My point was not that the 190E Sportline was a full AMG factory car (like the C36 AMG -- which, of course, it was not), but rather that if AMG cooperated with the M-B factory in the development of the Sportline handling package (the identical five decreasing trapezoids symbol -- which appears in both the Sportline logo and the AMG logo-- gives rise to an implication that AMG may have been involved), then this would have marked the first M-B car offered with badged AMG cooperation, whether in design and development, supply or specification of components, etc.

Since the C36 was released in Europe in 1993 (well before coming to the US as a '95 model), the car had to be under development well before then. Also, AMG was tuning M-B cars for private customers for some years before 1993 (e.g., the Hammer series), so the Sportline handling package could have been either an outgrowth of private-car tuning prior to the C36, a special project allowing demonstration by AMG to M-B of their components compatability with M-B factory production (in order to serve as a prelude and inducement to M-B marketing the C36)or part of the C36 development process.

This is, of course, speculation fueled by the badge without any independent corroboration by M-B or AMG, tho I may give a call to M-B USA to see if anyone there has any comment.