AMG Hammer: Values vs Venues

Let’s talk Hammers. For years these cars flew under the radar and laid undiscovered. Even today, in an age of infinite information, the amount of misinformation surrounding these legendary cars is vast. But don’t worry, we’ll be following up soon with another article to clarify the age-old question; “What is a Hammer.” For now, to put it as simply as possible, an AMG Hammer is a W/S/C124 chassis Mercedes-Benz that was modified by AMG with a M117 DOHC engine prior to their merger with Benz. The AMG Hammer that broke sales records on The MB Market back in August 2022 really pushed these cars into the forefront of collector’s minds across the globe fetching over $760,000. Prior to that sale, values remained very private and the vast majority remained completely unaware. As these cars have stepped into the spotlight, I figured it’s worth discussing the 3 Hammers that have sold this year to show that choosing the right venue to list such a specialty car makes all the difference.

There have been 3 AMG Hammers sold via auction this year. One by The MB Market and two by Gooding Christie’s. The 2nd example by Gooding Christie’s reportedly began as a true Hammer, however, the current engine was swapped to the hybrid M117/9 at some point. While still a 6.0L, the pure M117 featuring those AMG valve covers that look more like a priceless work of art are what you’re looking for if you’re a buyer. Fortunately, I was able to inspect each of these cars in person and have a solid grasp of each.

As you may have seen, the AMG Hammer sold on The MB Market on August 26, 2025 hammered (pun intended) at a winning bid amount of $695,000 plus a $4,500 buyer’s fee, so let’s call it $700k for comparison sake. This car had 29k miles and, as disclosed in the listing description and comments from other notable figures in the space, needed a head gasket and some sorting with estimates between $75k-125k to complete. The car featured a true M117 6.0L DOHC engine mated to an automatic transmission.

Back in March 2025 at The Amelia, Gooding Christie’s auctioned the only known manual transmission AMG Hammer sedan. This car showed 34k miles and was similarly optioned to the one on we sold. The sale result is somewhat vague as the only posted result includes all fees. Buyer fees are calculated at roughly $73,000 but the seller fees are not transparent. Based on the information provided, the estimated final winning bid was around $675k plus a staggering $78,000 in fees (nearly all on the buyer’s part). In total, cost was $753k with Gooding Christie’s receiving a healthy chunk. This car also featured a true M117 6.0L DOHC engine, but the manual transmission and recent engine rebuild from Blue Ridge MB made this a truly outstanding example amongst proverbial unicorns.

At that same Amelia auction, Gooding Christie’s auctioned a C124 AMG Widebody with a 6.0L M117/9 engine. While the car was advertised as an AMG Hammer, I would only consider the true M117 cars a Hammer. This one could be up for debate given the reported history of originally being built with a true M117 6.0. The M117/9 in the car currently is somewhat of a hybrid engine that features a M119.960 utilizing a smattering of bespoke and factory M117 bits to make it work in pre LH equipped cars. It is an absolute beast of an engine...still wouldn’t call it a Hammer. This car also featured a manual transmission which should have added additional value due to the rarity, especially considering the widebody. Again, Gooding Christie’s isn’t very transparent in the way their results are displayed, but it appears the car sold at an estimated final winning bid was just short of $600k (maybe $590k?) plus a healthy $65,000-$75,000 in fees (an estimated $65k of which were on the buyer’s part). In total, acquisition cost was $665k with the enormous fees included. This car, like the manual sedan, was reported to be in excellent mechanical condition with no immediate needs.

There’s a few key take-aways from all of this.

• Secondly, we should acknowledge once again that a true AMG Hammer is a W124 (sedan, coupe, or wagon) featuring the correct modifications (subframe, chassis, mounts, tunnel) from AMG and the legendary M117 DOHC engine. Slapping the term “Hammer” on every hot rod V8 W124 only waters down the name. That’s not to take away from the other cars. You could make an argument that a 500E 6.0 AMG at its core is just a later version or generation of the Hammer. I wouldn’t disagree, but it’s not a Hammer.
• First, the two cars sold at Gooding Christie’s were grossly undersold. And that’s not to take anything away from Gooding as they’re an excellent venue for collector vehicles. The target was just missed on these cars whether it be audience, timing, knowledge, or lack thereof. If there is an AMG Hammer sedan that’s worth cresting the million dollar milestone, surely the only manual example with a recent mechanical refresh is it. And that’s just for now. I think in time, any verified AMG Hammer could easily be a seven figure car given the exclusivity and rarity of each car. They have such a unique story from AMG as an independent tuner and have become legendary across all walks in the automotive enthusiast scene. 
• Thirdly, choosing the right venue to sell a car is incredibly important and can mean a difference of hundreds of thousands of dollars. Not only does an AMG Hammer need to be presented to the right audience, it also needs to be presented in a thorough and transparent manner, and be accessible for potential buyers. It’s also worth noting the staggering amount of fees on the two cars sold at Amelia Island this year vs the underwhelming winning bid results. Even the estimates on both of those cars were well over one million dollars, and rightfully so (at least for the sedan). The fees on top of the bid price can discourage buyers from paying the seller what the car is truly worth.

• Lastly, the AMG Hammer that sold on The MB Market is a highly impressive result given the condition and needs of the car. It provides a much more accurate pulse on the market of these cars…at least for now. This is the second AMG Hammer to be sold on The MB Market and the mechanical work needed on this example can be done by one of the few specialists whether it be Blue Ridge MB, MKB Motoren Manufaktur, or RENNtech. There’s nothing to stop these cars from reaching the multi-million dollar value standpoint. The heritage, exclusivity, provenance, and reputation of an AMG Hammer, from a time where AMG was an independent tuner, cannot be replicated.