Jay Leno paid a one-day visit to AMG HQ in Affalterbach, test drove SLS Roadster and E-Cell, and hand-assembled an AMG V8 engine.

Ola Källenius, chairman of Mercedes AMG gave Jay a comprehensive tour of the company and then handed him keys to the new Mercedes SLS Roadster and an E-Cell concept. Leno also went to the AMG engine shop where he assisted in the assembly of an AMG 6.3 V8 engine for the SLS AMG. He installed the crankshaft, cylinder heads and even the wiring himself, and carried out the subsequent quality tests.

As it’s the AMG tradition, Jay Leno then applied an AMG engine plate bearing his signature to the completed eight-cylinder power unit. Jay made videos of his AMG tour, which will soon become available and we’ll bring them to you.

JL on SLS Roadster: “The SLS AMG Roadster delivers top performance. Whether the engine, transmission, handling or brakes – you feel that the engineers at AMG are serious! When I was 18 or 19 years old I worked for Mercedes-Benz in America. I knew about the test track in Stuttgart-Untertürkheim from films in which Mercedes sedans like the 220 SE or the 300 SEL 6.3 were driven through the banked curve. I have always wanted to see this for real. It took me over 40 years to do it, but now I’m here! It’s fantastic to drive the latest AMG models here on the test track today.“

JL on SLS E-Cell: “The power delivery from standstill is fantastic. It’s unbelievable how the 392 kW and 880 newton metres catapult the gullwing down the track. Very impressive, especially because you hear nothing except a little wind and tyre noise. And thanks to four-wheel drive, the SLS AMG E-CELL has no problem in bringing its enormous power onto the road. The performance and handling are every bit the equal of the SLS AMG with the V8 engine. This is the future! I have a Baker Electric dating from 1909 in my collection. It’s unbelievable how electric drive technology has developed over 100 years or so!“

Ola Källenius, Chairman of the Mercedes-AMG GmbH management board: “I am very pleased that such a passionate automobile fan as Jay Leno has found his way to AMG and Affalterbach. 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!”

Jay Leno summed up his impressions very positively after his one-day visit to Mercedes-AMG in Affalterbach: “AMG delivers unbelievable performance – whether by man or machine!”