Today, Mercedes-AMG is the maker of some of the wildest performance cars to wear Mercedes’ three-pointed star. From the hot A-Class hatch to a wilder version of the cult-classic G-Class, to the sharp-shooting, bleeding-edge AMG-One Coupe, and even all-electric models, the AMG line-up is the most vibrant today. But the beginning of this story was quite simple, with the 1990s C-Class. Yup, the first-ever mass-produced Mercedes-AMG car was a beefed-up C-Class.
AMG was present before that, but only as a standalone racing engine manufacturer since the 1960s. It was only in 1993 that a Mercedes-AMG rolled out of the official factory floor. However, the first-ever Merc-AMG was not a smashing hit. It was produced from 1993 to 1997, with approximately 5,220 units sold. The reasons for not being popular are that it was a first-gen product from a collaboration that many were not particularly excited about.
It was not as powerful as its arch-rival from BMW, which had a lot of complex electronics and parts issues, hence demanding high maintenance costs, and was finally overshadowed by a V8-powered beast from the same stable. Being an early-stage build was what made the C36 AMG infamous. But that doesn’t take away the fact that it was the start of a performance revolution.
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The C36 AMG (W202) Is The First Factory-Built Mercedes-AMG Model
The Two-Faced Car
Unlike some of the ground-up AMG builds like the Mercedes-AMG One and even the AMG GT, the first-ever model took the more conventional route of building upon an already existing standard C-Class. The C36 AMG is based on the 1993 C-Class, which was also the first-generation model. The donor car was designed to offer luxury with a lavish four-seater experience. Versatility was its key, with a variety of engines on offer, including three diesel mills.
Furthermore, Mercedes offered buyers the option to choose from two upgrade packs: Elegance and Sport. The former focused on added luxury, while the latter was all about sporty dynamics, with features like Bilstein suspension, solid anti-roll bars, and larger, cooler wheels. The Sport package-equipped model was chosen as the AMG. There wasn’t much done on the design to instantly tell the AMG apart from the standard model.
Hence, the C36 AMG was a sleeper car from the factory. Furthermore, despite having a ton of intricate upgrades to the powertrain and underpinnings, the C36 AMG was still designed to be an adaptable sedan. Its personality was like that of Superman. Take things calm and easy, and the C36 AMG behaves just like the standard C 280 Sport. But push it to its limits and the AMG side takes charge.
Trivia On The Mercedes C36 AMG
- Based on the first-ever C-Class model
- Its beefed-up engine started life as a standard M104 E 28 iron-block straight-six.
- Braking hardware taken from the R129 600 SL and the W124 E 420
A ‘Not-So-Exciting’ Six-Cylinder Engine And Lukewarm Hype
The Next-In-Line V8 C43 AMG Took The Spotlight Pretty Soon
The 1990s C36 AMG packs a chirpy six-cylinder engine that was actually based on the standard C-Class engine, an iron-block straight six. This engine would be sent to AMG, completely dismantled, and then reassembled by hand to C36 AMG specifications. The engine capacity was bumped up from 2.8 liters to 3.6 liters.
This was done by enlarging the cylinder bore by 1.1 mm and extending the stroke by 8.4 mm. To support this engine modification, AMG utilized supporting parts, such as the crankshaft from the Mercedes 3.5-liter OM 605 D 35 A diesel engine. This crankshaft was modified with turned counterweights and a rebalanced shaft to match the “AMG” appeal.
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The torsional damper was also tweaked. Other notable modifications include sodium-filled exhaust valves, forged aluminum DT-style pistons with shorter skirts, a new oil-spray jet system on the engine block, high-lift intake camshafts, and a big-bore variable-length intake manifold from the E 320. Despite all of these efforts, the 268-horsepower C36 AMG still failed to impress.
Or should we say it was outclassed by one of its own! There was no window left for the C36 AMG to dominate, as Mercedes launched a new C43 AMG in 1997 with a more desirable V8 that resonated much better and quicker with what these new Merc-AMG cars were striving to be. The V8 took all the attention and hype, leaving the six-cylinder to be called boring.
Engine And Gearbox Specs
|
Engine Configuration |
Inline-6; naturally aspirated |
|
Engine Displacement |
3.6-liter |
|
Power |
268 HP |
|
Torque |
280 LB-FT |
|
Transmission |
4-Speed Automatic (5-Speed Automatic; Came In 1997) |
|
Drivetrain |
Rear-wheel Drive |
(1993 MY Specs Mentioned Here)
This Is A C-Class That ‘Stuck’ To The Tarmac
Superior Driving Dynamics Courtesy Of Engaging Underpinnings
AMG put in some serious efforts to make the C36 AMG a grin-worthy driver’s car. It uses the same galvanised-steel body as the standard C-Class. It is fitted with double wishbone suspension at the front and multi-link at the rear. Handling was further improved upon with stiffer gas-filled degressive shocks. It also got thicker anti-roll bars and a slightly lower ride height. Braking duties are taken care of by 320 mm vented front discs coupled to four-piston calipers straight off the W124 E 420. It rolled on gorgeous-looking five-spoke 17-inch Monoblock-1 rims shod with 225-section front and 245-section rear tires.
The power-assisted steering also got a faster ratio for improved responsiveness. Furthermore, the C36 AMG also got a few upgrades in 1997. These included a new Siemens ME engine management system and ASR traction control. The C36 AMG also got the updated Monoblock-2 wheels. All of these modifications on the C36 AMG, compared to the standard C-Class, significantly improved its driving dynamics and handling.
Mercedes C36 AMG (W202) Design: A Sleeper Car That Slays
Its Mundane Looks Misled Many
It wasn’t a surprise to see the first-ever factory Mercedes-AMG look so normal. The only additions AMG added with the C36 include redesigned front and rear bumpers with a chin spoiler. This was to reduce high-speed lift and give the otherwise mundane-looking C-Class a sporty stance. The front bumper’s lower apron was also modified to accommodate a larger intake aperture, a slatted grille, and fog lights at the corners. Hence, the front fascia was the easiest way to tell a C36 AMG apart from the C. Elevating its sporty visual appeal are other bits, such as deep side skirts and new B-pillar trim with an exposed carbon-fiber pattern.
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The BMW M3 E36 Was Its Arch-Rival
The lackluster popularity and forgotten status of the first-ever factory Mercedes-AMG are largely due to the engine size and performance bump BMW gave the E36 M3 in 1996. It grew from a 3.0-liter to a 3.2-liter straight-six, which also received a performance boost for European models. The American model, despite packing a bigger engine, produces performance figures similar to those of the outgoing model. It was to one-up this move that Mercedes-AMG was aggressively quick to make the C43 AMG with a grin-worthy V8.
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This is also what resulted in the short life of the six-cylinder C36 AMG and its poor popularity. Despite also having a six-cylinder engine, the BMW M3 was much more popular than the Merc-AMG. This concerns its affordability compared to the AMG. We still can’t wrap our heads around how Mercedes-AMG priced their first-ever factory offering for over $50,000 while its arch-rival from BMW started at under $40,000. The price difference was huge, but the performance appeal was much closer.