 W204 C63 marked the end of the AMG naturally aspirated V8 engine era.
Although the engine made a comeback in the BMW M3 GTS, it was overshadowed by its performance at Mercedes-AMG. The new generation 2011 W204 C63 features a downgraded V8 turbocharged engine. The 2011 W204 C63 remains an AMG legend.
1 2016 AMG GT R
The 2016 AMG GT R is a precursor facelift to the iconic Mercedes-AMG GT range. When the 2016 AMG GT R debuted, the Panamericana grille and Green Mango paint made a statement that remains engraved in every car enthusiast’s mind. This car was built to dominate.
Nicknamed “The Beast of the Green Hell” the 2016 AMG GT R is powered by a 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V8. This beast displayed its power at the Nürburgring after it clocked 7:10.92 around the Nordschleife. This heralded a new era for Mercedes-AMG that was dominated by power, control, and poise. Built to rival the Porsche 911 GT3, the 2016 AMG GT proved that it's the most composed AMG car ever made.