AMG Branches out with Performance Centers

AFFALTERBACH, Germany — AMG, the sporting arm of Mercedes-Benz, is opening 175 new AMG Performance Centers around the globe by the end of 2009. The goal is to expand the brand and enhance customer relationships in 15 countries, including the key markets of Germany, the United States, Japan and China.

The new AMG centers will feature a redesigned sales showroom with consistent furnishings, materials and color palettes. Through the designo program, customers will be able to personalize their vehicles with unique paint, materials, trim and content, and a customer hotline will connect each center to AMG headquarters in Affalterbach.

Each center will also offer the AMG Performance Roadshow, a total customer immersion in the AMG brand, including talks from expert presenters and "intensive" test drives in a variety of AMG products.

Inside Line says: Sounds like the perfect way to kill a quiet Saturday afternoon. — Paul Lienert, Correspondent