“Pre-merger” AMG cars date from the period when the company was not yet officially part of Mercedes-Benz and instead existed as an independent tuner (it would be folded into the MB family in the early to mid 1990s). Back then, customers could upgrade their cars with AMG parts by choosing from a menu of cosmetic and mechanical upgrades and having them shipped from the production line to Affalterbach for modification (or, if they were in the US, having those parts installed by a locally authorized dealer, like the storied Beverly Hills Motoring Accessories). Early period AMG cars that show up for sale today offer a neat slice of the exotic 80s tuner world, but they present a number of difficulties when it comes to authentication. This gray market, seemingly AMG modified 500SE is a good case in point.
Category: Mercedes Benz
I’m always on the lookout for golden era Mercedes in rare colors to add to my small collection (more on that soon!). We’ve reached the point where despite millions of these cars being built and nearly all standing the test of time well, any nice one is starting to creep up in value — even more so if it’s in a color that isn’t earth tone. Today’s car that is up for sale in New York is the ultra-rare Inca Red paint that I’ve only seen on a handful of Mercedes over the years – let alone a W123 coupe.
CLICK FOR DETAILS:Â 1980 Mercedes-Benz 300CD on Hemmings
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Put down your pitchforks and extinguish your torches, that’s not needed today for this Frankenstein creation. What is needed is a little bit of perspective and thought beyond what you initially see – a bagged car with a wild color wrap and bolt on fender flairs. Normally these things would be off-putting to most enthusiasts, but are the bones of this build sound? Let’s take a look at this W202 AMG for sale in California.
CLICK FOR DETAILS:Â 1999 Mercedes-Benz C43 5.5 on Benz World
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There is a good chance you have no idea who Viktor Knvas is. Don’t worry – I didn’t either until researching this car. There is probably also a good chance you might be hearing a little more about Mr. Knvas when his son-in-law is inaugurated into the White House in next month. Yes, this car was owned by the father of the future First Lady of the United States, Melania Trump. So, if you find obscure political memorabilia appealing (or just like a really nice W111 coupe) let’s check out this 1962 220SE.
 CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1962 Mercedes-Benz 220SE Coupe on eBay
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The other day, Carter wrote up a gray-market, Signal Red 280SE. The Euro options and unusual color made for an attractive proposition, but that particular car had some mechanical needs making it a light project. This car, on the other hand, appears to be in need of no such work. Available in Europe but not sold in the US, the 280SE paired the 2.8 liter, six cylinder M110 gasoline engine with the short wheelbase version of the W126 chassis. While that might seem a small motor for such a large car, it made about 185 hp in Euro guise, a perfectly adequate, though certainly not blistering, amount of power. Like the US-spec 300SE/SEL, it might need a bit of shove at the low end, but once up to highway speeds it should cruise around capably.