AMG has a new boss, and with a new boss comes new plans. According to an interview done with UK’s Autocar, new AMG head Philipp Schiemer plans to make the brand smaller and with a focus on higher-end models. He wants you to blame electrification for that, not its overstuffed lineup right now.
Schiemer told Autocar that with the industry-wide push towards electrification, AMG’s model lineup should be reduced. He says this while acknowledging that previous CEO Tobias Moers managed to get AMG into “a phenomenal position in the performance market.” You can read between the lines on a lot of this.
Schiemer also said he wants to get the brand away from lower-end models with a move to “concentrate on high-end models and “reduce its output at the entry level.”
Right now the cheapest AMG model you can get, at least in the U.S. is the AMG A 35 that starts at $46,900. The next cheapest models are the AMG CLA 35, AMG GLA 35, and the AMG GLB 35. In Europe, the smallest and cheapest AMG model buyers can get is the A-Class hot hatch.
The brand will also move to differentiate itself from regular Mercedes models by having more unique styling as the brand moves to incorporate more tech and moves to performance EV’s.
Future models may also diverge further in design from the regular Mercedes range as AMG starts to make use of a unique performance EV platform currently under development.
More unique styling, moving away from low-cost models ... this is AMG saying its current lineup has too many cars that don’t look like AMGs, don’t drive like AMGs. Where have we heard that before?
With the tech and move to EVs comes added weight from the batteries, something that Schiemer is aware of. He wants to use even more tech to disguise that extra weight.
Ever more sophisticated chassis software will compensate for the unavoidable weight increase brought by batteries, said Schiemer, although he also believes the rise of rapid-charging and better charging infrastructure should eventually lead customers to accept cars with smaller and lighter batteries, which will deliver a benefit in higher performance.
The move should be interesting for AMG in the long run. These plans should allow the brand to focus on greater performance as the brand wants to cozy up to the Mercedes F1 program with Schiemer wanting to bring F1 tech to performance cars.