AMG: from C36 to C55
The W202 was AMG's turning point. The 1993 C36 AMG was the first model jointly developed by Mercedes and AMG, a hand-assembled 3.6-litre M104 straight-six with 280 PS, AMG suspension, 17-inch wheels and a bespoke body kit. In 1997 the C43 AMG followed as the first V8 C-Class, using the new M113 4.3-litre with 306 PS. Unofficially, AMG also built an ultra-rare C55 AMG for the South African market, with the 5.4-litre M113 and 347 PS, in tiny numbers.
Brabus, Carlsson, Lorinser
Brabus chased displacement: the C3.6S re-tuned the C280, while the Brabus C V8 transplanted the M119 5.0 or even 6.0-litre V8 for up to 400 PS, and the later C6.5 stretched to a 6.5-litre, 450 PS V8. Carlsson offered capacity-increased sixes, ECU tuning that took the C250 Turbodiesel past 180 PS, and its C-Tronic lowering system. Lorinser kept things understated with subtle aero, sports exhausts and its famous RS multi-piece wheels.
RENNtech and Kleemann
Abroad, the US tuner RENNtech built 3.8 and 4.2-litre stroker sixes with carbon airboxes and transmission upgrades, while Denmark's Kleemann became known for supercharged conversions, offering a 5.0-litre Kompressor setup for the W202 capable of exceeding 500 PS.