The first letter in a Mercedes-Benz mannequin identify denotes the category; with a few exceptions, autos get bigger as you progress by means of the alphabet. A and B class autos are subcompacts, C class designates a compact, E class is for mid-sized, and S class autos are full-sized. G class signifies a luxurious off-road automobile, and Mercedes reserves the GL prefix for SUVs. Four-door coupes all begin with a CL of their mannequin identify, roadsters use SL, and idea and electrical autos all have mannequin names that start with EQ.

If you see the letters “AMG” on the rear of a Mercedes mannequin, that’s an added designation the automaker makes use of for high-performance autos. AMG is an organization that made its identify within the Seventies and ’80s by modifying Mercedes autos to spice up efficiency. The letters within the firm identify honor the founders, Hans Werner Aufrecht and Erhard Melcher, and Aufrecht’s birthplace, Grossaspach. 

Mercedes and AMG formally grew to become companions in 1990, and their first mannequin produced collectively was the 1993 AMG C36. The AMG-tuned 3.6 liter I6 engine within the C36 produced 276 horsepower and 284 pound-feet of torque and will haul the sedan from 0 to 60 mph in 5.7 seconds. Currently, Mercedes-Benz affords greater than three dozen AMG fashions, together with autos from practically each class listed above.