RSS
After overseeing the development of AMG’s new twin-turbocharged V-8, along with spearheading the wild SLS AMG sports coupe, AMG boss Volker Mornhinweg has a new task at hand: developing commercial vans.
Daimler announced today that, effective April 1, Mornhinweg is now the head of Mercedes-Benz’s commercial van operations. Instead of wrenching on S63s, SLS AMGs, and other high-performance vehicles, Mornhinweg will instead be responsible for the omnipresent Sprinter, the midsize Viano/Vito range, and the massive (but aging) Vario line.
Although gearheads may perceive this as a lateral move (at best), it is yet another a corporate advancement for Mornhinweg, who first joined Daimler as an apprentice in 1980, and was ultimately appointed head of AMG in 2005. After all, the last man to occupy his new position — Wolfgang Bernhard — was appointed to Daimler’s board of directors in February.
Replacing Mornhinweg at AMG is Ola Kaellenius, who currently serves as the plant manager at Mercedes-Benz’s factory in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. He’s no stranger to high-performance. Prior to this gig, he was head of Mercedes-Benz High Performance Engines, LTD — the subsidiary charged with building supercharged 5.4-liter V-8 engines for the famed SLR McLaren.
Daimler has yet to appoint a successor to Kaellenius’ Tuscaloosa throne.
Source: Daimler
MOST COMMENTED ON