7. Mercedes C36 AMG
The early ’90s marked the beginning of a new era for AMG. First, the company signed a contract with Mercedes stating that all AMG products have a Mercedes-backed warranty. The contract also stated they could sell and service them through the official global Mercedes dealer network.
This opened the door for AMG in terms of approaching more customers. It also meant they could promote their products to an audience that wasn’t aware of AMG as a brand. The company invested in bigger facilities and started preparing for the production of the C36 AMG. The C36 AMG was in many ways a groundbreaking model for AMG.
It was the first AMG model Mercedes officially sold and serviced, as well as the first one they made in big numbers. In fact, in three years from 1993 to 1996, they produced around 5,400 of them. This model featured signature AMG styling with elegant wheels and subtle differences. The power came from the straight-six with an AMG-designed head and 280 HP. This may not be much by today’s standards, but 25 years ago, it was a big output for a small sedan.