AMG 300E 5.0 'Hammer': Spotted

Yes, that steering wheel is on the right! AMG's most infamous car in UK spec. Form an orderly queue...

Now in its fifth decade, AMG has diversified somewhat since Aufrecht and Melcher formed their own company in Grossaspach. But amongst the hot hatches, electric supercars and whatever the R63 was, AMG is best know for one thing: thumping V8 saloons. It's come a jolly long way since the 300 SEL 6.8, maturing from German muscle cars into genuine sports saloons but the V8 four-door has remained an AMG staple.

Move. Now.

So when looking for might be termed the ultimate AMG model, this old bus could be it. The W124 is still revered as one of Mercedes' great cars, and here we have it saloon guise with a 5.0-litre V8. Debadged. You all know what it's known as, which just makes this 29 year-old Merc even cooler. Imagine an estate...

Reading old tests of the car is fascinating. Road&Track figured the $161,422 Hammer at 5.3 seconds to 60 and 13.5 seconds through the quarter mile. Admittedly its car was a 6.0-litre version rather than the poxy 5.0-litre for sale here, but even that should provide ample performance. As one of the early cars, it was rated at 340hp compared to 360 for the 5.6 and somewhere nearer 400 for the later 6.0-litre cars. The W124's famously aerodynamic shape contributed to some very high top speed claims too, with the 5.6 the first saloon to hit 300km/h (186mph).

Other observations? 'At nine tenths or ten tenths, the Hammer gets a bit nervous because there's more engine than chassis'. Shock! Having said that, R&T did commend AMG for its even distribution of the Hammer's additional 800lb (!). The overall summation captured what makes the Hammer so alluring, and indeed what we all love about many supersaloons: 'you're buying the fastest Mercedes in the world, an automobile with the body of a four-door sedan and the soul (and performance) of an exotic'. Superb.

Do saloons get any more desirable?

If that doesn't paint an accurate enough picture of what a Hammer is like to drive, don't forget Chris's video from a couple of years back. The benefit with this car of course is that there is easier access for your fellow hooligans. And saloons are cooler than coupes.

Can an accurate value be placed on such a car? It's believed that just two RHD UK Hammers exist and this one has covered just a little over 1,500 a miles a year since 1985. Predictably therefore it appears immaculate, especially the 'grotto in honour of Tubbs and Crockett' (Mr C. Harris, August 2012) interior. When E28 M5s are now above £50K how much can this be worth? Whatever the amount, it could be worth every single penny.

AMG W124 300E 'HAMMER' (FOR 5.6 SPEC)
Engine: 5,547cc V8
Transmission: Four-speed auto, rear-wheel drive, LSD
Power (hp): 355@5,500rpm
Torque (lb ft): 388@4,500rpm
MPG: 16.2 (UK figure)
CO2: High
First registered: 1985
Recorded mileage: 45,000
Price new: Figures vary. From £50K for a 5.6 to over £100K for a 6.0
Yours for: POA

See the original advert here.

[Sources: Car and Driver, Road&Track, Car Enthusiast]

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Bladedancer

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