1988 Mercedes-Benz 300 E AMG Hammer

The Hammer was a selectively equipped 300E impeccably tuned by AMG to include the large displacent V8 from the 560 SEC and all associated drivetrain and suspension upgrades. In August of 1987, Road & Track said it was a ”4-door that runs like a Ferrari Testarossa”.

In the 1980s, no other practical four-passenger provided Hammer’s performance. It reached 0 to 60 in 5.0 seconds; the quarter-mile in 13.5 seconds and a top speed of 186 mph.

Each hammer began with a U.S. specification Mercedes 300E, stripped of all powertrain and running gear. The six-cylinder engine gave way a V8 which was originally intended for the larger 560. Then an AMG-designed DOHC setup with four vales per cylinder was installed. Optionally, AMG could bore the engine out from 5.6 to 6.0 litres to get 375 bhp and 407 ft lbs of torque.

Additionally, AMG revalved the four-speed automatic from the large Mercedes S-Class, replaced the rear subframe with a beefier one and fit the biggest M-B differential, A Gleason-Torsen (Torque Sensing) unit.

A special AMG suspension was installed with shorter springs, firmer shock absorbers, 8.0-by-17-inch alloy wheels, and Pirelli P700 tires: 215/45VR-17 front, 235/45VR-17 rear.

To reduce frontal area and improve wind resistance to 0.25 Cd a front air dam and side skirts, and a ducktail blended into the deck were included.

It’s unknown just how many hammers were as each was custom ordered. This meant that the only common aspect of each car was the M117 V8, sometime with our without the DOHC 4-Valve cylinder heads.

Specification listed is for the largrest 6.0 liter Hammer which would be much faster than the 5.6 car which reached 186 mph during Road & Tracks record-breaking test.

In Detail