*Full AMG appearance kit on an early 124
*Reportedly used in a period sneaker advertisement
*Styling that inspired the legendary 'Hammer' series
*Requires Recommissioning
THE MERCEDES-BENZ W124
When Mercedes-Benz announced the venerable mid-sized W123 would be replaced at the end of 1984, customers worried that the new car might not live up to the legendary durability of its predecessor. In fact, German taxi drivers actually took to the streets in protest at the Mercedes-Benz factory in fear of losing their beloved tank-like W123 sedans. As it turned out, they had little to worry about, as the new W124 proved to be a worthy successor, with superb build quality, typical Mercedes-Benz attention to detail, and timeless, understated styling by the masterful Bruno Sacco and his team. Like the W123 before it, the W124 was offered in Sedan, Coupe, and Estate variants, with a 2-door cabriolet joining the lineup later. While not intended to be a performance car, it did offer capable high-speed cruising ability, stable handling and that legendary bank-vault construction.
The boffins at AMG in Affalterbach did their typical superlative work with the W124 platform, ranging from simple cosmetic upgrades to the full-chat 6-liter, 183-mph Hammer sedan – an absolute legend for anyone of certain age who read Road & Track in the 1980s. Despite its boxy lines, the W124 was deceptively slippery, and AMG further enhanced that with its subtle bumpers, side skirts, and rear spoiler treatment that lowered the coefficient of drag to a downright slick 0.24.
THE CAR OFFERED
This 1985 230E is an early W124 sedan, equipped with a 2.3-liter engine and manual gearbox. Presented in dark blue, it features a full-dress AMG body kit and interior upgrades, and it shows evidence of mechanical tweaks such as a tubular exhaust header. The sellers report that the car was believed to have been used in period for either an Adidas or Puma sneaker advertising campaign, earning it the nickname "The Blue Shoe." Additionally, the seller believes this early example was used as a testbed for aerodynamic testing of the bodywork that would eventually be applied to the Hammer series, however, supporting documentation has not been uncovered. Inside, the car features an AMG steering wheel and gauge faces.
While in Bonhams' care, this 230E has not been run, and will require recommissioning following an extended storage period. Once refreshed, however, it would be a welcome sight at local Cars and Coffee events, or in the growing number of 80s car classes at regional concours and is surely a fine addition to the stable of any Mercedes-Benz and Pre-Merger AMG enthusiast.
Footnotes
Note, due to California emissions laws, this vehicle may only be sold to an out-of-state resident for use outside the state of California or to a licensed automotive dealer.
