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I've noticed recently and probably some of you as well, that the new badge destination for some so called AMG's. On a real "One Man, One Engine" built AMG, the model designation is always on the left, and AMG is always on the right, as seen in this photo of my E63.
On some recent models, take the E43 for example, the AMG is on the left and the model E43 is on the right. I think that AMG did this deliberately to designate that this isn't a true blooded AMG. What do you think???
This certainly is unusual as the S63 badging are in the same positions as the C43, and we all know the S63 are hand built engines.
My logic would definitely explain the 43 and 53's. So I'm now confused, as my old logic doesn't apply here.
the only way to tell is the engine builders placarded or just to know these days. if you ask AMG, they'll tell you the 43 and 53 engine's are AMG engines through and through. if you question the hand built mnemonic, they'll tell you, they've done a through once over by AMG, and they would classify them as an AMG engine although not hand build.
hard to explain to a non AMG owner the differences. 43's and 53's are invited to all AMG Owners only events as well.
I just hoping that someone had some clear logic, why MB-AMG choose this route. I could see them using my logic, but they did this on the S63 which makes no sense to me.
its literally all their new cars now. after a specific model year, they began putting the AMG on the left side to probably make it seem like its an AMG car from the get go, versus a Mercedes that has been massaged by AMG. its probably a whole branding and marketing thing.
its literally all their new cars now. after a specific model year, they began putting the AMG on the left side to probably make it seem like its an AMG car from the get go, versus a Mercedes that has been massaged by AMG. its probably a whole branding and marketing thing.
It all just boils down to $$$. The more vehicles that Mercedes could get away with branding AMG, the more premium dollars they could rake in. Easy money for Mercedes for minimal effort on their part. Marketing 101.
This is an odd topic, but I can share that an enthusiastic sales rep in a Mercedes dealer told me recently that the "true" AMG cars in the traditional sense come with quad oval exhaust tips. Allegedly, the newer generation of "lesser" AMG cars have squared and/or non-quad. He was going on and on about AMG differentiators. The AMG sales mystique and hype was amusing for a little while. My conclusion is that most sales reps have less knowledge of AMG than an average AMG enthusiast likely visiting this and other forums. My sense is that badge placement, exhaust tips, hood stars, grille louvers are the results of many factors with the search for a fresh sense of design appeal being one of the major factors. Yes, tradition (conservatism) is giving in to flexibility and diversity. In general, I would not attribute style decisions to some purposeful meaning in this day and age.
So the move is basically the same as the former dealer "upgrades" from the past with the addition of Mercedes itself going full out with trunk badging as well and coming up with a backstory. It's kind of weird that it's a full swing in that direction but I guess anything to sell a few more cars. BMW has made a very strange transition in the direction of its car design, but at least they aren't trying to pass their M packages off as full M vehicles.Going to be more annoying than ever going into a dealership to get a real AMG and having a salesperson trying to convince buyers that fakes are the real thing.
Recent AMG packages certainly diluted the brand. It is what it is. However, here is a short history tidbit. AMG was founded as a racing motor tuner and when they expanded to tuning production Benz cars, AMG had a requirement to bestow the AMG designation -- to feature at least 3 AMG-branded upgrades/mods, which they sold a-la-carte. Full circle.
Anyone that knows me, will tell you I am a very enthusiastic owner when it comes to AMG. But honestly, AMG has been losing it's luster and street credit-ability for years now.
MB-AMG will continue to slap AMG branding on their cars and calling it as such. Eventually the brand will get so diluted that AMG won't mean anything to anyone.
The AMG branding should have only been reserved for it's high end cars....period.
being a purist brand doesn't pay the bills, it simply holds tribute and pays homage to the brand itself. every successful manufacture is now skewing the lines of their purist/performance brands to their every day cars. there are more normal people than there are people who can afford cars over 75k. those normal people wish they had an AMG, so being sold on the looks and idea that a 45 or 53 is an AMG is all they need. they aren't purist customers, but if you can sell them on the idea of moving into the brand as a starter...it'll make them a loyalist of the higher brand. that higher brand in this case is AMG. you need to bottle feel consumers before they are financially able to step up into a big boy AMG. when they are ready, you've already got them hooked as a consumer of your brand.
this is how startups of fashion, design, automotive, etc are building their brands.
being a purist brand doesn't pay the bills, it simply holds tribute and pays homage to the brand itself. every successful manufacture is now skewing the lines of their purist/performance brands to their every day cars. there are more normal people than there are people who can afford cars over 75k. those normal people wish they had an AMG, so being sold on the looks and idea that a 45 or 53 is an AMG is all they need. they aren't purist customers, but if you can sell them on the idea of moving into the brand as a starter...it'll make them a loyalist of the higher brand. that higher brand in this case is AMG. you need to bottle feel consumers before they are financially able to step up into a big boy AMG. when they are ready, you've already got them hooked as a consumer of your brand.
this is how startups of fashion, design, automotive, etc are building their brands.
I totally agree with your statement. Very well stated.
being a purist brand doesn't pay the bills, it simply holds tribute and pays homage to the brand itself. every successful manufacture is now skewing the lines of their purist/performance brands to their every day cars. there are more normal people than there are people who can afford cars over 75k. those normal people wish they had an AMG, so being sold on the looks and idea that a 45 or 53 is an AMG is all they need. they aren't purist customers, but if you can sell them on the idea of moving into the brand as a starter...it'll make them a loyalist of the higher brand. that higher brand in this case is AMG. you need to bottle feel consumers before they are financially able to step up into a big boy AMG. when they are ready, you've already got them hooked as a consumer of your brand.
this is how startups of fashion, design, automotive, etc are building their brands.
This is true to an extent, I just hope Mercedes doesn't lose themselves in the process. As pointed out above AMG did used to require MB to include some of their goodies on multiple cars each year even if they weren't packaged with full AMG in house engines. My worry is that this move is in the direction of the pure cosmetics that were continually offered in the past AMG packages while trying to pass vehicles off as truly being performance tuned when they aren't, and certainly hinting that minor tunes when present are basically just as good as the hand built AMG engined vehicles.
Mercedes can benefit by using this as the equivalent of selling Business Class tickets and knowing that some of those buyers will move up to First Class. That's all well and good so long as they don't present Economy as equivalent to First. I'm using this analogy because it's Business and First Class fliers that make airlines their biggest margins by far, and it's buyers and leasees getting the highest level packages and maintaining those vehicles that make MB the most money. They already have their entry level offerings with the base C Class and the like, so I just don't want to see them lessen the brand by trying to cater to a market they're already capturing. Other than maintenance issues few people I run into who have had a Mercedes aren't at least sold on the thought of considering one for every purchase they make in the future. The fit and finish are a hard to beat premise.
Some of this energy might be better spent in developing intuitive, functional electronic suites in their vehicles, because everyone knows that's one cylinder they're constantly misfiring on, hah.
It all just boils down to $$$. The more vehicles that Mercedes could get away with branding AMG, the more premium dollars they could rake in. Easy money for Mercedes for minimal effort on their part. Marketing 101.
Also they used to have E500 or E550 / CLK500/550 ... now is 53 or 43 AMG that they can charge more money becasue it's AMG.
The AMG, ///M, and Audi S cars were always special because they looked just like regular cars but were, in-fact, hotrods. Now they look even more like regular cars (I consider the AMG 45 and 53s just regular cars), so the "true" AMG cars would only appeal to real enthusiasts.
07-29-2019, 09:31 AM
