Mercedes-Benz AMG is going all-wheel-drive
AMG – the performance division of Mercedes-Benz has recently outlined a strategy meant to achieve 30,000 global sales by 2017, especially by focusing on all-wheel drive products.
This is part of the “AMG Performance 50” plan, meant to commemorate the tuning specialist’s half-century, which will see the Mercedes-AMG line-up grow to thirty models within the following four years, as well as the addition of front driveshafts for all future AMG models.
According to Mercedes-AMG the product expansion will yield a 10,000-unit sale increase between 2011 and 2017 – in 2011 AMG sold 20,000 cars.
The AMG version of the Mercedes-Benz 4MATIC all-wheel-drive system was debuted earlier this year in the A45 AMG and then in the E63 AMG S-Model this month, and this news only means that the 4MATIC roll-out will continue with the CLA45 AMG later this year.
The S-Models are now a fixed part of the new AMG line-up and according to the powertrain development manager, more AMG cars will be offered as S-Models in the future.
It was also confirmed that the next-generation C-Class AMG will also be available with all-wheel drive as opposed to the left-hand-drive-only E63 AMG S-Model 4MATIC – the future generation C-Class AMG 4MATIC.
When talking about the E63 AMG S-Model AWD, the front driveshaft will feature a dual-clutch gearbox to the right, so this means that the steering hardware for right-hand-drive will not fit next to the all-wheel drive system. It’s interesting to note that AMG are not concerned about the problem for future AMG 4MATIC variants of the model.
When it comes to the next-generation C-Class, this will share its platform with the GLK-Class, the Mercedes-Benz compact SUV. An AMG version of the GLK-Class is a sure thing, however specific about the engine of the new model were not disclosed at this time.
