This Rare AMG Is One Of The Coolest Cars Of The 80's
Before AMG became Mercedes-Benz's in-house tuning division, it was a small, independent shop that specialized in modifying Mercedes models. One of the most important and iconic AMG-modified Mercs from before the takeover is the 1986 Mercedes-Benz 300E 6.0 AMG, better known simply as the Hammer.
Based on the Mercedes-Benz W124, one of the best Mercedes models ever, most Hammers were sedans. Even with the extremely low production run, it's not clear exactly how many were made, but it is estimated that no more than 30 were built, of which most were sedans.
Of the 13 Hammers officially imported into the United States back in the late 1980s, just five were coupes, which makes the latter exceptionally rare and expensive. One pristine example sold in mid-2022 for an eye-watering $761,800, making it one of the most expensive W124s to ever exchange hands (although it wasn't the most expensive).
Mind you, the more common sedan isn't that much more affordable; there was one that sold at auction in February 2023 for $775,000, far exceeding its initial $600,000 estimate. Granted, that example was restored by the Mercedes specialists at Renntech, who performed an engine-out service and lightly upgraded the unit for a grand total servicing cost of $79,000.
The Hammer is under the hood
AMG named this car the Hammer (which has exactly the same spelling and meaning in German) because of the brutal engine it received under its hood, whose power delivery was akin to being hit in the back by a blunt instrument. The then-independent tuner took 300E and 300CE models, removed the factory straight-six, and replaced it with its own version of the Mercedes-Benz 5.6-liter V6 that powered the W126 560 SEC model.
Its displacement was increased to 6 liters and power went up from 238 horsepower in the 5.6-liter to around 365 horsepower in the AMG version. Torque went up too, from 287 pound-feet (389 Nm) to 398 pound-feet (540 Nm), and all this newfound oomph could push the Hammer from a standstill to 60 mph in exactly 5 seconds.
That was a remarkable acceleration number for a big sedan in the late 1980s, and its top speed was also outstanding for the time: 178 mph (286 km/h). The Hammer was also a drag strip star. With a quarter-mile time of 13.5 seconds and a trap speed of 107 mph (172 km/h), it gave many dedicated sports cars and muscle cars a run for their money.
The Hammer didn't shout about its power
Interestingly, even though the Hammer was one of the fastest and most powerful sedans of its day, it really didn't necessarily shout about its performance unless you knew what you were looking at. It had unique front and rear bumpers that had an aerodynamic design, as well as side skirts in the same style to tie everything together.
Probably the most distinctive exterior design element was the rear spoiler, which was an aerodynamic addition first and foremost, but it also lent the Hammer a very unique look that, to an enthusiast, instantly set it apart from other W124s, even Mercedes' own performance version, the E500. The five-spoke AMG wheels were also unique to the Hammer, and they completed the subtle but successful exterior makeover.
AMG didn't offer any significant interior changes, though. The leather upholstery was upgraded over what the car got originally, and there were some AMG logos inside the cabin, but generally the Hammer's interior looked very close to stock unless the original buyer specifically asked for certain features to be included.