The venerable Mercedes-Benz AMG Hammer is just plain cool. And with fewer than 30 examples built and sold worldwide, it’s also extremely limited and expensive. For obvious reasons, the supercar-smashing coupe is also one of the most coveted Mercedes of all time, making the opportunity to own one a very very special occasion. You can pinch yourself now, as one of only 13 North American Hammers is currently on the auction block for some very lucky (and very wealthy) person to claim as their dream car.
Built in 1988, this Hammer was the product of then-independent AMG. It rolled off the line as a plain ol’ W124 Mercedes-Benz 300CE before the tuning shop transformed it into the iconic Hammer, complete with a 6.0-liter V8 and a four-speed automatic transmission from its stouter sibling, the W126 S-Class. Power was bumped by nearly 70 percent over the 300CE’s factory inline-six, with the bored-out V8 cranking out an estimated 385 horsepower, 417 pound-feet of torque, and one hell of a roar.
On the outside, the car also received a special AMG body kit with flared wheel arches, a ducktail spoiler, dual exhaust tips, AMG monoblock wheels, and color-matched everything.
This specific car’s history is just as interesting. The auction house shared the backstory with Ed Bolian of VinWiki, affectionately calling it “The Cocaine Hammer” after its stint with the first owner and, well, cocaine.
According to the auction house, the first owner of the car immediately took his $190,000-plus purchase (that’s more than $470,000 in 2022 dollars) on a speed run to Vegas. At some point along the way, he attracted the attention of the police who proceeded to search the car. They arrested the driver after finding it packed with cocaine and Quaaludes. Authorities impounded the car before the DEA ultimately took possession of it.
The car was then reportedly driven 1,500 miles in police custody before being auctioned off and purchased by baseball player Rob Deer. The story gets a bit boring after this, as it falls into traditional collector territory for the next 28 years of the car’s life.
Fortunately, this kept the mileage down for the next owner of this magnificent beast. The odometer still reads just 19,417 miles, which is backed up by the vehicle’s immaculate appearance.
Those interested in bidding on the car can do so over at the MB Market. However, let it be known that choosing to bid on this car means bidding against Bolian, the popular YouTuber and car collector, though. In the video above, he claims to be prepared to be outbid for this Hammer, so that should give prospective owners a bit of a silver lining, so as long as their pockets are also lined with cash. The current bid on the car is around $303,000 with a week left until the hammer drops.
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