AMG Boss to Become Mercedes Benz Vans Division Manager

Volker Mornhinweg

Mercedes-Benz has just made an interesting announcement: Volker Mornhinweg will succeed Dr. Wolfgang Bernhard as the head of the Mercedes Benz Vans division starting from April 1.

We think that the April 1 date is particularly significant here. For those who are wondering why, the explanation is simple: Volker Mornhinweg is currently the managing director of Mercedes-AMG GmbH.

But let’s move on to the details. Bernhard has become a member of the Board of Management of Daimler AG last month, so Mornhinweg will report directly to him. The AMG performance division will be lead by Ola Kaellenius, who is currently managing the U.S. Tuscaloosa Mercedes-Benz plant. The change will become effective on April 1. Kaellenius’s performance pedigree includes a positions like Head of Mercedes-Benz High Performance Engines UK division and a job at McLaren Automotive.

From our point of view, things look pretty sad for Mr. Mornhinweg, as the last AMG engine created under his supervision is the 5.5 liter V8 biturbo powerplant. The engine delivers up to 571 HP and a maximum torque of 664 lf-ft (900 Nm) of torque, so it is a planet-spinner. It is also a planet-hugger, as it offers a 25 percent fuel consumption reduction and a 28.5 percent emissions cut.

But there’s just a tiny detail that spoils all the fun. It uses turbocharging, thus killing natural aspiration (present on the outgoing 6.2 liter V8). This means that we won’t get a track-friendly linear power delivery anymore, but a non-linear wave of power, a characteristic of all turbine-breathing units.

So, first Mornhinweg has to send AMG down the downsizing route, then he moves on to commercial vehicles. That’s a pretty unflattering series of events if you ask us...