11 AMG-Powered Cars That Don’t Wear A Mercedes Badge

AMG-badged Mercedes-Benz models are a dime a dozen these days. However, AMG initially started out as a racing engine manufacturer in the 1960s and only officially became part of Mercedes-Benz in 1999. But it did offer upgrades for Mercedes-Benz models long before then, as well as a range of other auto manufacturers.

So we did some digging and uncovered some of the most interesting non-Mercedes vehicles that were powered by Mercedes or AMG engines from the past 40 years.

We selected these cars based on their unique and special characteristics, both from in and outside the Merc-AMG stable, provided they were powered by Mercedes-Benz or AMG engines. We list them in chronological order, from oldest to newest.

11 Isdera Imperator

1984-1993

With just 30 units built over a nine-year production period, the Isdera Imperator was an ultra-low-volume supercar that used a variety of Mercedes-sourced engines. Early models used the 5.0-liter V8 from the contemporary S-Class and SLC Coupe, but later versions got a larger-capacity AMG-fettled engine, which was reputed to produce closer to 400 hp.

10 Mitsubishi Galant AMG

1989-1994

Even before it was absorbed into Mercedes-Benz AG, AMG was heavily involved in modifying and upgrading the internals of several Mercedes models. It also briefly turned its attention to Mitsubishi. The first model was called the Mitsubishi Debonair V3000 Royal AMG, a rather grand name for a car that only received some visual enhancements from AMG and no mechanical upgrades.

A few years later, the Mitsubishi Galant got the AMG treatment, too. This time, its 2.0-liter engine got a power bump from 143 hp to a heady 168 hp, and some sporty AMG design touches inside and out. Sales were slow thanks to the VR-4 Galant, a more powerful four-wheel-drive turbocharged model sold alongside the AMG versions.

9 Isdera Commendatore 112i

1993

The Commendatore was supposed to replace the Imperator as Isdera’s sole production model, but poor demand as a result of a weak global economy meant that just one prototype was produced. The stunning coachwork of the Commendatore featured gullwing doors and a gullwing engine cover, with a front-end design that bore more than a little resemblance to a Porsche 968.

It was initially fitted with a 6.0-liter Mercedes V12—the same one used in the Mercedes-Benz C112 concept car. While not strictly an AMG engine, it received some in-house modifications. An ambitious owner once fitted a larger 6.9-liter V12 into it and renamed it the Silver Arrow C112i, but the car has since been returned to its original state.

8 Pagani Zonda

1999-2019

Few cars have had a production run as long as the Pagani Zonda. Built for over 20 years, it has morphed from an exhilarating supercar into a land-bound ballistic missile. Despite endless special editions and model changes, just 140 were made. All featured various Mercedes and AMG-sourced engines, with power figures almost doubling between the first and last models. Few cars have sounded cooler or looked as menacing.

7 Chrysler Crossfire SRT-6

2004-2008

The ultimately ill-fated Daimler-Chrysler merger may have been a bad idea, but it did give us a few memorable cars like this Chrysler Crossfire SRT-6. The Crossfire was essentially a re-bodied Mercedes-Benz SLK, meaning the German marque’s V6 engines fit without much modification. So, the range-topping SRT-6 was equipped with a supercharged version of the 3.2-liter V6 used in the SLK32 AMG and C32 AMG sedan. This boosted power from 215 hp to 330 hp, and gave the SRT-6 serious performance.

6 Pagani Huayra

2011-on

The Huayra was introduced alongside the Zonda in 2011, and like its predecessor, it has undergone countless updates and modifications over the years. The 6.0-liter AMG twin-turbo V12 was designed specifically for the Huayra and has increased in power from 730 hp to 838 hp in its road models. The unhinged track-only Huayra R Evo develops an even more impressive 888hp.

5 Aston Martin DB11 V8

2017-2023

The DB11 replaced the stunning DB9 at the end of 2016. It meant the end of the line for the 5.9-liter V12 that had been in use since the mid-1990s, but Mercedes-AMG’s M177 V8 was not only far more powerful but also sounded terrific. A new Aston-developed V12 was also available, but the ‘baby’ V8 was nearly as quick and proved to be the better seller.

4 Aston Martin Vantage

2018-on

The Vantage is the entry-level model in the line-up, but this sort of thing is relative when it comes to ultra-luxury brands like Aston Martin. As with all Aston models that use AMG power, the Vantage comes with a specially tuned version of the 4.0-liter M177 twin-turbo V8.

With 655 hp on tap and a 0-60 mph time well under 4.0 seconds, this ‘base’ model is as powerful and quick as many range-topping sports cars. The early Vantage developed a respectable 503 hp, but a facelift in 2024 saw this figure hiked up to its current lofty status.

3 Aston Martin DBX707

2020-on

The DBX is one of those models that, even 10 years ago, would have seemed like a mad idea. However, SUVs sell, and Aston Martin needs one in its fleet to keep making the Grand Tourers with which we all associate the brand. The first version was powered by the ubiquitous 4.0-liter Mercedes-AMG twin-turbo engine and was tuned to deliver 542 hp. It was quick, but not Aston quick, so the DBX707 was introduced in 2022 with a far healthier 697 hp. Just the thing to keep those pesky supercars in your rearview mirror.

2 Lotus Emira

2022-on

The Emira is a stunning mid-engined sports car imbued with the handling finesse that has defined the Louts brand. Initially launched with a supercharged Toyota-sourced V6, a base model has now been added to the range which uses the mad little 2.0-liter turbocharged engine usually found in the nose of the Mercedes-AMG CLA45. With a curb weight of just over 3,000 lbs, the AMG motor gives the Emira a serious turn of speed. In the US, it has the same 400 hp as the larger Toyota motor and even more torque.

1 Pagani Utopia

2022-on

The Utopia is Pagani’s third model and follows in its predecessors’ tire tracks. That means outrageous styling coupled with outlandish performance. As before, the Utopia uses a Mercedes-AMG V12 engine, now producing a faintly ludicrous 852 hp. A highlight of the Utopia is that it can be fitted with a seven-speed manual transmission and uses no electrical assistance.

Sources:
Stellantis,
RMSothebys
, Pagani, Mitsubishi, Mercedes-Benz