In the 1980s, Mercedes-Benz needed something to prove its worth. Along came AMG to give us a tuned Merc that became the Hammer.
The Mercedes-Benz W124 is well-known as the Hammer. This car is a sedan modified by some of the most incredible automotive mad scientists in the world. During the 1980s, adding the our-valve design to this V8 engine enabled the W124 to produce more than 335 horsepower, which was an incredible figure for the decade. The Hammer could reach top speeds of 180 mph, and it had impressive acceleration capabilities, making it one of the most amazing cars of the time.
Capturing power and setting a new precedent
Before AMG was fully engulfed in the Mercedes-Benz family, this tuning company had to prove its worth by creating something radical and amazing. The Hammer was that creation. The goal was to create a sedan that could hit 300 kMh (186 mph), and this was that car. To harness this power, the team also developed a multi-link suspension and an aerodynamic design to bring us a car that would set the standard for future super sedans. If you’re wondering why we had so many sleeper cars in the 1980s and 1990s, you can probably blame AMG and the Hammer.
Although popular, the Hammer was a rarity
Very few versions of the Mercedes-AMG Hammer were ever created. The first effort took the 5.0-liter V8 engine and added four-valve cylinder heads to produce 335 horsepower. This was a step in the right direction for the m117 engine setup. The W124 power plant took a slightly different approach. AMG bored out the 5.0-liter m117 engine to increase displacement to 5.4 liters, creating the W124 engine, which became available in 1985. The AMG team produced very few of these cars, which makes the Hammer extremely valuable in today’s market.
Which AMG creation became the Hammer?
The car that was dubbed the Hammer by Car and Driver wasn’t the 1984 or 1985 versions, but the model that arrived in 1986. By the end of 1986, an AMG-modified 5.6-liter m117 engine was ready to be used in the W124 sedan, creating the 300E 5.6 AMG, which delivered the desired 335 horsepower and 180 mph top speed. This wasn’t quite the goal of 186 mph set by the AMG founders, but it was exciting and impressive. The word Hammer is the same in both German and English, making it easy to adopt the moniker and utilize it in future marketing efforts.
Amazing acceleration in a sedan
How quickly should a sedan hit 60 mph? The Mercedes-AMG Hammer was capable of achieving this speed in only five seconds from a standstill. The car was also capable of completing the quarter-mile run in 13.5 seconds at 107 mph, which is extremely impressive for the mid-1980s. The Hammer was a fast sedan, made for speed, power, and glorious driving, although only made for a short time and in limited numbers.
What did AMG do to control the Hammer?
This incredible sleeper sedan isn’t just powerful, but it can be controlled for fun on any road or track. AMG completed extensive work on the 300E with several modifications and features that aided in the amazing performance of this car. Some of these features and qualities are:
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- Four-speed transmission
- Limited-slip differential
- Stiffer springs
- Lowered ride height
- Bilstein dampers
- Wider fender wells
- Larger wheels and tires
This packaging enabled the 300E 5.6 AMG to accelerate from 60-120 mph faster than a Lamborghini Countach, which was setting the standard for high-performance supercars at the time. The Countach had the automotive world’s attention, but the Hammer was faster.
More power for the Hammer
As you would expect, the next step for AMG to improve the Hammer was to find more power and do things a little better in this high-powered sedan. The AMG team bored out the 5.6-liter m117 engine to increase displacement to 6.0 liters for the 1987 version of this car. The added displacement enabled this car to produce 380 horsepower and 417 lb-ft of torque.
Finally, the AMG team had the Hammer they had hoped for during the past four years. The 1987 version could finally achieve 300 kMh (186 mph), which made this an extremely fast sedan with an amazing body.
As before, the 1987 6.0-W124 Mercedes-AMG Hammer was produced in limited numbers, with only 13 models making it to North America. The grand total build was between 30 and 35, making it one of the most impressive and limited cars ever made.
AMG continued modifying the 300E models into the 1990s, but the Hammer of the 1980s will forever live on as the foundational model of sleeper sedans and impressive performance cars with four doors.
