Chassis No. AMG12422325050

In the years prior to Mercedes-Benz acquiring AMG, smartly bringing the Affalterbach company in-house, they were the ultimate automotive candy store for fans of Mercedes-Benz automobiles. No longer restricted by the Mercedes' Board of Directors and bean counters, AMG's engineers - mostly ex-Mercedes - were able to create the performance cars of their dreams. Their impressive catalog meant there was truly something for everyone, whether it was a steering wheel, trunk spoiler, or a fully engineered car built to their standards with an AMG chassis number. In fact, the only limiting factor was the imagination of their clients and the size of their checkbooks.

In 1991, the most powerful W124 Mercedes coupe was the inline-six 300 CE-24 producing 217 hp in ECE form, with the team at AMG eying it as the perfect starting point before transforming it into a German muscle car. Any true muscle car begins with the engine, and this 6.0 AMG Widebody is no exception. For starters, AMG would remove the engine and replace it with a potent 32-valve, four-cam, 5.0-liter M119 V8 from the recently launched R129 500 SL. It was no small task to shoehorn the M119 into the W124 body with a necessary repositioning of the frame rails and reinforcement of the firewall before it could accept the much wider V8. Engine performance was then turned up to 11 with a displacement increase to 6.0-liters, doubling the displacement of the original inline six to produce 375 hp. More than an engine upgrade, the rear suspension was reengineered to reduce squatting and chassis flex when under acceleration. As the ultimate flex, AMG transformed their new 6.0-liter into a widebody model, with flared fenders for housing the wider three-piece OZ AMG Aero III 17-inch wheels, which, when paired with the Torsen limited-slip differential, aided in transforming this raw power into prodigious speed.

Clearly not used to half-measures, AMG ensured that their 6.0 Widebody could be ordered with a complete selection of cosmetic improvements as well. The body of this AMG is finished in Nautical Blue Metallic, with all of the bright trim being painted in body color or black to create a streamlined and decidedly ominous appearance. Opening the vault-like door reveals a custom blue leather interior with contrasting white stitching. Recaro bucket seats have taken the place of the originals, with the rear seat reupholstered to match. This custom leather work continues through the center console, dashboard, door panels, and, incredibly, even the sun visors. The wood trim has been upgraded to burl walnut, and unique AMG pieces have been added, like the shift surround and glove box door. The final touch to the interior is the smaller diameter AMG four-spoke steering wheel framing the white AMG instrument cluster, which today, at cataloging, displays only 36,701 km or the equivalent of 22,805 miles since new.

This AMG Widebody Coupe has been so thoroughly re-engineered to meet the standards set by AMG that it is just one of a handful of cars to receive an AMG serial number, illustrative of the sum total of work invested in this Teutonic Hot Rod. Believed to have been built in Germany before being sent to Japan early in its life, it is tantalizingly reported to be a show car when it arrived. It would remain in Japan until being imported to the United States by the consignor in 2022. Today, this intriguing piece of pre-merger AMG history would be a true star in any collection, especially for those focusing on Mercedes-Benz and AMG.