Limited in quantity, the 1988 300CE AMG Hammer is a rare find. Built by Mercedes-Benz and modified by AMG prior to the merger. The 3.0-liter 177-hp 6-cylinder 300E originally sold for $39,000 (W124 body style). For $17,000, AMG would replace that 3-liter unit with the 5.5-liter V8 from the 560 SEC after adding 32-valve cylinder heads and twin camshafts. During 1988, additional options included:

• $39,950 – AMG bored out the 5.6-litre to 6.0-liters
• $33,302 – upgraded rear differential, Gleason-Torsion LSD, stronger rear sub-frame, plus more chassis modifications
• $14,170 – upgraded AMG suspension, 17 inch chrome wheels/tires, AMG interior package, etc.
• $18,000 labor charge
• Total package cost in 1988: around $162,000.

The following pictures and information were provided by the AMG’s owner (2007):

History
Original owner was professional baseball player Robert Deer:

• Rob Deer is famous for hitting the game-tying home run on Easter Sunday in 1987 to give the Milwaukee Brewers their 12th straight win to start the season. The home run was featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated.
• June 6, 1978: Drafted by the San Francisco Giants in the 4th round of the 1978 amateur draft.
• San Francisco Giants (1984-1985), Milwaukee Brewers (1986-1990), Detroit Tigers (1991-1992), Boston Red Sox (1993), San Diego Padres (1996)

THIS CAR IS NOT AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE/SALE – THE INFO IS FOR HISTORICAL REFERENCE FOR THOSE INTERESTED.

Sept. 2007: [THIS SALE OF THIS CAR HAS BEEN DISCONTINUED.] 

An AMG Hammer was being auctioned by AMG Market in a "telephone bid sale" conducted by John Olson and Greg Magnus. If you are interested in selling an AMG Mercedes-Benz through our auction process, please complete the form below. Photos of the AMG Hammer previously offered for sale are here. A description of the AMG Hammer and the history of the vehicle provided by the owner is here.

[THIS SALE OF THIS CAR HAS BEEN DISCONTINUED.] 

At AMG Market, we get a lot of requests for information pertaining to Mercedes-Benz collectible cars. To help out our readers we are providing, with the authors permission, an article titled, "Value Diminution – Fact or Fiction?" (Source: John Olson's SL Market Letter #323)

There are many opinions we've all heard for avoiding loss of value in collectible cars. Is it better to rebuild an original engine's block than replace it? At what point do you take original paint off a collectible car? Many people spend extra thousands of dollars returning a car to it's original color after learning how it left the factory when new.

The SLML has praised the charm and often superior durability of original paint. Giving up a 90% well preserved original finish, even if faded, to eliminate a few scratches or dents doesn't make sense. Obvious losses come from hasty repair work that shows — from overspray on rubber that should have been removed to misaligned body work that belies an accident free past. Finally, there are obstructive insurance practices that can prevent proper repairs << MORE >>

Possibly the largest collection of CLK63 Black Series AMG cars are now at the Vehicle Prep Center (VPC) in Baltimore, MD. This VPC is the first stop after U.S. Customs for all new Mercedes-Benz vehicles destined for dealerships located east of the Mississippi. Baltimore's port has a national ranking of second in automobile importing and exporting according to the Maryland Department of Transportation.

Here are a few pics taken at the VPC for AMG Market plus a few stock photos provided by MBUSA: 

2008 AMG CLK63 Black Series at the VPC – Baltimore, MD	2008 AMG CLK63 Black Series Photo by Bill Hopper
2008 AMG CLK63 Black Series Photo by Bill Hopper	2008 AMG CLK63 Black Series - MBUSA Photo
2008 AMG CLK63 Black Series - MBUSA Photo	2008 AMG CLK63 Black Series – MBUSA Photo

Volker Mornhinweg introduced the CLK63 AMG Black Series at the NY Auto Show in April 2007. The CLK63 is a street legal version of the Official F1 Safety Car. The Black Series is a 500 horsepower version of the AMG 6.3-liter V8 engine, with 0-60 mph acceleration of 4.1 seconds and an electronically limited top speed of 186 mph. More info on the Black Series here.

Mercedes-Benz announced that their marketing promo "Mixed Tape" – free MP3 files anyone can download – is coming to an end in its current format. The current and last release, Mixed Tape 18, is a compilation of all-time favorites from previous releases. 

If you're an avid Mixed Tape fan, you likely have all of the MP3 songs on this final release. Here's the promo newsletter I rec'd yesterday:

The cream of the crop: Mixed Tape 18 with 10 all-time favourites from the popular compilation series
 
All good things come to an end – Mixed Tape 18 will be the last compilation in its current guise. To sweeten the blow, we have compiled a very special best-of edition featuring 10 highlights from our well-stocked archives – available free of charge at www.mercedes-benz.com/mixedtape.

A delectable distillate of our most promising talents, Mixed Tape 18 throws a spotlight on Norway (R&B singer Kristin Hild), New Zealand (dub producer Tubbs remixed by legendary compatriots Fat Freddy’s Drop), Germany (pop wonders Wagner Love) and the UK (singer/songwriter Bev Lee Harling) to celebrate the wealth of young artists around the world who pursue their own visions.

And while this trip to the past marks the end of a popular format, it paves the way for future innovations.
Join us in the forum to discuss the next generation of Mixed Tape, scheduled for an autumn relaunch.

Enjoy the mix!

Your Mercedes-Benz Team
http://www.mercedes-benz.com/mixedtape

During the course of this Mercedes-Benz marketing promo hundreds of free MP3 songs were released. Unfortunately, you can't download previous releases but search on the web and you might find someone providing access to all of the MP3 files. Enjoy.