1969 Mercedes 300 SEL 6.8 AMG

It seems hard to believe that most of the past 50 years of Mercedes-Benz motor sport history is, in large part, due to a small German company that, until recently, was not Mercedes-Benz. The little company that had such a big influence is known the world over by just three letters—AMG. Perhaps even more unbelievable is the fact that the car that truly launched AMG—and Mercedes—on this path is the unlikely four-door sedan that you see on these pages. Stop for just a moment to absorb that the famed FIA GT champion CLK GTR, the mighty modern Mercedes-Benz Formula One program, as well as their all-conquering German Touring Car program, all owe their genesis to a single four-door sedan built in 1969.

Phoenix from the Ashes