At its annual business results in 2017, Mercedes-Benz South Africa announced that three Mercedes-AMG models would be manufactured locally for export and local sales and the passionate employees who participated in the ramp-up to series production celebrated this achievement recently.
The first series unit of the locally produced Mercedes-AMG C 63 rolled off the line in January 2018.
The integration of the three new models (Mercedes-AMG C 43 4MATIC, Mercedes- AMG C 63 and Mercedes-AMG C 63 S), was smooth with absolute minimal interruption to the current production in the East London plant. More than 1 700 Mercedes-AMG C 43 units have been exported as part of the normal export plan from the plant, which once again reached record levels in 2017.
Mercedes-Benz South Africa invested an additional R200m into the passenger car manufacturing facility in 2016/2017 for the production of the AMG models.
The introduction of these AMG models into the Mercedes-Benz South Africa production line required the plant to bring in new infrastructure and technological innovations to accommodate the assembly of the performance models. This included modifications and additional devices at various stations – specifically in the engine and trim assembly lines. The new AMG model (with V8 power) is particularly distinguished by its notable engine sound and power and to achieve the successful production of this unit a new index device, conveyors and axle manipulators and equipment had to be added to the assembly process.
