The year is 1988. You find yourself — not for the first time — thinking seriously about a car that will do 150 miles per hour the way other cars do 70: effortlessly, repeatedly, as a matter of routine.

You have options.

The Testarossa. The Countach. A 930 Turbo. An F40, if you know the right people. A 959 or CTR Yellowbird, if you know different ones. All of them fast. All of them asking something of you in return — your back, your luggage, your passengers, your anonymity.

Now raise the stakes. One hundred and eighty-five miles per hour. Four adults in full leather. Silence, or something close to it. A fridge, perhaps, to keep the champagne chilled. A car that looks exactly like a Mercedes-Benz — because it is one— right up until someone glances at the speedometer.

In 1988, there is only one answer to so unreasonable a request: the AMG Hammer. And the great news is that you still have options. Such as “what color?”, “What leather?”, And best of all — “what body style?”

Offered here is one of only three 6.0-liter Hammer Coupés built at AMG North America— a car with documented history from new and presented today after a decade of devoted stewardship by renowned AMG specialist Jonathan Hodgman of Blue Ridge Mercedes. Known as the 'Galdi Coupe', this is a reference-grade example of the car that transformed AMG from tuner to titan.

AFFALTERBACH, WESTMONT, BEVERLY HILLS

When AMG founder Hans Werner Aufrecht partnered with Richard Buxbaum of Classic Motors in Westmont, Illinois to form AMG North America in early 1981, it seems unlikely that either man had a strong premonition of exactly how the company’s products would captivate American enthusiasts and enter the mainstream cultural zeitgeist. As one contemporary source noted, "If AMG caused a stir in Europe, it caused a sensation in America."

The partnership proved decisive. Buxbaum's bespoke 'Westmont' cars — known for their Teutonic build quality and American flair — found eager buyers among artists, athletes, movie stars, and business magnates. By 1985, Buxbaum himself could barely keep up with demand, and partnered with Andy Cohen's Beverly Hills Motoring Accessories to handle West Coast distribution, a business arrangement that suited both parties perfectly. America’s demand for AMG cars was sent off-the-charts with the 1986 debut of the 300 E 5.6, now iconically known as ‘Hammer’.

Among the most consequential automobiles of the 1980s, the AMG Hammer took the conservative Mercedes-Benz W124 E-Class and transformed it—by way of a hand-assembled 32-valve, 5.6-liter DOHC V-8 engine and exhaustive chassis revision—into a four-door saloon of genuine supercar-rivalling capability. Its genius lay not in ostentation but in restraint — here was a machine capable of 190 miles-per-hour that projected the sober, unhurried, anonymous character of a banker's daily transport.

By 1987, AMG made its Hammer conversion available in C124 Coupe and S124 Wagon body styles; shortly thereafter they had squeezed out another 400-cc in displacement (for an additional $40,000), and top-spec Hammer conversions featured a 385-horsepower V-8 of 6.0-liters. Between 1987 and 1991, Westmont produced just four Hammer Coupes; our subject car is the only 6.0-liter Coupe fitted with Westmont’s iconic ‘molded ducktail’ coachwork treatment—making it an especially standout offering among its small subset of peers.

“HAMMER. COUPE. HOW MUCH?”

This particular AMG Hammer Coupe was built for Joseph C. Galdi II — a Tucson-based financier, gentleman driver, and longtime BHMA client. After reading Car and Driver's coverage of the AMG Hammer, Galdi reportedly called Cohen with a characteristically direct message: "Hammer. Coupe. How much?" Though he campaigned several Porsche race cars, Galdi's real passion lay with Italian machinery; he and his younger brother Greg maintained a Ferrari collection that included a 250 GT/L, 275 GTB/4, 288 GTO, and even a 312 PB. A Hammer Coupe it seems, appealed to a different instinct entirely.

Cohen relayed Galdi's specifications to Westmont in the weeks that followed; Joe’s original order was for a 5.6-liter conversion, but Cohen duly convinced him to go all out with a 6.0-liter. Surviving AMG business records show that the 300 CE donor car was sourced from RBM Atlanta on 19 December 1987 for $47,250. On arrival in Chicago, Westmont’s technicians completely dismantled and rebuilt the car from the ground up, an approach that distinguished the Hammer from the more superficial efforts of rival tuners. Even among AMG cognoscenti today, the Westmont-built Hammers are highly regarded for their superior build quality, paintwork, and fit-and-finish in comparison to Hammers built in Germany or Japan.

The rebuild involved a custom firewall, relocated battery and electronics, reinforced E-Class subframes with torque arms, a revised driveshaft, a Gleason-Torsen limited-slip differential from the W126 S-Class, custom engine mounts, upgraded four-piston brakes, and a complete Bilstein sport suspension. The coachwork received AMGNA’s signature molded ducktail metal spoiler, while they also fitted an upgraded 722.3 transmission to handle the 380-horsepower, 32-valve, 6.0-liter M117 V-8 now occupying the engine bay. Galdi also demanded a 2.82 rear axle ratio, a specification detail that speaks to his mechanical confidence. Chrome-finished 17-inch Aero I wheels, a color-matched Aero kit, and the twin chrome exhaust tips of the AMG Sebring exhaust system completed the exterior with satisfying restraint.

Inside, power-heated Recaro Classic sport seats trimmed in gray leather flank a standard W124 steering wheel re-clothed to match. The AMG gauge suite — originally topped with an unbadged factory-style overlay marked to 200 mph — lends the cabin a purposeful, untheatrical quality. Westmont's lead audio technician Jim Nagy added a full Nakamichi system, with tweeters hidden behind vented gray leather covers, Nakamichi amplifiers, and a Nakamichi passive crossover controller.

At an original MSRP of $192,000 — nearly double the price of a new Lamborghini Countach or Ferrari Testarossa, and a sum that, adjusted for decades of inflation, equates to nearly $536,000 in today's dollars, Galdi's commission was no casual indulgence. Yet his payment didn't reach Westmont until June 7, 1988, days after Cohen had already handed him the keys.

What followed was entirely predictable. Galdi had a 385-horsepower secret, a desert horizon in every direction, and no apparent interest in following posted speed limits. Regular high-speed runs to Los Angeles, Palm Springs, Las Vegas, Tijuana, and Phoenix became routine. Galdi could afford a private jet, but, as those who knew him understood, that rather missed the point. He just preferred to drive extremely fast.

In the spring of 1990, Road & Track magazine approached Cohen to source several cars for the first issue of their Exotic Cars Quarterly imprint. Galdi happily supplied his Hammer Coupe once he heard that Nissan factory driver and IMSA GT legend Steve Millen would be the one testing the car. Best of all, Galdi only had to deliver it to the Nissan Test Center in Stanfield, Arizona—84 miles from Tucson. About 45 minutes before he was supposed to meet the magazine staff, Galdi reportedly paged them “112”— code for “leaving now”. For the normal commuter, the drive from Tucson to Stanfield would take about 1 ½ hours. Galdi and his Hammer Coupe did it in just 39 minutes!

After several hours behind the wheel, Millen and Road & Track contributor Ray Thursby delivered their verdict: “in its balance of speed, handling, comfort, and build quality, the AMG Hammer Coupe has no rivals… this is a car that begs to be driven hard; the return is sheer pleasure.” The car had already demonstrated the point on the way there.

GOING TO CALIFORNIA, AND CANADA

Galdi parted from his AMG Hammer during October 1995. It then passed to Mercedes-Benz collector Aaron Ruskin (Canoga Park, California) whose AMG holdings also included the 1987 Hammer Wagon built for Canadian industrialist J. Paul Fingold and a 1987 Hammer Sedan originally sold by Cohen to Ferrari dealer Stuart Hayim. Remarkably, Ruskin added just 9,500 miles across fifteen years of devoted ownership — an average of 640 miles per year. Such restraint is perhaps unsurprising when two additional AMG Hammers are competing for seat time. Ruskin held all three until January 2010, when he consigned the Fingold Wagon and the Galdi Coupe to auction.

It was at this point that pre-merger AMG specialist Jonathan Hodgman of Blue Ridge Mercedes entered the picture — though not without difficulty. Able to acquire only one of the two cars, Hodgman secured the Wagon and watched the Coupé pass to a Manitoba-based collector of German sports cars. That collector, in a recent conversation with RM Sotheby’s, recalled the car with the warmth of someone who hadn’t quite recovered from parting with it:

“The Hammer is an incredible automobile; I always had so much fun rolling up on guys in new Porsches and leaving them in my dust. Nobody knew what it was or why I could gap them at triple digits. With all my cars over the years, my benchmark test has always involved a timed drive from my office in downtown Winnipeg to my lake house on the shores of Lake Manitoba—about 1 ½ hours at normal speeds. For more than a decade, the standing record in my 930 Turbo was 56 minutes. Even with some traffic downtown coming out of Winnipeg, I still did 44 minutes door-to-door in the Hammer. I think of it often and miss it dearly.”

Hodgman and the prior owner stayed in regular contact over the following years, with Hodgman providing technical guidance to the owner's mechanic whenever the car needed attention. When the owner eventually began considering a sale, Hodgman didn't hesitate — one phone call and an international bank wire later, the Galdi Coupe he had narrowly missed six years earlier was finally his.

LIFE AT BLUE RIDGE

During Hodgman’s decade of much-loved ownership, the Galdi Coupe has undergone a comprehensive mechanical restoration touching every major system; over $160,000 of maintenance and upgrades exhibit a particularly extreme focus on reliability and performance. Work orders (on file) represent approximately 400 hours of labor to arrive at this car’s current state.

Wherever possible, the car has been improved with Hodgman’s own “OEM+” suite of BRMB upgrades utilizing modified, period-correct, OEM Mercedes-Benz parts. Refined through decades of experience with AMG's low-production, hand-built automobiles, these upgrades enhance durability and drivability while remaining faithful to the engineering intent and character of the original Hammer.

The centerpiece of the Galdi Coupe’s care regimen has been a thorough mechanical recommissioning of the AMG-specification 6.0-liter M117 V-8. The engine has received extensive top-end servicing, including valve and timing adjustments, timing-chain system updates, ignition system refurbishment, injector and fuel distributor service, and numerous AMG- and M117-specific modifications developed by BRMB.

The intake system was rebuilt with new sealing components and AMG-specific hardware, while the distributor, cap, rotor, spark plugs, and related ignition components were renewed. Accessory systems received the same level of attention, including BRMB updates to the oiling system, oil pump pickup, sump, and engine mounts to address known wear points and improve long-term reliability.

The fuel and cooling systems were similarly rebuilt to an equally high standard. The fuel system was renewed from front to rear with dual Bosch pumps, a new filter, replacement fuel lines, a fuel pressure accumulator, updated pressure-control components, and a modified fuel distributor calibrated specifically for the 6.0-liter M117 and its EHA system.

The cooling system was comprehensively overhauled with a rebuilt AMG-specification radiator package, new auxiliary cooling components, updated fan controls, new hoses throughout, and a range of period-correct upgrades intended to improve cooling capacity and durability without compromising originality.

The transmission was removed and rebuilt with BRMB updates and applicable factory service revisions, including valve body reconditioning, updated filtration, renewed vacuum controls, cooler lines, and linkage components. Shift pressures and throttle linkage settings were recalibrated to restore the crisp, positive shift quality expected of a properly sorted AMG. The driveline was further refreshed with rebuilt driveshaft components, renewed flex discs and carrier bearing assemblies, upgraded mounts, and differential servicing using specialty lubricants selected to address known Hammer drivetrain weaknesses.

The suspension, steering, and braking systems were rebuilt extensively. The chassis received new dampers, springs, sway bars, steering components, wheel bearings, control arms, bushings, and alignment hardware throughout. The brake system was rebuilt with restored AMG front calipers, rebuilt rear calipers, upgraded rotors, stainless braided brake lines, high-performance pads, and premium fluid.

The interior and electronics have received equally careful attention. Hodgman fully rebuilt the Recaro seats with new foam and leather, a Nakamichi CD500 head unit replaced the missing original tape deck, and his team inspected and recapped all period amplifiers and crossovers. Hodgman comprehensively rebuilt the air conditioning system with a new compressor, dryer, and flushed condenser and lines. He refinished period-correct Aero I wheels, serviced and retorqued all window and sunroof mechanisms, installed European headlights with a vacuum leveling system, and applied ceramic tint to all glass — resulting in a car that drives, cools, and presents as a thoroughly sorted, long-term investment.

Though the Galdi Coupe has rarely appeared on the show circuit during Hodgman's ownership, its few appearances have made a strong impression: it was exhibited to great acclaim at Legends of the Autobahn in 2017, at the invite-only Bridge Concours in 2023, and at the private AMG North America reunion organized in June 2025 by 233 West and Fuelfed. During the latter event, AMGNA founder Richard Buxbaum was reunited with the Galdi Coupe for a spirited drive, after which he commented “its still incredible, it sounds great, and all it wants to do is go faster. It’s also probably the first Hammer I’ve driven since 1991!” In preparation for sale, Buxbaum issued a certification report for the car that includes a never-told-before story about Joe Galdi and Andy Cohen.

Following the 233 West event, the Galdi Coupe ferried Hodgman and one of his lucky customers all the way back to Atlanta, Georgia in just ten hours. It bears noting that among the small population of surviving AMG Hammers, precious few remain in a state of mechanical preparedness sufficient for such an undertaking — fewer still have owners willing to attempt it. The Galdi Coupe is, by any measure, an exception.

In preparation for sale, the car’s seatbelt presenters have been rebuilt with new gears, the AMG Sebring muffler has been repaired, and a brand-new set of Michelin PS4 tires have been installed for the benefit of the car’s next owner. One further note: the purchaser of the Galdi Coupe is guaranteed instant V.I.P. status at Hodgman's shop, Blue Ridge Mercedes. With a waitlist longer than is worth mentioning, the true value of that perk cannot be overstated.

Few examples of the AMG Hammer offer a provenance of comparable depth or a presentation of comparable integrity. The Galdi Coupé — one of just three 6.0-liter Hammer Coupés ever built in Westmont, the most numerically significant body style, and a car whose history reaches unbroken from its December 1987 commissioning to the present day — merits the serious attention of any collector for whom the AMG canon represents its proper significance in the history of the performance automobile.