Jay Leno Visits AMG, Hand-assembles AMG V8 Engine

Known for his passion for everything automotive, American TV host Jay Leno couldn’t miss the opportunity to pay a visit to AMG in Affalertbach, Germany. There, Leno got acquainted with the new SLS AMG Roadster and the SLS AMG E-CELL during test drives, and also hand-assembled an AMG V8 engine.

Actually, he assisted in the assembly of an AMG 6.3 V8 engine for the SLS AMG, according to the AMG "one man, one engine" philosophy.

Accompanied by two experienced AMG technicians, Jay Leno installed the crankshaft, cylinder heads and even the wiring himself, and carried out the subsequent quality tests. Afterwards he applied an AMG engine plate bearing his signature to the completed eight-cylinder power unit. The TV star was then able to watch "his" AMG V8 engine being tested extensively on the glass-walled test bench.

Leno even made a video of his activity as an engine assembler and the test drives with the SLS AMG Roadster and SLS AMG E-CELL, which will shortly become available on the Jay Leno Garage website.

“We are quite sure that during his test drives with the SLS AMG Roadster and the SLS AMG E-CELL, we were well able to deliver on our brand claim of "Driving Performance". And Jay Leno also cut a fine figure as an M159 assembly technician in our engine shop!" stated Ola Källenius, Chairman of the Mercedes-AMG GmbH management board.

"AMG delivers unbelievable performance – whether by man or machine!" Leno said, suming up his impressions after the one-day visit.

While the SLS AMG Roadster will celebrate its world premiere at the Frankfurt Auto SHow this September, potential customers for the SLS AMG E-CELL will have to wait for the electrically powered gullwing until 2013.