AMG Technician, Billy Karhani, recently travelled to Stuttgart, Germany to attend factory training at the home of AMG. As an AMG Technician, Billy Karhani knows plenty about Mercedes-AMG vehicles, but he was still surprised by what he learned on a recent trip to Stuttgart. He travelled to the home of Mercedes-Benz to complete his AMG Brand Expert Course, which is a rite of passage for AMG Technicians throughout the world. The two-day course included a day of touring factories — learning and observing how the vehicles are put together — and a second day of testing. What surprised Billy the most was how few machines are used in the assembly of the vehicles and their engines. “It is a real eye opener to see the time and the blood and sweat that goes into these cars, and it has made me appreciate them even more,” says Billy. “What I learned, in terms of the way the cars are built, and what goes into these cars behind the scenes, is really important for me to know as I go about my work on a daily basis.” Billy flew into Frankfurt from Sydney and then took a train to Stuttgart. On the first day, the group travelled to Affalterbach for a factory tour. This is the town where the engine research and development takes place. “ThatwaswhereitallstartedforAMG,”saysBilly. “They have got all the research and development happening on that site for the AMG V8s and V12s and all the engine production happens in the performance studio there.” Each in an AMG, the group then drove in convoy to the Mercedes-Benz Advanced Design Centre at Sindelfingen, where the GT Mercedes-AMG Coupé is made. “Everything is assembled by people, not so much by machines — the only machine there is the one that applies the adhesive that sticks the windscreen to the car body — everything else is assembled by men and women,” says Billy. From there, the group returned to Affalterbach, where they toured the AMG engine assembly line before visiting the AMG Performance Studio, where the cars are customised. “You can actually have your car taken down there and they pull your car apart and respray it a different colour, or have a unique interior installed.” The group also visited HWA motorsports, who take care of all AMG racing. The students were taken through the model lineups and quizzed about AMG, the performance of its engines and vehicles and their specifications. “You have got to know a little bit about everything, both the mechanics and the sales information,” says Billy. Billy stayed for a few extra days after the course, during which time he visited the Mercedes-Benz Museum. TheMuseumdetailsthehistoryofMercedes-Benz, from the 1800s to today. It certainly provided Billy an insight into how far the brand has developed overtime in terms of technology and design. The museum is in the middle of Stuttgart, which Billy describes as the ‘City of Mercedes-Benz’. Approximately, 60 per cent of cars driven in Stuttgart are Mercedes-Benz vehicles. The city landscape is also depicted by numerous buildings displaying Mercedes-Benz and Daimler signage. It is also home to a number of dealerships and the Mercedes-Benz Arena. AN EYE-OPENING TRIP TO THE ‘CITY OF MERCEDES-BENZ’ ON THE FLOOR 33