Nineteen-eighty-six should be remembered as one of the defining years in AMG’s colorful, character-strewn, and laurel-guided history as one of the most profound success stories of Germany’s post-war automotive landscape. From humble origins in a dirt-floored basement, the unfettered engineering genius and business acumen of AMG’s founders rapidly pulled the company to nigh unimaginable heights of commercial renown, pop culture cachet, and success in motorsport at the highest levels.

The importance of 1986 to AMG’s continued ascendancy is highlighted by two parallel developments, one on each side of the company’s business. In motorsports, AMG began their clandestine operation as the de facto works team and engine supplier representing Mercedes-Benz in Group A and Group N competitions. On the customer side, 1986 also saw AMG widely expand the availability of their revolutionary—and proprietary—32-valve DOHC cylinder head conversion kit for the ubiquitous Mercedes-Benz “M117” V-8 engine. First developed by AMG founder Erhard Melcher in 1984, these sand-cast aluminum cylinder heads effectively doubled the performance capabilities of the stock engine, and, when coupled with AMG’s top-of-the-range 6.0-liter displacement upgrade, could produce in excess of 375 horsepower. In August 1987, a 6.0-liter DOHC-equipped AMG E-Class famously earned stellar praise and the moniker “the Hammer” from Road & Track magazine, thereby unifying this engine’s incredible performance with a now-legendary nickname that still rings in enthusiasts’ ears.

Though AMG had already been providing late-model Mercedes-Benz products with greatly improved power, handling, aerodynamics, unlimited interior luxuries, and attention-grabbing cosmetic accoutrements for nearly 20 years, the outstanding performance benchmarks and insane costs introduced by the company’s DOHC V-8 conversion kit had—in 1986—catapulted AMG to the zenith of Germany’s overheated tuning scene. These legendary cars remain highly coveted “poster cars,” representing the ingenuity and entrepreneurial spirit of the “Excess Eighties.”

Offered today from a significant Youngtimer collection, this 1986 500 SEC AMG 6.0 “Wide-Body” is unequivocally one of the lowest-mileage examples of this legendary AMG model available. Originally specified as a German-market order and subsequently transformed by AMG—possibly when new, and certainly very early in its life—into the revered 6.0-liter super-coupe presented today. Although no period AMG invoices accompany this chassis to the present, it should be noted that the car left the Mercedes-Benz factory in February 1986, and was not road-registered in Germany until 16 July 1986. By January 1987, this AMG had been acquired by a resident of Milan, Italy; it then passed through two subsequent Italian caregivers over the ensuing 17 years until it was purchased by its previous owner and exported to Germany in August 2004.

In late 2021, this incredible pre-merger creation was acquired by the consignor directly from its previous German owner, in whose careful care it had resided for 16 years. Handwritten service notes illustrate that immediately prior to this sale, the previous owner had his collection staff furnish the car with an extensive service regimen which included a complete fluid flush, oil change, new valve cover seals, and a new crankshaft sensor.

At time of its latest German registration, the car indicated just 4,716 kilometers (~2,930 miles) and has thus travelled fewer than 113 miles under current ownership, with its odometer presently showing 4,898 kilometers (~3,043 miles).

The coupe’s exterior is finished in the archetypical color of Blue-Black Metallic (199U), while the Anthracite leather interior remains an attractive, well-preserved, and restrained affair (by AMG standards). Notable highlights include an exceedingly attractive suite of burl wood trim on the doors, dashboard, and center-console. A four-spoke, leather-wrapped, AMG-branded Momo M38 steering wheel fronts a nicely detailed instrument suite which features AMG’s signature 300-kph speedometer and desirable onboard trip-computer gauge.

Though a set of later Brembo four-piston front brakes with 320-millimeter ventilated rotors and H&R springs have been fitted, this formidable S-class AMG conversion otherwise remains notably correct throughout. AMG body numbers are found on the front fenders and front bumper with correct West German production information, and the valve cover stampings correctly identify the 6.0-liter displacement, sequence number, and appropriate employee ID code. Further stampings on the heads, exhaust manifolds, and throttle body are similar testaments to this coupe’s significant modifications.

Alongside RUF’s Porsche 930-based CTR Yellowbird, there is perhaps no more exemplary representative of Germany’s contemporary tuning culture as the wide-bodied 1986 Mercedes-Benz S-class Coupe offered here. More expensive than a Ferrari Testarossa, faster than a Lamborghini Countach, and with ample room for four, this “Hammer”-engined, 1986 500 SEC AMG 6.0 “Wide-Body” is a tremendous offering not to be missed by the discerning Youngtimer enthusiast.

While many AMG-modified Mercedes-Benz products from this era might have only a few of high-performance or cosmetic attributes, this low-mileage 1986 example benefits from a comprehensive suite of the company’s most desirable and expensive upgrades, making it truly exceptional.