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AMG’s boss Volker Mornhinweg has been promoted (if you could call it that) to take over Daimler’s van operations, which might not sound glamorous yet is a rather important part of the company’s business.
The affable German has been with Mercedes-Benz since 1977, first as a trainee machinist before studying precision engineering at Esslingen Technical College.
Mornhinweg has held various influential positions within the Daimler group, including manager of the powertrain facility in Berlin-Marienfelde and Vice President for Executive Management Development – planning the career paths of the erstwhile DaimlerChrysler’s top executives.
It’s his tenure at AMG for which he will be best remembered though. Mercedes-Benz acquired a majority shareholding in the aftermarket tuner just before the turn of the millennium. At that stage not everybody at ‘Benz headquarters were thrilled at what was being done to three-pointed star products at Affalterbach…
From building hooligan limos to proper supercars
After Mercedes-Benz acquired full control in 2005 Mornhinweg was appointed that following year to run the full subsidiary – something he did with aplomb. An enthusiast, Mornhinweg knew AMG’s reputation within the broader performance car community (amongst customers and peers) was hardly first rank.
Keen to turn the business around – especially its image within Daimler’s company structure, where it was dismissed a country bumpkin concern by some – Mornhinweg’s engineering acumen quickly came to the fore.
He realised the brand required a hard core performance line (a vision which germinated into the Black Series derivatives) and a holistic approach to dynamics. During the five years Mornhinweg was at AMG the company’s range of models proliferated and critical acclaim was heaped on each and every one.
When McLaren built the SLR supercar (powered by an AMG engine) there was more than a little disquiet in Affalterbach. Mornhinweg’s crowning achievement was wrestling control away from McLaren and launching the redoubtable (and historically significant) SLS AMG supercar during his tenure – a fitting tribute to the vision of the man.
A car guy to the core
A true enthusiast, Mornhinweg understood how to analyse the company balance sheet and the latest AMG model’s wheel castor angle.
Anybody who attended an AMG launch during his tenure will have fond memories of the lack of jargon dished up during media conferences. Mornhinweg spoke without notes, answering complex technical or marketing questions with ease before donning a helmet himself and vulcanising a set of tyres at track launches. He was the kind of guy you wanted building performance cars for your company…
Undoubtedly Mornhinweg’s talents will stand him in good stead at the van division – which is a hugely important revenue source for Daimler with severely demanding commercial customers.
When AMG looks back in a decade’s time it will have no one else but Volker Mornhinweg to thank for its premium billing amongst the world’s performance car brands. A Swede, Ola Kaellenius, who was recently plant manager of the Mercedes-Benz plant in Tuscaloosa will take over from Mornhinweg. Kaellenius did a stint at McLaren and is a regarded performance engine specialist.
Could there be an AMG Vito in the offering soon as a tribute to Mornhinweg? Stranger things have happened...
The affable German has been with Mercedes-Benz since 1977, first as a trainee machinist before studying precision engineering at Esslingen Technical College.
Mornhinweg has held various influential positions within the Daimler group, including manager of the powertrain facility in Berlin-Marienfelde and Vice President for Executive Management Development – planning the career paths of the erstwhile DaimlerChrysler’s top executives.
It’s his tenure at AMG for which he will be best remembered though. Mercedes-Benz acquired a majority shareholding in the aftermarket tuner just before the turn of the millennium. At that stage not everybody at ‘Benz headquarters were thrilled at what was being done to three-pointed star products at Affalterbach…
From building hooligan limos to proper supercars
After Mercedes-Benz acquired full control in 2005 Mornhinweg was appointed that following year to run the full subsidiary – something he did with aplomb. An enthusiast, Mornhinweg knew AMG’s reputation within the broader performance car community (amongst customers and peers) was hardly first rank.
Keen to turn the business around – especially its image within Daimler’s company structure, where it was dismissed a country bumpkin concern by some – Mornhinweg’s engineering acumen quickly came to the fore.
He realised the brand required a hard core performance line (a vision which germinated into the Black Series derivatives) and a holistic approach to dynamics. During the five years Mornhinweg was at AMG the company’s range of models proliferated and critical acclaim was heaped on each and every one.
When McLaren built the SLR supercar (powered by an AMG engine) there was more than a little disquiet in Affalterbach. Mornhinweg’s crowning achievement was wrestling control away from McLaren and launching the redoubtable (and historically significant) SLS AMG supercar during his tenure – a fitting tribute to the vision of the man.
A car guy to the core
A true enthusiast, Mornhinweg understood how to analyse the company balance sheet and the latest AMG model’s wheel castor angle.
Anybody who attended an AMG launch during his tenure will have fond memories of the lack of jargon dished up during media conferences. Mornhinweg spoke without notes, answering complex technical or marketing questions with ease before donning a helmet himself and vulcanising a set of tyres at track launches. He was the kind of guy you wanted building performance cars for your company…
Undoubtedly Mornhinweg’s talents will stand him in good stead at the van division – which is a hugely important revenue source for Daimler with severely demanding commercial customers.
When AMG looks back in a decade’s time it will have no one else but Volker Mornhinweg to thank for its premium billing amongst the world’s performance car brands. A Swede, Ola Kaellenius, who was recently plant manager of the Mercedes-Benz plant in Tuscaloosa will take over from Mornhinweg. Kaellenius did a stint at McLaren and is a regarded performance engine specialist.
Could there be an AMG Vito in the offering soon as a tribute to Mornhinweg? Stranger things have happened...