Event - 50 years of AMG

When I received a call in October from a friend inviting me to take part in the 50th anniversary celebration of AMG, marking the culmination of the AMG Performance Week organized by the Poznań-based Mercedes-Benz dealer Duda-Cars, I couldn’t refuse.

Although owning a Mercedes with the AMG emblem on the engine was a prerequisite for participation, a good friend and car enthusiast came to the rescue, as he just happened to own a C55 AMG, purchased from the aforementioned dealership. What makes this car particularly special is that Legends, the active department of Duda-Cars, imported this specific example all the way from Japan, with just 64,000 km on the clock!

Upon arriving at the venue, the guests were invited to the showroom for a small snack and a feast for the eyes. The interiors, which usually house the latest models of the brand, were filled with legendary and extremely rare specimens on the day of the event. Cars such as the Mercedes SLS Black Series, CLK DTM, and the SLR 722 Roadster S (only 150 units were produced!) were just the beginning of the list.

As I walked between these extraordinary machines, filled with nostalgia for the place where I once worked, I headed to the service area of the dealership. What I saw there made my heart race even faster.

It turned out that each service station was occupied by equally exceptional cars from the Legends collection. Among the perfectly preserved specimens, one car, in particular, caught my attention. It won me over because of its achievements in the late '80s and early '90s during the German DTM series. The 190 2.5-16 Evolution II, with its iconic huge rear wing and wide fenders, looked as if it had just returned from the track (even though its technical condition suggested otherwise).

Once the participants had enjoyed the sight of many wonderful cars and had their coffee, it was time for the AMG parade, which would culminate at the Poznań circuit. It was here, in a safe environment, that they could finally unleash the immense power of these spectacular machines.

The laps on the track were organized in groups of several cars, led by instructors from the AMG Driving Academy, who ensured the safety of the drivers.

The first lap was meant to familiarize the drivers with the track, discuss each turn, and explain the optimal racing line. The second lap allowed for slightly faster driving, but the pace set was still too moderate, leaving a strong sense of wanting more. Unfortunately, the session ended after the second lap. It felt a bit short, especially since most of the time was spent forming the groups and getting onto the track. I believe that a third lap would have extended the session by about 2 minutes and would have certainly provided even more fun for the drivers who had already gotten comfortable with the track.

At the end, all participants with their fast Mercedes cars were gathered together on the starting straight for a commemorative photo. It will definitely be a long time before we see such a collection of gems from Affalterbach at the same time on the Poznań track.

fot. Adam Passon